Costume making is an exciting and inspiring endeavor. For the aspiring costume designer or enthusiast, the Internet offers countless resources for making Halloween costumes, period costume patterns, historical costume drawings and images, and information on costumer events and conventions. From the early Egyptian period to modern day Cosplay, whether it’s just for fun, a theatre production or a Masquerade there is information to be found. A little research can lead to a ready supply of ideas, advice and tips on how to make the most stunning costumes possible.
- Italian Renaissance Gown Construction: Learn the complete process of making Italian Renaissance gowns.
- Clothing of the Middle Ages: Find costume patterns, materials and sewing stitches to use.
- Bissonnette on Costume: A visual dictionary of fashion through the ages. Can be used to get an idea of technique and style when costume making.
- Medieval Clothing: A resource of articles and essays on costume making techniques and tips.
- Costume Construction Techniques: Advice on costume making from a professional costume maker.
- Period Clothing Patterns: Free patterns for making period costumes from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and also for men and children.
- Costume Guide: Free costume patterns include a tunic, simple bodice, drawstring britches, cloaks and much more.
- 1895 Evening Skirt: Photographs of the costume, flat patterns, scaled patterns, directions and tips for construction.
- Costume Design Degree: The Theatre School at DePaul University offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Costume Design. The four-year curriculum simulates a costume designer’s professional experience and process.
- Costume Construction: The Toi Whakaari Costume Construction course gives students the entry-level skills they need in all forms of costume construction and production.
- Costume College 2010: A three-day educational conference teaching all subjects relating to clothing and costuming. Held in Woodland Hills. California.
- Costume Design: A 3-week course in costume design provided by the Austin School of Fashion Design in Austin, Texas.
- Animation on Display: Costumes are the foundation of the AOD convention. In the Masquerade, costumers display their costumes and perform skits hoping to win the Best of Show award. The convention is held in San Francisco, CA.
- Costume-Con 28: Costumers, historical reenactors, Cosplayers, furries , theatre folk all attend the convention for fun and training. Held in Milwaukee, WI.
- Cosplay Events: Listing for all 2010 Cosplay events and conventions around the world from West Virginia to France.
- Motley Collection of Theatre & Costume Design: Rare collection of over 5,000 items from more than 150 productions in the U.S. and England. View costumes and sketches.
- Costume Portfolio: Costumer provides images and description of theatrical costumes.
- Costume Gallery Research Library: A central resource for the study of costume and fashion with over 5,000 webpages.
- Paris Music Hall Collection: A collection of over 6,000 original renderings of costume designs for the music halls of Paris.
- The History of Costume: Shows different classes of people in different costumes worn in the time period.
- Timeline of Costume History: From Ancient Babylon to the 1980s, view pictures of period costumes.
- Costume Sources: Information about fashion history, typical costume evidence, and actual costume artifacts.
- Introduction to the Costume Institute: Has a huge collection of over thirty-one thousand accessories and costumes from five continents and just as many centuries.
- Late 17th Century Clothing History: Photo galleries of both male and female costumes of Baroque and Extant styles.
- How to Make Cosplay Cat Ears: Several ideas and tips for making great cat ears for a Cosplay costume.
- Dress for Success: Article about a Cosplay enthusiast that turns her hobby into a business.
- Getting Started with Cosplay: Offers a tutorial written for first time costume makers to get started on their first design and also a guide to choosing Cosplay character.
Written by Michael S. Atwood