5 Costume Reminders for Social Events
It’s that time of year when our favorite characters come to life at parties, music festivals and other themed costume events.
Costumes are a fun way to role play with your friends and impress others at social events. In the quest for the ultimate costumes however, it can be easy to overlook the inconveniences that come with them. Don't get me wrong, you should absolutely be creative with your look, but try asking yourself these 5 simple reminders before dropping a stack on that "authentic" Sailor Moon costume.
1. How does the costume material feel with sweat?
If you’re wearing a Halloween costume or Christmas sweater to a social event that has any sort of physical movement, then you should expect to get sweaty. Surely, deodorant is on your list of “do not forgets” but have you considered the material of your costume? Wool for example is itchy as hell, while 100% synthetic materials don’t breathe, leaving you in a pool of sweat all evening. The best material in my experience is a synthetic blend, and perhaps a costume that covers minimal parts of the body. Let’s be honest, most adults already plan to go for this look anyways.
2. Is the costume reusable?
Buying that inflatable sumo suit is definitely a great idea, but how often will you realistically wear it? Costumes are totally cool for one-time wears (if you can afford it), but is there perhaps a more practical costume that you can wear time and time again? Funny holiday sweaters for example, provide timeless laughs when they're pulled from the back of the closet each year. Or, if you insist on buying new costumes, try starting a costume bin where you collect, mix, and match costumes for new looks!
3. How flexible is the costume?
If you’re going out to a costume themed event, you should consider all the possible walking/sitting/bending/dancing that may occur. While you might not necessarily expect to get sweaty (going to a movie theater premier, for example), imagine trying to sit down on a couch dressed as a giant carton-of-milk. Costume flexibility is also a no brainer for dance music events, like those put on by USC Events. If you're going to be groovin’, your clothes have to be groovin’ with you!
4. How original is your costume?
Are you planning to wear the same "sexy devil” costume to party, along with the other dozens of people who had the same bright idea? That’s cool if so, but why not create a fun, original costume that really catches peoples attention? If you’re going to a party with your significant other (or perhaps with a friend), try to find some group costume ideas. Here's one: moth & lamp costume combo. Get creative with your ideas!
5. Will the costume accessories inconvenience you?
Dressing up as the witch / wizard is a timeless classic costume idea, but what are you supposed to do with the wand, itchy beard, pointy wizard hat and cape that drags on the ground 3 feet behind you? You could save yourself a lot of inconvenience by minimizing the accessories your costume requires. Or, you could find a creative way to carry around the accessories. Free idea alert: dress up as Ness from Earthbound and use his backpack accessory to store various items for you and your friends.
Costumes are fun ways to role play with your friends and impress others at social events. In the quest for the ultimate costumes however, it can be easy to overlook the inconveniences that come with them. Take the time to find a truly comfortable costume and minimize hassle for your night out- have more fun!
If you like pro tips, check out these 5 pro tips that are unrelated to costumes, but interesting none the less. I hope these tips helped you pick the right costume! Was there something I forgot to mention about costumes? Let me know on Twitter!
Aleksey Weyman
Aleksey Weyman is web designer, artist and creator of Millennial Moderator
