Thread: Design Aspects when making your own costumes

I'm wondering about design aspects. how do you all get your creative ideas pinned down? do you draw a sketch right away? or do you buy the supplies & then plan it out? or do you just swing it?

If this isn't clear then I apologize up front. I've decided to venture into the realm of making my own costume. Or I'm going to at least try. These are the pieces I have. I've bought via bhuz market a petal skirt as well as a harem pant/top set all in purple. My coin hip belt is purple. All those in my class will be wearing a coin hip belt so that has to stay. This costume will be for my veil dance & my veil is purple & bright green. So what I'm planning on making right now is the bra. I'm going to be hitting up the good will store tonight so see what I can find. I plan on buying enough supplies to eventually make a belt as well, but my first focus will be the bra.

rule one: buy enough fabric for both bra and belt cuz it might not be there when you plan on getting to the belt (from personal experience lol). I get inspired by all the ways you mentioned. sometimes, like this past weekend, i see an amazing fabric that i HAVE to get, sometimes i have a gorgeous skirt and want to make a bedlah for it. No matter what i always make an initial sketch. the finished product never looks like the original sketch though. i keep making new sketches as the design progresses until im in love.

The answer: YES. ..g.:

For me, it could start with spotting a single paillette, a swatch of fabric, a color, an appliqué, a break dancer's move, anything. Be open to all influences from all sources.

I also get inspiration from interesting fabrics or maybe a costume design that I've seen.

I've never sketched out a design. I just cover the bra and belt and buy beads, sequins, and other interesting baubles that would match. I'll just sit and look at what I have and come up with ideas of where beads and things would look good on the costume, what would flatter the fabric design, and what sort of "mood" I want the costume to have (maybe a theme, or used for slow dance, or faster dance, etc.).

I have done both design on paper and let it flow. And I have several projects which I have done on paper and the supplies completely misbehaved, so I threw out the plans and just went for it! One of those almost didn't make it home.

I am also one for asymmetry. So one bra cup may be completely covered with beads and crystals while the other will be dripping with fringe. It all depends on my mood! And how much I am interested in spending at any given time! ;-)

{{{HUGS}}}

Sketches help, esp when you idea or inspiration comes from a non tangible source like music If I have a photo, or if I have loads of creative license, then I just let it go wherever it will take me. One thing I like to do is partition the supplies to ensure I have enough for the bra without dipping in the belts supplies.

The only time I make a sketch is when I have a specific idea in mind and I don't want to loose it.

Usually, I start out with a general idea of what I want, and let the details of the design grow from the materials at hand. I like to collect anything and everything that might work, spread it out on my dinning room table, and start mixing and matching, sorting trims, beads, etc into Yes, No and Maybe piles.

But that's just the starting point. As the project takes shape I might change a motif or choose different embellishments or play up different accent colors. Sometimes I'll find a new item that's just right for the project and make changes to add it.

Always buy more than you think you need. I recommend buying a minimum of 1 yard of fabric. That's plenty for a bra, belt, accent pieces, and mistakes.

okay ask me how frustrated i am today grrrr? drove all the way to the edmonton about an hour away. got caught in a traffic a semi truck lost it's load add 45 mins to my trip. go to value village & couldn't find anything...grrr. not to mention i left my veil at home grrrrr. so matching colours was impossible. the green fabric i did buy just to buy something isn't the right colour & i have to take it back....grrrr. omg try finding purple beads. seemed like everything i wanted i couldn't find. going to try good will here in town. problem is i don't have a fabric store that close to me.

ommmmmmmm - take a deep breath.

sometimes the thrift store gods shine on us... other times it's a crap-shoot. You'll find what you want - something completely better that's going to give "different" inspiration. :-)

(so who's your teacher?)

Originally Posted by GypsyStacey

I'm wondering about design aspects. how do you all get your creative ideas pinned down? do you draw a sketch right away? or do you buy the supplies & then plan it out? or do you just swing it?

Personally, I spend more time planning than making—because I ADORE costume planning! I have more plans for costumes than I could ever make, and I’m always coming up with new ideas.
My process is
1. Start with an idea (“Sexy but subdued galabeya”, “cabaret Turkish vest”, “Soheir Zaki as Disney’s Cinderella”, “this bedlah but cheaper”)

2. Go to Google images. Collect loads of images that appeal to me and have anything to do with the concept. If I don’t know where else to start, I start with the search “belly dance”.

3. Go do something else. Let the ideas percolate.

4. Come back. Look through the images, and refine (“Hmm…I really like this drapey neckline…that pouffy skirt…those silver beads used as buttons…these beaded appliqués”). Collect more images related to the elements you like.

5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until I have a pretty clear idea of what I want.

6. Buy fabric. Try not to buy everything all at once because then all the planning is done and I want to move on to planning the next costume. Instead, buy just the base fabric (but no baubles), or just the fabric for making one part of the costume. Plan a specific time and place to wear the costume so I have a deadline.

7. Put on a movie or TV show that I can look away from (I like to “watch” Project Runway, but only actually sit down and watch the catwalk section) and sew, sew, sew.


If you're not in a hurry, there are online sources for fabric and beads, such as:

Fabric By The Yard. Fabrics at Wholesale Prices

Fabric - Discount Fabric - Apparel Fabric - Home Decor Fabric - Quilting Fabric - Save up to 70% - Fabric.com

Wholesale Beads and Jewelry Making Supplies - Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Or you can use the Google Shopping search to search, for instance "chiffon fabric" or "chiffon yard".

I usually get my inspiration from a trim or fabric. The costume I am currently working on started with just a lovely trim I found. I take the trim/fabric to the store and look for matching beads, fringe, etc. Usually I'll buy the basics at first so I'll start with the trim, the fabric to cover the bra/belt, the bra to be covered and a few decorations. Once I cover the bra I start playing with the decorations and as it gets more elaborate I start adding on more stuff.

If I need a costume that has a certain look to it I find my starting item that matches it and build from there. Like when I made a yellow, turquoise and copper costume for a circus-ey piece. I found a colorful teal and coppery trim and added yellow fabric to cover the bra to give it some colorfulness. From there I started adding copper chain and coins and some colorful crystals.

I typically do sketch, or lay out the design on the base to see if I like it, but the idea will often times change as I make it and add more decorations. When I was making matching costume with my troupe we would use a similar process. We would pick out trims and fabric and a basic idea of what the costume would look like then each person would come up with their own way of decorating. We all matched but had some variety and it worked out well.

Originally Posted by caasious

ommmmmmmm - take a deep breath.

sometimes the thrift store gods shine on us... other times it's a crap-shoot. You'll find what you want - something completely better that's going to give "different" inspiration. :-)

(so who's your teacher?)

well the thrift store gods better shine on me today i tell ya. at least this time i'm ahead of the game i have my veil with me for matching purposes.....l;,there's a thrift store near where i work. your right i'll probably find something even better.

my teacher is Shanta Ray-Schurek. this is her site www.shantasdance.com

I always draw. I often have the idea in my head for a while, and drawing it helps. Of course even after drawing a lot of things might change, but for me it helps. Then I go look for specific things, and based on what I find the design might change.

Of course the other way is possible, if I found a number of things that I could use for a costume, then I would buy them, and see what I could do with them, but these two scenarios are very different.
1. I come up with my idea and then buy things to make it happen.
in 2. I have the tings and I come up with the idea to support the material.
But drawing always helps.

well no luck at the thrift store this afternoon. i need the thrift store gods/goddesses to smile on me

Originally Posted by GypsyStacey

okay ask me how frustrated i am today grrrr? drove all the way to the edmonton about an hour away. got caught in a traffic a semi truck lost it's load add 45 mins to my trip. go to value village & couldn't find anything...grrr. not to mention i left my veil at home grrrrr. so matching colours was impossible. the green fabric i did buy just to buy something isn't the right colour & i have to take it back....grrrr. omg try finding purple beads. seemed like everything i wanted i couldn't find. going to try good will here in town. problem is i don't have a fabric store that close to me.

That sucks!

It is soooooo hard to find purple beads at any craft store! Last fall I was looking for plain ol purple seed beads everywhere. The only place I found them was at a specialty local bead store. geesh!

Originally Posted by Juniper

6. Buy fabric. Try not to buy everything all at once because then all the planning is done and I want to move on to planning the next costume. Instead, buy just the base fabric (but no baubles), or just the fabric for making one part of the costume. Plan a specific time and place to wear the costume so I have a deadline.
.

I can't tell you how many "sets" of unmade costumes complete with all the fabric, fringe, beads, etc. I have! I totally agree with this rule. Once I have everything my brain is satisfied and I move on to planning the next one. Buying all the matching stuff is more exciting to me than making it.

I always draw and redraw until I get what I want, then when I make the costume I do something completely different anyway LOL

My school notes are covered with belly dance costume sketches.

yesterday i decided to start drawing & it actually helped. decided to do a purple bra. was smart took my veil to a FABRIC store so that i could match it. had my son with me who has a good eye. found fabric that looked close in colour. my veil is a very unique shade of purple anyways. bought the fabric & some gems, thread get home & find what looked close in colour in the store looked totally different in the evening & now looks totally different again during the day light. during the day it looks close in clour ~sigh~

If you have an iridescent veil- the only way it will match is if it is the same fibers and colors of the iridescent too. Light is colored- and it will depend on what type of light it is that will make fabric look different.

one way to solve this problem is to cover the fabric with lots of beads and have an additional color or colors in your design.

I plan for forever. I shop for forever. gathering ideas, supplies, photos, concepts, --gather and then lay things out- shape the final concept before I cut anything. I don't start sewing without an end design worked out in my mind. Anytime it hasn't been completely worked out before it start- the project is still sitting half done in a box because it went down a bad path that isn't doing it for me.

Usually I venture out to millions of fabric or bead stores (NYC has tons all in one area) and I often go home without what I was looking for. So just know this and be relaxed when you go hunting. Sewing is a game of being ok with plodding along, ripping it out and plodding along again.

Zen with the needle
:)

Oh I hate when colors change like that! I have trouble distinguishing between black and very dark navy inside stores. I think the fluorescent lighting affects the colors.

If the purples are on the same side of the purple wedge of the color wheel (plum & eggplant) they should still work together, especially if the fabrics have different textures. Texture affects color anyway. Also, if the colors are all similar in hue or saturation, for example all deep, rich colors or all pastels, they'll blend somewhat.

I start with photo's I like, then I draw a design on a body photo I have (silhouette - 'cos my body shape is ...uh...imperfect!). Then I buy fabric and it rapidly goes downhill from there because I'll fail to find the fabric I'm after, and then I'll get inspired with something else, then I'll start draping and pinning and cutting...
and I'll keep on looking at other costumes and getting more inspiration - sometimes I'll find myself wanting to achieve something, not know how, then search online - and get another inspiration - then end up doing something even more different!

And that's before I start doing the beading when I find my fingers and my brain don't always agree - and what my fingers come up with is usually nicer than my original thought - and isn't it fun!!

I tend to "see" the finished costume when I come across the "initiator". That could be a wonderful bead, some beautiful fabric or a piece of music that really speaks to me. Then, it's a hunt for fabric, beads, sequins and crystals to match that flash of completeness!

I don't draw well at all, so sketching is of NO help to me. What does help is a 4" X 6" recipe card file where I glue samples of all of the supplies. That keeps the design idea in my head.

Originally Posted by nitewindz

Oh I hate when colors change like that! I have trouble distinguishing between black and very dark navy inside stores. I think the fluorescent lighting affects the colors.

If the purples are on the same side of the purple wedge of the color wheel (plum & eggplant) they should still work together, especially if the fabrics have different textures. Texture affects color anyway. Also, if the colors are all similar in hue or saturation, for example all deep, rich colors or all pastels, they'll blend somewhat.

yeah i'm thinking it will work, but i'm warning you right now i won't be totally happy with it...lol. i'm sure with added beads & such it will not be as noticeable. i just want to get started on this thing & feel like i've had a big set back not finding the 'exact' fabric that i wanted. of course i found loads of stuff that would make wonderful costumes, but of course i had to have a certain colour.

lesson learned next time find the fabric then plan the rest of the costume...lol

i sketch when i have an idea, then i'll fill in the blanks at the fabric/bead store, depending on how specific it is. sometimes i do a sketch and don't even color it in, just lay all the fabrics out next to each other in the store. sometimes i know right down the shape of the beads i want to use.
if you're not good at drawing people take a photo of yourself in a two piece bathing suit (so that you don't loose the real shape of your waist) if you wear bedlah, in a one piece if you wear a body-stocking, standing facing the camera with one arm out and one arm down (like L arms, but upside down ^_~) and then blow it up to 8x10 and trace yourself onto a blank page and draw your costumes on that, it will help you see how the shapes you're planning will effect your actual body, rather than what the costume will look like on some glamazon that the computer gives you as a template.