Costuming Toolkit Resources
This toolkit offers a full suite of resources - articles, handouts, slide decks, videos, and posters - to guide drama teachers from pre-rehearsal planning through post-production strike, even if they lack costuming experience or sewing skills. It covers foundational design concepts, low-budget techniques, script analysis, costume measurement, dress rehearsal etiquette, emergency kits, and costume strike procedures.
0 - Overview
This Toolkit provides a variety of resource articles, tips, slide decks, videos, and handouts for you, the do-it-all drama teacher, who has to both direct and put together the costumes for a show.
Further to that, perhaps you don’t have a lot of costuming experience and don’t have an extensive costume budget, but want to add this skill to your productions. Where do you start? Right here! You don’t have to know how to sew. You don’t have to know how to draw. You don’t have to create your costumes from scratch. This resource takes you from pre-rehearsal analysis right through to post-production strike. Enjoy!
1 - Concepts
This section introduces key concepts for costuming through a series of handouts, slide decks, and videos.
- 1A: The Most Important Function of Costumes
- 1B: How to Apply Fashion and Personal Style to Costumes
- 1C: The Psychology of Colour and the Colour Wheel
- 1D: Beg, Borrow, and Buy (or rent)
- 1E: Fast, Cheap, Quality
- 1F: Common Costuming Mistakes
- 1G: Versatility - a Scarf, Belt, and Hat
- 1H: Line, Shape, Colour Intro Activity
- 1I: The Elements of Design: Learn, Analyze, Apply Slide Deck
- 1J: Considerations for Costume Design: Learn and Apply Slide Deck
- 1K: Understanding Silhouettes and Shapes VIDEO
- 1Ki: Understanding Silhouettes and Shapes Video Transcript
2 - Set-up
This section covers costume, equipment, storage, volunteer needs as well as budget tips.
3 - Pre-Production
This section includes handouts and slide decks to help you understand a script and director's concept, to inform the costumes.
4 - Practical Application
This section includes practical application tools, such as costume measurements, three stitches, and additional tips.
- 4A: Costume Measurements
- 4B: Costuming in Groups
- 4C: The Three Stitches
- 4Ci: The Three Stitches Slide Deck
- 4D: Distressing a Costume
- 4E: Painting Ideas
- 4F: Tip! Blanket Fleece
- 4G: Tip! Fusible Web
- 4H: Tip! Actors and Fabric
- 4I: Costume Tracking Exercise
- 4J: Creating Something Old From Something New VIDEO
- 4Ji: Creating Something Old from Something New Video Transcript
5 - Production
This section covers production elements such as a costume plot, dress rehearsal, and how to run a show as a costumer.
7 - Costume Posters
Two sets of posters - one for students and one for teachers, to provide visual cues and reminders.
