Costumes: Is store-bought ever acceptable?

[Kabukiman]

I've always made my own costume, but I still haven't decided what I want to be this year and we're getting close to crunch time. My seven year old son is going as a Batman Scarecrow that's half Arkham Asylum / half his own creation, so I thought it'd be fun if I went as Batman.

There is no way I'd be able to get a decent Batman costume together in time, so I hit the costume store. I found a Batman: The Brave and the Bold costume and thought since the show is animated and ultra-campy, that a somewhat cheap looking store bought costume would be appropriate.

I'm gonna buy it, my inner costume snob is screaming his head off right now.

So anyway, long story short, I'm wondering how many other costume snobs we have here. Are you anti-store bought 100%? Or is store bought appropriate some times? Or maybe you only buy ready made costumes?

 

[Bamboota]

i'm gonna make my costume!! It's gonna be epic!!! lol

 

[jinxx]

I know who I'm going to be!.....wanna take a gander!?

 

[plasmid303]

For Halloween: It's okay. For a convention (SDCC, AX, whatever): Make your own.

 

[The Ween]

I made poopies!

 

[King Darkness]

I made poopies also!

 

[BadMoon]

I made poopies also!

Make that three of us!

 

[EVILFACE]

Sure you can use them. I've bought several store costume and items and tweaked them.

 

[Josette]

I've bought them in the past, but I usually don't buy character costumes that are mass produced. I did get a really pretty gothic black dress from a Halloween store last year.

This year I purchased a Silk Spectre costume, but not the cheap one. I found one of higher quality and better movie accuracy.

 

[Crimsonbob]

I made poopies!

I made poopies also!

Make that three of us!

Ive normally always made my own cossies, but ive rented a few as well.

 

[galactiboy]

I usually mix and match... this year I had to have something that traveled easily (since I'm going to DA's bash) so I went with some store bought pieces and flubbed the rest.

 

[Agent0028]

For me it depends. Some store bought costumes can be nice. I remember one time I had a store bought jedi costume that was pretty good. The different parts of the outfit were or at least looked like they were individual pieces. However when I tried to find a jedi costume a couple years ago, they were all a jumpsuit with the different parts of the outfit drawn on the jumpsuit. So I made my own. And its even better than the first one I had.

However I contemplated being Captain America this year, but there's no way I could make that. I need the muscle suit to cover up the fat.

 

[Shropt]

Store bought "Animated" Jabba the Hutt costume. I say Awesome!!

https://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2009/09/15/jabba-the-hutt-costume-test-run/

<object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/yy_-ugyrWro&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/yy_-ugyrWro&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object>

 

[Something Sexy]

We ALWAYS make costumes..store bought is for n00bs.

Three years ago we all went as different Arnolds...I was Turbo Man

I didn't realize how small this photo was until now.


Two years ago we went as Sesame Street, I was one of the Yip-Yip:

Last year we went as Top Gun I was Iceman:

Those helmets are all custom painted. This was our slow-mo walk in.

 

[Batfreak]

this is my costume for this year, and its custom prettt much:

 

[DarkArtist81]

Store bought can work, but only if worked right. I would only resort to it for parts I need for a custom costume. Normally I make my own or find stuff online that will work. And every passing year the store offerings suck more and more. Notice all the neon this year??

Each year I try to do something challenging or at least go all out on a mask purchase. I honestly am very spoiled when it comes to costumes, I can't settle for less than the best anymore. It HAS to be flawless, and store stuff is NEVER flawless.

 

[Morbach]

Usually if you buy one you need to customize it and replace things but it could work with added detail.

 

[ortiz344]

All depends ive seen real elaborate store bought ones and real crappy ones.

Although i have a bunch of high end costume props , i cant justify dropping 501st level money on an outfit.

As loong as it looks good and people dont have to ask 'what the hell are you' (unless they are just clueless)

I do have a great screen accurate indy outfit and compared to the store one its not even a comparison, but indy is fairly easy to do a 'close enough' without breaking the bank, a vader or stormtrooper you cant come close under 500- bucks or hours or craftsmanship...

 

[Something Sexy]

Although i have a bunch of high end costume props , i cant justify dropping 501st level money on an outfit.

How much does one of those run?

 

[ortiz344]

How much does one of those run?

depends
a stormie , for starters
the helmet itself is 100-500
the gun 25-500
the armor 200-900
the boots 25-200
jumpsuit/gloves/etc just raise that higher

not many people can make thier own helmet/armor at home
and fett is way more than that...