Costumes, Make Up, and Halloween-related DIY's and Tutorials.
DIY Doctor Who Party and DIY Felt Fez Pattern and Tutorial by Tally’s Treasury here. Step #19 or why I love this post:
19) Party time! Remind all your friends how cool fezzes are. If you have the right kind of friends, they should already know this. For even more coolness, add a bowtie.
Truebluemeandyou: Really good basic petticoat tutorial that can be used as an underskirt or as a skirt itself - more photos at the link to show what I mean.
DIY Pirate Hat or Tricorn Hat Template and Tutorial. This is being tagged as “Halloween” so I can pull it out in October. You can find a tutorial for almost anything on the internet! Tutorial and pattern from Fleece Fun here.
So a little while ago, there was a request to expand upon the costume possibilities for subcultures between 1980 through the present. I know quite a bit about subculture, which is both a help and a hindrance in this case. It made me realize just how massive an amount of possibilities there really are. So instead of going into detail about EVERY SINGLE ONE, I’m going to highlight the big three, and then point you in the right direction from there.
New Romantics (or, Early Goth)

Like basically all 80’s subcultures, New Romantics started with people moving out of the 70’s glam and punk scenes. Elements of their style were borrowed from English Romanticism, Sci-Fi movies, and leftovers from their old punk and glam wardrobes. Both men and women wore heavy eyeliner and lipstick. Hairstyles involved heavily back-combed quiffs, or mullets with a hefty spray of Aquanet. Clothing was dark and dramatic, with frills and lace, huge collars and tight, shiny pants. Simply put: If you look like a dead space pirate, you’re on the right track. Style icons of this scene include: Adam Ant, Boy George, David Bowie, and Duran Duran.
In the 90’s - 00’s, New Romanticism gave way to these scenes:
Punk

Punk didn’t die in the 80’s, it just branched out in a million directions. However, basic stylistic elements remained the same. Old band T-shirts (or DIY Sharpied band t-shirts), leather or denim jackets and vests, ripped up jeans, and Doc Martens or combat boots. Accessorize with patches, studs, safety pins, and spikes on everything. Hairstyles included the ever-popular mohawk, liberty spikes, and (come the late 80’s) the devilock. All of which were bleached and dyed the brightest color you could handle. For celebrity style inspiration, see: The Sex Pistols, Billy Idol, and The Misfits.
In the 90’s-00’s, Punk gave way to these scenes:
Hip Hop

Even though it is now one of the most prevalent subcultures in the world, I have to admit - I don’t know fuck all about hip hop culture. So what I’m about to describe is only based on me having lived through the late 80’s - 90’s and seeing it on TV. Suggestions and corrections are welcome! Anyway, from what I remember, early hip hop/rap fashion consisted of tracksuits, parachute pants, and bomber jackets. Fancy Nike and ADIDAS sneakers with fat laces, giant gold chains, and huge hoop earrings for the ladies. Hairstyles included the Jheri curl and high-top fade. For early hip hop style inspiration, see: Run DMC, Will Smith (in the 80’s and 90’s), and TLC.
In the 90’s - 00’s, Early Hip Hop gave way to:
Post year 2000, there has been TONS of splinter genres off of these main groups. Detailing all of them would be enough to fill up it’s own blog. However, if there’s one scene in particular you’re out to masquerade as, I suggest you visit this site:
It’s meant to be a parody of all the obscure subgenres that we have nowadays, but it’s actually incredibly accurate costume-wise! Just in case you get invited to a crusty punk show or a steampunk fair or a hipster craft group, you’ll know exactly how to dress :)
DIY Catwoman Mask Costume Tutorial. What I have found out: there are many different Catwoman looks, there aren’t many tutorials on making Catwoman masks, and If you go to YouTube there are lots of DIY Catwoman video tutorials. First off go to this link for catwoman galeries, looks, history etc… diyfashion.about.com/od/costumes/qt/Catwoman_Costume
This post is in response to a question by xxdanish:
By any chance do you know any good catwoman mask diy?
Four examples of DIY cellophane wings. Good wings are essential for so many costumes - Faeries, butterflies, dragons, and so on. And to buy them new can get expensive. Not to mention that oftentimes, wings of the mass-produced variety are poor quality, ill-fitting, and don’t last very long.
Luckily, there’s tons of tutorials for making really cool wings like this at home. They don’t even require that many supplies: Cellophane, wire, glue, tape, and an iron are the main ingredients in the how-to’s I’ve read. I’m already planning winged costumes in my head just so I have an excuse to make a pair of these.
Want to make your own? Here’s a few links:
Instructables: Cellophane Fairy Wings in Under 2 Hours!
Faire To Festival: Cellophane Wing Tutorial
Faeriemuse: Wing Tutorial (Warning: This one is way more complicated than the first two, but there’s some really nice wings here!)
DIY Bat Costume by Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories!
I stumbled on this page a few years back, and haven’t got a chance to try it out yet. I’m excited to try it though - all you need is a black hoodie and an umbrella! Easy! I’m thinking it would go good with a mask like this:

(which I found here )
Or better yet, recreate that mask using eye makeup or your own paper cut-out and save yourself $80.
jack-o-lantern-night asked: I really enjoyed reading your "historical Accuracy" post. If you could make one about subculture from the 80's on (up to the hipsters of today I suppose), I'd really like that. Thank you!!!
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it! I can definitely do a subculture post for you. It’ll probably take me a few days to put together, but keep watching, it’ll get posted.
Because my biggest pet peeve as a costume-maker is when someone says, “I need a 70’s costume…like a hippie!” Here’s a list of fashion trends throughout the 1900’s:
1900-1918: Edwardian Fashion
Women: Long dresses with puffy chests and sleeves. Huge hats with feathers. Think Rose from Titanic.
Men: Three-piece suits and ties, mostly in black or navy. Brass buttons. Top hats or bowlers. Think Theodore Roosevelt.
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1920’s: Prohibition/Silent Film Era
Women: Flapper style dresses, fur coats, bob haircuts, and cloche hats
Men: “Gangster” fitted pinstriped suits, fedoras, neckties or bowties

1930’s: Depression Era
Honestly, there wasn’t a lot going on fashion-wise in the 30’s. People had more important things to worry about (Y’know, like being dead broke and jobless). However, if for some reason you’ve picked the 1930’s as your era, maybe try the “Dilapidated Housewife” or “Man Desperate For A Job” look.

1940’s: WWII
Women: The 40’s saw an explosion of popularity for the Pin-Up Girl. Anything military or patriotic. Pin-curls and victory rolls in your hair. Also, working-women’s fashion (think Rosie The Riveter), since women were often working in factories during this time.
Men: Since most men were drafted into the military, it’s safe to say that they were mostly in uniform. US Army uniform consisted of olive green shirt, pants, overcoat, and combat boots
1950’s: Teddy Boys/Teddy Girls
Women: Poodle skirts, ponytails, neck scarves, bobby socks and saddle shoes.
Men: Think Elvis. Long suit-jackets, white tee shirts, pants short enough to show off your socks, creepers, leather jackets and pompadours.
Unisex: Beatniks, the counter-culture of the 1950’s. Turtlenecks, sunglasses, and berets.


1960’s: Hippie/Mod Era
Women: Early 60’s Mod look - sleeveless mini-dresses in bright colors and patterns, go-go boots, short, neat hairstyles. Late 60’s hippie look - Bellbottoms, tye-dye, headbands, peasant tops, sandals.
Men: Early 60’s Mod - Crushed velvet suits, frilly shirts (think Austin Powers), longer hair. Late 60’s Hippie - Bellbottoms, tye-dye, sandals, even longer hair

1970’s: Disco
Women: Jumpsuits, leotards, crop tops and tube tops - anything in spandex or polyester. The shinier the better. Platform shoes, winged “Charlie’s Angels” hairstyles.
Men: Brightly colored three piece suits with huge collars. Jumpsuits - like Ziggy Stardust era David Bowie - anything shiny and outer-space like. Mullets were in. So were afro’s and creepy mustaches.

1980’s: Bright Colors
The 80’s saw an explosion of different subcultures, which would take me forever to describe. So I’m just going with a mainstream 80’s costume here. I can expand on 80’s punk, goth, and hip-hop in another post if requested.
Women: Neon colored everything. Mix and match wide-necked sweat shirts, leotards, leggings, and leg warmers. Big hair - teased and crimped. Put a scrunchie in it. Accessorize with jelly bracelets and crazy colored earrings.
Men: Parachute pants, overalls, sweatshirts with colored turtleneck underneath. Also, Miami Vice style - light colored suit jackets with colored t-shirts underneath. Members Only jackets. Mullet haircuts, or messy hair with lots of volume.

1990’s: The Rise Of Grunge
Again, the 90’s had a ton of different fashion trends, but one of the most influential was grunge and minimalist/hippie revival. The early 90’s still had the bright color fashions of the 80’s, and the ‘98-‘99 end led us into the popularization of hip-hop fashion, but the mid-nineties were as follows:
Women: Reemergence of hippie styles - flowing dresses, floral patterns, light-wash jeans, belly-baring tops. Wedge shoes and “The Rachel” completed the look.
Men: Flannel shirts, light-wash jeans, baseball caps, and overalls. Shaggy hair, or the always fashionable bowl cut.


So there you have it, the last century in fashion trends. If you need costume advice beyond 1999, you’re probably too young to be reading this blog. Enjoy!
*Also, my apologies for the terrible picture formatting*