Costume Design

Question 1

accessories

Answer 1

anything carried or worn on top of the basic costume for decorative purposes, e.g. a purse or shawl

Question 2

basic block

Answer 2

a pattern which is the starting block for a more detailed pattern based on a particular actor’s measurements, and reflecting specifics like historical period

Question 3

basting

Answer 3

sewing fabric pieces together with long or loose temporary stitches

Question 4

breaking down

Answer 4

artistic process of aging or distressing a costume. Paint, glue, dye, ripping and tearing can be used in this process.

Question 5

costume

Answer 5

what an actor wears to evoke the appearance of a particular character. Costumes maybe realistic or stylised. They may be “period”—appropriate to the historical setting of the play—or deliberately modern in look, even when the play is set in a past era

Question 6

costume build

Answer 6

the process of constructing the costume

Question 7

costume fitting

Answer 7

first meeting between the actor and his/her costume. Enables wardrobe staff to ensure a correct fit, and to enable the actor to see if all necessary movement is possible.

Question 8

costume parade (or dress parade)

Answer 8

costume check on stage

Question 9

costume plot

Answer 9

a list or chart made by the costume designer showing the characters appearing in each scene, and what they are wearing. This helps track each character’s whereabouts throughout the performance.

Question 10

cutter

Answer 10

skilled wardrobe craftsperson who creates the patterns and is responsible for the construction of the female costumes. The cutter’s tools include craft paper, T square and fashion ruler.

Question 11

draping

Answer 11

creating a pattern by draping muslin on a dress form, pinning and tucking to get the desired shape, and transferring that shape to craft paper

Question 12

dresser

Answer 12

crew member who aids with dressing

Question 13

dress form

Answer 13

the adjustable torso (male and female) used by costume cutters, dressmakers and tailors for creating garments; useful for: creating shapes from which patterns are made (draping), fitting and detailed in-place sewing

Question 14

dress rehearsal

Answer 14

dress full costume/lighting/effects/sound/ action rehearsal

Question 15

dressing rooms

Answer 15

rooms containing clothes rails and mirrors (often surrounded with lights) in which actors change into their costumes and apply make-up. Dressing Room doors have a list of the actors contained within.

Question 16

First Hand

Answer 16

an assistant to a cutter or tailor who may sew the costume together, assist at fittings, supervise the sewing team and do the finishing details on a costume.

Question 17

fittings

Answer 17

the process of adjusting the costume to the actor’s body.

Question 18

flat drafting

Answer 18

the use of a basic block and cutter’s tools to draft a pattern on craft paper.

Question 19

gondola

Answer 19

an enclosed easily transportable costume rail with removable side which enables large shows to manage huge quantities of costumes, wigs etc. easily.

Question 20

hand

Answer 20

the way a particular fabric feels when it is touched; it may have a soft hand, or a crisp hand, etc.

Question 21

Head of wardrobe

Answer 21

person in charge of the wardrobe and responsible for budgeting, supplies, staff allocation.

Question 22

maquette

Answer 22

a model of the set or costume sketch intended for use by the builder as a guide to construction.

Question 23

mock-up

Answer 23

a full-scale model of a costume, used as a test-run.

Question 24

muslin

Answer 24

a simply woven cotton fabric used to make the costume mock-up, also called factory cotton or unbleached cotton

Question 25

pancake

Answer 25

water based stage make up, applied with sponge

Question 26

preliminaries

Answer 26

the costume designer’s first rough drawings which are assessed for feasibility and affordability

Question 27

personal props

Answer 27

small props that are usually carried in an actor’s costume, such as money or a pen

Question 28

props

Answer 28

abb. for Properties. Any items used onstage which are not costume or scenery; any moveable object that appears on stage during a performance.

Question 29

quick change

Answer 29

a change of costume that needs to happen very quickly takes place close to the side of the stage. Costume designers need to know about the need for a quick change so that the costume is made incorporating elements such as velcro and zips rather than buttons. A quick change room is often erected at the side of the stage to enable changes to take place in privacy.

Question 30

quick change room

Answer 30

area adjacent to the stage containing lighting, a mirror and a costume rail in which actors can make costume changes quickly, sometimes with the aid of a dresser.

Question 31

seamstress

Answer 31

member of the wardrobe department who operates sewing machines and carries out other sewing tasks.

Question 32

silhouette

Answer 32

a figure whose outline indicates the shape of clothing in a particular historical period.

Question 33

stock

Answer 33

costumes stored from previous productions for recycling and reuse.

Question 34

swatch

Answer 34

a sample of fabric to demonstrate the material to use on a costume or set design, or a sample of lighting gel. A catalogue of all the gel colours made be a particular manufacturer is called a SWATCH BOOK.

Question 35

T-square

Answer 35

ruler, with perpendicular crosspiece at one end (it looks like the letter "T"), used for establishing and drawing parallel lines.

Question 36

tailor

Answer 36

an expert in building clothing for men: historic costumes, military costumes and formal wear. A tailor would create the patterns for jackets, trousers and shirts using the actor’s body measurements.

Question 37

unpick

Answer 37

small cutter designed for unpicking a sewn seam. Useful for undoing alterations to a costume following a production.

Question 38

wardrobe

Answer 38

the general name for the costume department, its staff and the accommodation they occupy.

Question 39

wardrobe maintenance

Answer 39

washing and repair of costume

Question 40

wardrobe plot

Answer 40

actor-by-actor, scene-by-scene inventory of all the costumes in a production, with a detailed breakdown into every separate item in each costume.

Question 41

working drawings

Answer 41

drawings made in addition to designers