Instant Period Costume: How to Make Classic Costumes from Cast-Off Clothing

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely no sewing is required!
Review: Anyone who has done costume work for theater knows how difficult create believeable outfits quickly, and how expensive it can be to rent any costume. Instant Period Costumes: How To Make Classic Costumes From Cast-Off Clothing is the pefect solution to the costume worker's dilemma, for Barb Rogers has designs for inexpensively assembling over 100 period piece costumes, complete with photos and diagrams. The instructions are so easy to follow that absolutely no sewing is required! With chapters that describe costumes for the Gothic, Renaissance, Elizabethan, Restoration, Bustle, Turn-of-the-Century, World War I, '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s periods and more, Instant Period Costumes is highly recommended not only for theater costume workers, but also anyone looking to put together an excellent Halloween or masquerade ball costume with a minimum of cost and hassle!

Rating:
Summary: Quick and Easy
Review: This book saved me from having to spend a fortune on a period costume for the re-enactment party. With some dye, glue, pins, and the ideas gleaned from it, I came up with my own Renaissance gown. And, it was so easy. You would not believe the people who asked where I got my costume. There is no doubt in my mind, when other occasions arise, I will be able to show up in a unique costume I have designed myself. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially people who don't sew, in need of a costume for any occasion.

Rating:
Summary: Instant Period Costumes
Review: This is a fabulous book!!! Great for sewers and non-sewers alike. I will definitely buy it for my collection and have already started to aquire cast off clothing for usagein new costumes. Barb Rogers makes each costume seem so easy to make and really takes the threat out of costuming. GREAT IDEAS!!!! good pictures, wish they were all in color!!...

Rating:
Summary: If "period" equals "fantasy"
Review: This is NOT a guide to constructing period costumes -- her identification of the "periods" is more fantasy than fact -- but it does have clever ideas for fast and inexpensive costumes. This might make a good starting place for a costuming newbie who's overwhelmed at having to put together a whole show in just a few weeks. Experienced costumers can skip this book, since you've probably already come up with these ideas on your own.
A word of warning: the author frequently dyes the second-hand clothing she uses, but you could probably skip that step in many of the examples (I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who would let me use their washing machine to dye a wedding dress blue...!). It's the tips on combining parts of different garments that most people will find helpful.
My main problem with this book is the title; if you just omit the word "period" then you've got a good idea of what this book IS good for. It would be useful for school musicals, masquerade parties, parades, Halloween, etc. but don't expect to costume a decent production of Shakespeare with the aid of this book. Kiss Me, Kate -- yes; Taming of the Shrew -- no.

Rating:
Summary: If "period" equals "fantasy"
Review: This is NOT a guide to constructing period costumes -- her identification of the "periods" is more fantasy than fact -- but it does have clever ideas for fast and inexpensive costumes. This might make a good starting place for a costuming newbie who's overwhelmed at having to put together a whole show in just a few weeks. Experienced costumers can skip this book, since you've probably already come up with these ideas on your own.
A word of warning: the author frequently dyes the second-hand clothing she uses, but you could probably skip that step in many of the examples (I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who would let me use their washing machine to dye a wedding dress blue...!). It's the tips on combining parts of different garments that most people will find helpful.
My main problem with this book is the title; if you just omit the word "period" then you've got a good idea of what this book IS good for. It would be useful for school musicals, masquerade parties, parades, Halloween, etc. but don't expect to costume a decent production of Shakespeare with the aid of this book. Kiss Me, Kate -- yes; Taming of the Shrew -- no.