How do you choose materials and accessories for your costume design?

2 Budget your resources

Once you have a clear idea of the context, you need to budget your resources for the costume design. How much money, time, and labor do you have available? How many costumes do you need to create or acquire? How complex and detailed are they? How durable and versatile do they need to be? These factors will influence your choice of materials and accessories. You may need to prioritize quality over quantity, or vice versa, depending on your resources. You may also need to find ways to save money, such as using recycled, thrifted, or donated materials, or making simple alterations or additions to existing garments.

3 Functionality and comfort

Another important aspect of choosing materials and accessories is functionality and comfort. You need to consider how the costumes will affect the actors' movement, expression, and performance. How easy or difficult are they to put on and take off? How heavy or light are they? How warm or cool are they? How flexible or rigid are they? How comfortable or uncomfortable are they? You also need to think about the lighting, sound, and special effects that may interact with the costumes. How will the materials and accessories reflect, absorb, or transmit light, color, and sound? How will they react to fire, water, or other elements? How will they withstand wear and tear?

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?