Open Forum

This company in San Jose, California specializes in Victorian clothing. They aren't cheap, but they make the type of clothes you can use for years. They have sales regularly.
https://www.historicalemporium.com/
Good luck with your project!

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Billy Houck
Theatre Teacher, Retired
Northern Rep to the California Thespian State Board
Carmichael, CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2022 14:08
From: Frieda Gebert
Subject: Costume Question

My school is planning to do a large-scale version of A Christmas Carol, with hopes of it becoming an annual community event (in rotation with other Christmas shows). Over a period of time, we would like to purchase the necessary costumes to keep in house for the following years. For the first year, we will need to rent some and purchase some, as we do not have a costumer on staff. Can anyone here recommend a place to purchase well-made costumes, built to last for years? New or used is fine. Thanks for your guidance on this, folks.

I find a lot of these items on Amazon, or through Theatre House, Halloween Costumes.com, etc and then build our own based on patterns.  Simplicity for example, has a set of Christmas Carol patterns and sometimes one can find those on e-bay.  

The only problem with the Amazon vendors, for me at least, is that they tend to have the same items so it is best to shop around from year to year as the styles change a little bit.

A Poet Shirt can also be made from a modern button down that is way to large for the actor, just pleat the shirt and alter the cuff and collar.

Vests are also a fun project for students to make as that can be a fairly simple pattern with fake buttons on the front and a Velcro closure on the back of the vest.

Hope that helps

Have fun

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Michael Johnson
Trinity High School
NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-14-2022 03:35
From: Billy Houck
Subject: Costume Question

This company in San Jose, California specializes in Victorian clothing. They aren't cheap, but they make the type of clothes you can use for years. They have sales regularly.
https://www.historicalemporium.com/
Good luck with your project!

------------------------------
Billy Houck
Theatre Teacher, Retired
Northern Rep to the California Thespian State Board
Carmichael, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2022 14:08
From: Frieda Gebert
Subject: Costume Question

My school is planning to do a large-scale version of A Christmas Carol, with hopes of it becoming an annual community event (in rotation with other Christmas shows). Over a period of time, we would like to purchase the necessary costumes to keep in house for the following years. For the first year, we will need to rent some and purchase some, as we do not have a costumer on staff. Can anyone here recommend a place to purchase well-made costumes, built to last for years? New or used is fine. Thanks for your guidance on this, folks.

Hi There!

We have some costumes that we built and also rent. Depending on where you are located you might come and see them.
Good Luck with this show. It is a great one!

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James Fry
Director of Student Life and the Malvern Theatre Society
Malvern, PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2022 14:08
From: Frieda Gebert
Subject: Costume Question

My school is planning to do a large-scale version of A Christmas Carol, with hopes of it becoming an annual community event (in rotation with other Christmas shows). Over a period of time, we would like to purchase the necessary costumes to keep in house for the following years. For the first year, we will need to rent some and purchase some, as we do not have a costumer on staff. Can anyone here recommend a place to purchase well-made costumes, built to last for years? New or used is fine. Thanks for your guidance on this, folks.

Yes, Historical Emporium makes excellent costumes. We have some for our annual Old Louisville Victorian Ghost Walk and they are very well made. 
https://www.historicalemporium.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmKiQBhClARIsAKtSj-nmQwSneY33Gx_cfuzVGyg_6aqdu6i67HVS90DNTnOMqdMY4ltIuqoaAg4gEALw_wcB

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John Perry
Retired Theatre Teacher
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2022 14:08
From: Frieda Gebert
Subject: Costume Question

My school is planning to do a large-scale version of A Christmas Carol, with hopes of it becoming an annual community event (in rotation with other Christmas shows). Over a period of time, we would like to purchase the necessary costumes to keep in house for the following years. For the first year, we will need to rent some and purchase some, as we do not have a costumer on staff. Can anyone here recommend a place to purchase well-made costumes, built to last for years? New or used is fine. Thanks for your guidance on this, folks.

A Christmas Carol can be a great annual fundraiser once you get the costumes in place.  We used profits from the show to add to our stock every year--and had enough profit left to help students attend festivals!

To get started, check with your local tux rental shops to ask them if they have tuxedo tail jackets they are ready to purge from their stock.  I was able to buy some great tux tails that had just a little rub on a collar or weak spot in the lining.  Paired with mismatched wool pants, a vest, and an ascot, these look great.

The Fezziwig party is probably 30 to 40 years in the past, so the costumes look very different from 1843 when the present-day scenes occur.  Simple high waisted frocks made of cotton are very easy for a fairly experienced seamstress to construct.  (Think Jane Austen.)  I dressed the males in knee britches, full-sleeved peasant shirts, and vests.  This scene had the most people in it because we used live music and had two complete dances, but it was really inexpensive to costume.

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CJ Breland
Retired Theatre Arts Educator
NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2022 14:08
From: Frieda Gebert
Subject: Costume Question

My school is planning to do a large-scale version of A Christmas Carol, with hopes of it becoming an annual community event (in rotation with other Christmas shows). Over a period of time, we would like to purchase the necessary costumes to keep in house for the following years. For the first year, we will need to rent some and purchase some, as we do not have a costumer on staff. Can anyone here recommend a place to purchase well-made costumes, built to last for years? New or used is fine. Thanks for your guidance on this, folks.

Hi, Frieda,

I rented from Costumes By Dusty in Texas several times for productions. They had costume pieces I could not find anywhere else. They also did alterations based on the students' measurements, a big plus for me as I was a one-person department. Everything was done over the phone and email and the shipping costs were not cost-prohibitive. Finally, they have costume packages for shows, including A Christmas Carol. Check those out at https://www.costumesbydusty.com/show-pix-christmas-carol.

Good luck!

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Anna Bean, PhD
Educator Success Specialist
Digital Theatre+
https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/blog
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2022 14:08
From: Frieda Gebert
Subject: Costume Question

My school is planning to do a large-scale version of A Christmas Carol, with hopes of it becoming an annual community event (in rotation with other Christmas shows). Over a period of time, we would like to purchase the necessary costumes to keep in house for the following years. For the first year, we will need to rent some and purchase some, as we do not have a costumer on staff. Can anyone here recommend a place to purchase well-made costumes, built to last for years? New or used is fine. Thanks for your guidance on this, folks.