What to Look for When Buying Vintage Costume Jewelry

Shopping for and buying vintage costume jewelry is not always as easy as it may first seem to be. Of course, one can always go to the local second hand store or yard sales and find vintage costume jewelry by the truckloads. However, not too many people understand what they should be looking for when they purchase vintage costume jewelry. As a result, they usually end up buying things that they did not really want or pieces that were very overpriced.

The condition is a very important thing to consider when purchasing vintage costume jewelry. One should always check the condition of the jewelry. Of course, this type of jewelry is going to look old, but one should check it for scratched or broken rhinestones, missing pieces, worn plating, tarnish, or damaged enamel.

All of these things will lower the value of the piece of jewelry. Therefore, when you are looking at pieces to buy, it is important that you check for any damages. You should only pay top dollar if the piece of jewelry is in mint or like-new condition with little or no damage.

You will also want to check the quality of the piece of vintage costume jewelry that you are purchasing. Many manufacturers made very fine and high quality jewelry a long time ago, so you should be able to check the quality very easily.

The weight, condition and markings will help you determine the level of the quality. Do some research. Be familiar with companies that produced high quality jewelry, then seek the particular pieces from this company. You should never pay top dollar for a piece of vintage costume jewelry that is not of high quality.

Always ask the dealer for some background information on the piece of vintage costume jewelry you are purchasing. It is good to have this information on hand so that you will know where your piece of jewelry came from and where it has been. Knowing the history of the jewelry will also help maintain its value.

These are just a few important things to keep in mind when buying vintage costume jewelry. No matter why you are buying the jewelry or for who the jewelry is for, one should always take these few suggestions into consideration. It will make buying vintage costume jewelry a lot easier and much more enjoyable.

The Victorian Woman

A Victorian costume for a woman should be a long, beautiful dress that is full of detail. Most of these dresses were a soft pink or earth tone color. Not many bright colors were used in Victorian dress. There were usually a lot of buttons and lace around the dress. The skirts of the dress were very full and the bodices were very long, thin and tight. Each dress included a very large, decorated hat or a bonnet.

Victorian women put a lot of emphasis on detail and your Victorian costume should also contain a lot of detail. Not only did the dress bring out the woman’s beauty, it also made a statement about her as a person. Women of money had extravagant dresses; whereas the poor women only had a plain dress. Your Victorian costume should reflect something about you as a person as well.

The Victorian Man

Like the Victorian costume for a woman, the Victorian costume for a man should also be very elegant and stylish. They should include a long, dark overcoat, a top hat or some other form of hat, and some type of bow tie or dickie. Many men would also carry a walking stick and a pocket watch. Dark colors such as browns, grays and blacks were usually the main colors of choice for men of the Victorian era.

The Victorian costume for a man also tells a lot about who the man is and what role he plays in society. Depending on what career the man chose, his clothes would reflect his life’s work. Most of the time, one could determine what line of work a Victorian man was in simply by the way he dressed and presented himself.

When thinking about a Victorian costume, one should do some research and look at the different ways people dressed during this time period. Although each person dressed uniquely, there was still a very distinct style for this time period. One will have fun dressing up in a Victorian costume because of the elegance, beauty and splendor of this type of costume.

Don’t you think it would be fun begin your Christmas season a little earlier one year by dressing up in a Santa costume for Halloween? If you want to be something totally different that would be fun and festive, try dressing up in a Santa costume. It would be blast to see everyone’s reaction when you walk through the door dressed in a Santa costume.

How do I Create a Good Santa Costume?

Creating a good Santa costume is not very hard. To begin, one may try checking with a local costume shop. Most costume shops will carry various Santa suits in various sizes. They will also have a nice selection of accessories to accompany the Santa costume such as the beard, gloves, the toy bag, a sled or some basic decorations such as tinsel or Christmas tree ornaments.

If you are not successful at locating a Santa costume through a local costume shop, then you can create your own. Making you own Santa costume may be a little difficult during times of the year when stores do not sale Christmas items. However, one can also sew or create their own Santa costume using material and old clothes.

First, you will need to make a large, oversized red jacket. This red jacket should contain white fluffy trimming down the center and around the bottom edge and the edges of the sleeves. Next, you will also need a pair of red pants that have a white fluffy trim around the ankle. Large black boots will be needed for the shoes. This is the basic Santa costume.

In addition to the basic costume, one will need to make or buy a Santa hat, white gloves, a large white beard and a large black belt with a large buckle. One can also choose to accessorize the Santa costume with bells, presents, a toy bag or other Christmas themed ornaments. Be creative and create your Santa costume exactly as you remember one of your most beloved childhood heroes.

Your Santa costume does not have to be a basic Santa suit. You can make variations such as Santa sitting on a reindeer or how about a reindeer sitting on Santa! No matter what you decide to do with your Santa costume, it is sure to be huge hit at any party.

However, what many people do not realize is the look one can achieve by wearing some rhinestone costume jewelry with their costume. Rhinestone costume jewelry can make any type of costume stand out a little more. Have you ever considered adding some cool rhinestone costume jewelry to any of your costumes in the past? Probably not. Now, take a minute and think about what your costumes would look like if you did add a few nice rhinestone costume jewelry pieces.

Why Add Fake Rhinestone Costume Jewelry to a Costume?

Everyone who designs and creates a costume always puts a lot of time and effort into every detail. They work extremely hard to make sure every part of the costume looks great. However, there are not too many people who realize that if they were to add some rhinestone costume jewelry, that their costume would stand out even more.

No matter if your costume is of a beautiful princess, a mean pirate or an ugly monster, rhinestone costume jewelry will give your costume an added touch that will get you noticed by every single person who passes you. One does not necessarily have to wear the rhinestone costume jewelry in a traditional fashion. For example, one can use it to create a unique or awkward piercing in the cheek, the side of the head, in a finger, or elsewhere.

One can use it to appear as if it is implanted in the skin or use it to make their costume look rich and luxurious. The possibilities with rhinestone costume jewelry are endless. One never knows what they could create with such a fun addition. Give it a try and see what great ideas you can create to make your costume stand out even more.

Where Can I Get Some Rhinestone Costume Jewelry?

It is not very hard to locate some really cool rhinestone costume jewelry. One can begin by checking their own jewelry box. Chances are, you already have some. It is also possible to find some great rhinestone costume jewelry at a local secondhand store or at yard sales. You may even try asking your grandparents if they have some you can have or borrow. Some retail stores may also carry it.

But there is another kind of costume festival—the Renaissance fair. And at a Renaissance fair, a Renaissance costume is a necessity. A Renaissance costume allows the wearer to feel like he or she is back in the golden days of England, the days of knights and jesters, kings and queens. It also brings out the personality in the wearer. But overall, it helps to recreate history, to act out the past in perfect detail, and to get a better understanding and conception of the collective history of humankind.

A Knight’s Tale

At Renaissance fairs, the Renaissance comes to life. There are jousts and swordfights, fire eating and archery. Entire turkey drumsticks and pints of ale. Visitors are not required to wear costumes, but most do, and all of the participants take pride in their wardrobes. A Renaissance costume can be modeled after any number of Renaissance characters. Knights and royalty are popular, but so are jesters and peasants. In the end, a Renaissance costume of this scale is not often bought in a store—instead, it is hand-crafted from materials and various acquisitions of antiques. Even the weapons are carefully cared for, and some are even made by their users, if of course they wear the Renaissance costume of a blacksmith.

Unlike Halloween, a Renaissance fair is more than just a random collection of costumes—it is a carefully-orchestrated celebration of an entire period of history. The participants take their work seriously; many of them travel the country, or the world, participating in similar events, and many take their costume making and acting to serious extremes. A Renaissance costume embodies both the spirit of the past and the spirit of the future—the spirit of history and the spirit of the wearer. The final product is breathtaking, moving and unique—it is like turning back the hands of time.

Making a Male Pirate Costume

To make a white shirt for a pirate costume, start with a white dress shirt and a red dress shirt. Cut off the arms from both shirts. Cut the cuffs off of the arm pieces of the white shirt, and slit the white cloth arms lengthwise at the seam. Gather the fabric together at the cut end and secure it at the throat with a safety pin, forming a fluffy ruffle at the neck. Cut the hem and fray the edges of the fabric to give the bottom of the shirt a ragged look.

Take the red shirt and cut the hem diagonally to make a vest, keeping the hem shorter at the sides and longer in front, forming a V in the front when the shirt is closed. Glue three large black fabric dots on either side of the vest to look like double breasted buttons.

Pirate Costume Accessories

Some pirate costume accessories are better purchased at the store than trying to make them at home from scratch. Visit your local craft store or five-and-dime toy store to purchase a black pirate’s eye patch, a black, three-corner pirate’s hat with a white skull, and a plastic or foam-core pirate’s sword.

Making a Female Pirate Costume

Start with a loose white or pinstriped shirt and a length of dark vinyl or pleather fabric. Cut a wrap-around corset out of the pleather fabric, and cut four parallel slits down each side of the front of the corset. Lace an extra long, sturdy, strong ribbon through the front of the corset. Tie it in a bow at the bottom of the corset.

Cut the collar off the dress shirt and turn the raw edge under. Stitch by hand or with a sewing machine, to form a casing. Thread another ribbon through the casing and gather it to form a peasant blouse neckline. Cut the sleeves off and finish them in the same manner, tying big bows on the outside hem of each puffy sleeve. Tie a black headband around your head, and finish the look off with knee-high leather boots.

How to Make the Perfect Penguin Costume

Finding a good penguin costume in the stores may be a little challenging. Therefore, many people take on the task of making their own penguin costume. This way, they can customize this unique costume how they feel best fits their idea of a perfect penguin. It is not very hard to make your own penguin costume.

First, you want to decide what type of penguin you would like to create. Use the internet to research types of penguins and look at some pictures of them. Many people will simply choose a regular penguin because it is the easiest costume to make. To make a basic penguin costume, begin with a black and white tuxedo with long tails in the back.

Most penguins have long, straight backs; so, long tails on the tuxedo will portray this characteristic. Use a white cummerbund and a black bow tie. You may also want to find some black gloves or mittens because penguins do not have finger like a human. Next you will want add a black top hat or a toboggan and an orange beak of some sort. Finally, top the costume off with some orange painted tennis shoes for feet.

Once you have your penguin costume on, you want to also act like a penguin. This will include walking like penguin. Tie your legs together using a piece of black rope. Penguins do not have knees and they walk very stiffly. Tying your legs together will help you walk more like a real penguin. Finally, you may also want to carry around a large rubber fish or a bucket of gummy fish. Penguins love to eat fish, so by adding some form of fish to your costume will add a nice touch to your completed penguin costume.

Everyone at the party will love your penguin costume. It will be very different and very unique. No one will have any trouble figuring out which animal you are portraying. As the matter of fact, they may start to call you Chilly Willy.

It is fun to dress up like and act like a nurse. No matter if you want to be a good nurse, a bad nurse, a sexy nurse, or a crazy nurse, you will have fun doing it. It will be just as much fun creating the nurse costume as it is wearing it.

Things you Need to Create a Great Nurse Costume

When people think of a nurse, they usually think of a woman wearing a short white skirt, a nurse’s hat and white shoes. Although, this is a traditional nurse, not all nurses look like that. There are many different types of nurse’s costumes you can create. Not all nurses look the same, but all nurses usually wear white clothes. Therefore, although the nurse’s costumes may be different, they all will be based around the color white.

A Sexy Nurse

Older women may choose to be a sexy nurse. In this case, you will want to get some sexy white lingerie, a white cape, a white nurse’s hat and some white stiletto heels. The possibilities are endless when one wants to be a sexy nurse. It is totally up to you how sexy and revealing you want to be. One can be a conservative sexy nurse, while another can be a very liberal sexy nurse.

A Cute Nurse

Younger girls may want to explore the possibility of being a cute nurse. With this nurse costume, you could wear the typical nurse dress, with a hat and white shoes. One can either have a short white skirt or white pants with a scrub top. White panty hose will also look cute with this type of nurse costume.

The Crazy/Mean Nurse

A psychopathic nurse is another great nurse’s costume. This costume can really be any type of nurse’s costume. However, one may also want to include blood stains, messed up hair, too much make-up or other things to make the nurse appear to be psychotic.

Accessories

One of the coolest things when creating a nurses costume is the accessories. A nurse can carry around a clip board, a stethoscope, a large sized needle, pill bottles or bandages. These types of accessories can be found at a local costume shop, a medical supply store, and sometimes at a pharmacy. The accessories for a nurse’s costume are endless. You can accessorize as much or as little as you like.

Up from Atlantis

A mermaid costume is available for any age and any style. Costumes for children are often sparkly and colorful, modeled much after Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Some costumes mimic the long, fin-like tail of mermaids, while others keep it a simple dress with a sea-shell top. Either way, with the right pattern of sequins and the right coloring, any little girl look just like an ocean princess in her mermaid costume.

For adults, choosing the right mermaid costume can be a little harder. Depending on the party, or the desired result, there are a variety of costumes available. Almost all of them are sexy, and can show off the curves and appeal of any woman, but some are sexier than others. A basic mermaid costume will give the appearance of fins with a low cut, sequined bottom skirt. The top can be a simple bathing suit top or a sea-shell bra for a little more festivity and accuracy, and halter tops are also available for women who want less exposure. Some costumes even come with headpieces and crowns.

While almost every mermaid costume will expose the midriff, some are designed for women who are going for family friendly, not for sexy, or for women who are not that comfortable with too much skin exposure. Designed as a one-piece dress, they will still mimic the fin-like bottom and will expose the shoulders and arms, but the beasts and stomach remain amply covered.

On the other hand, extremely sexualized costumes are available as well. A sexy mermaid costume like this will have a very low cut bottom skirt, which can even be see-through material. The shells or strips of material used to create the top will barely cover anything, and even seaweed-styled boas are available to add a little flair.

It is also a time when art was affecting society in everything from architecture to dress. Therefore, the way people dressed during this time period was very unique, stylish and trendy. That is why many people like dressing up in medieval costume patterns for Halloween or other events.

Create Medieval Costume Patterns for Women

The women of the Medieval era were very sophisticated. The Medieval costume pattern for women should include some form of head dress. Women during this time period did not let much of their hair show. No matter if it is a head shaw or a crown, a medieval woman always wore something on her head.

Sometimes the head piece was very elaborate if the woman was someone of dignity. Other times it was as simple as a headband. In addition to their headpiece, the woman always wore a long dress with long sleeves. Medieval women were not very revealing in their dress. They were very conservative. Therefore, when creating a medieval costume pattern for women, one should remember to always be as conservative as possible.

Create Medieval Costume Patterns for Men

Men during the Medieval period where very preoccupied with their status within the society. Status was such an important part of life that most men could be labeled pertaining to what they were wearing. Depending on the man’s status within the community, the men dressed differently. Like women, men always wore something form of hat or headpiece on their head.

In addition, men wore robes or pants. If the man was person of dignity, then their clothes were made from the finest materials and they usually wore a lot of gold. Men were not also not very revealing in their dress. They were equally conservative. Therefore, when creating medieval costume patterns for men, one should first choose which man of the community they want to portray, then create the costume accordingly.

Creating medieval costume patterns for men and women are very fun and they make great costumes for any type of costume party or renaissance events. One should do research before creating the medieval costume pattern because there was such a large variety of dress during this time period. No matter which medieval costume pattern you choose, you will end up with great costume that will be a lot of fun to wear.