Columbia Goth Total cost of complete outfit ~ 35 GBP
Dress
YOU NEED: long black sleeved dress; white shirt; buttons
1. Find yourself a long black dress. If there are no buttons, sew them on.
2a. Wear a white shirt underneath the dress.
2b. Cut collar and cuffs from a white shirt and sew these on to the dress.
I got Saffy to make mine for me. She added in details such as the slightly puffed shoulders and the correct style collar and cuffs.
Black shoes
Anything black with a heel will do. You could aim for black patent slip side Mary Janes if you want.
Columbia Timewarp Total cost of complete outfit ~ 70+ GBP
Notes: Columbia’s costumes arguably take the most upkeep. Sequins will fall off. Just add more and keep yours special. You can buy a ‘Costume In A Bag’ version of the whole thing for 40 GBP and build on it or follow the steps below.
Gold top hat
YOU NEED: top hat; gold spray paint, 30m of gold sequins; black 1″ wide ribbon; tacky fabric glue
1. Find a top hat. Ex hire, rubbish bin – doesn’t matter if it’s moth eaten or ripped.
2. Spray hat gold (I used Christmas decorative spray paint, two cans).
3. Once dry, place glue on hat in wiggly worm lines (v^v^), one line at a time. Place sequin thread on this. Remember, they’re not right next to each other – there is a gap.
4. Once dry, wrap ribbon once round base of trunk. Glue to complete circle of ribbon.
5. Create a flat bow from leftover ribbon and glue to side of ribbon now on hat.
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Golden tailcoat
YOU NEED: tailcoat; gold spray paint, gold and black sequin thread and tacky fabric glue OR sequin material in gold and black (your choice in quality)
1. If you can’t find a tailcoat, get a thin knee length coat and trim it to shape.
2a. Spray tailcoat gold. Once dry, place glue on coat in wiggly worm lines (v^v^), one line at a time. Place sequin thread on this. Remember, they’re not right next to each other – there is a gap.
2b. Sew on sections of sequin material. Remember to keep the pattern flowing, if there is one.
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Pink bowtie
YOU NEED: 1m square of pink sequin fabric; black thin ribbon; a sponge; 2 pink rubber bands; poppers (optional)
1. Make a bow shape from the sponge, slightly smaller than you want the bow tie to end up.
2. Sew the material around the bow tie in the right shape, sealing at the back.
3. Follow the sponge curve to find the ball-type middle section of the bow tie. Place a rubber band either side of this to define it.
4. Sew the centre of the black ribbon across the centre of the back of the middle section of the bow. Either tie this around your neck or add poppers to the back.
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Bustier
YOU NEED: cheap heart-top bustier; foil dot or hologram material; old white tee (optional)
1. If there are straps on the bustier, remove these.
2. Over the top, sew the material you feel appropriate to emulate the sequins.
3. To prevent abrasion where the (potentially) itchy material overlaps to the inside of the bustier, sew a cut down white t-shirt inside to cover the edges of the outer material (optional).
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Striped shorts
YOU NEED: black shorts; 2m lengths of ribbon in gold, green, blue, red and orange
1a. Sew the ribbons on vertically with a generally even space inbetween.
1b. Sew the ribbons on vertically, changing colours halfway (especially when reaching a pocket seam etc).
2. Sew with an inch of ribbon going inside the waistband/up the leg. Fold over the end of the ribbon before sewing to avoid fraying and tickles.
More detailed instructions care of Mina here and here.
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Fishnet tights
Bonus points for a back seam.
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Blue socks
Bright but not neon.
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Tap shoes
Bonus points for taps.
YOU NEED: black Mary Jane/character shoes; small silver sequins; small blue sequins; sticky fabric glue
1. Keeping an even space between them (5mm), glue sequins on seemingly randomly over the shoe.
2. Don’t do the strap. You’ll only pull them off again later.
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Ring
YOU NEED: silver ring with a ‘moat; blue nail polish
Using a needle, paint the ring’s moat with the nail polish. Allow to dry.
Columbia Lab Total cost of complete outfit ~ 60+ GBP
This is the same as the Timewarp outfit less the top hat, tails and bowtie, plus the following:
Choker
Have a nose round your local accessory or pet shop. Black with spikes, ideally a loop at the front.
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Apron
Get a pack of white disposable aprons. Saves money in the long run!
Face mask
YOU NEED: pale pink fabric; pale pink/white elastic/ribbon
1. Cut the material into the shape as shown.
2. Make two elastic loops, each long enough to go from the side of the mask to round your ear. Alternatively, add a strip of elastic to the rear of the mask, as pictured.
Thanks to Ruth for confirming the colour of this mask!
Columbia PJs Total cost of complete outfit ~ 20 GBP
Pyjamas
Blue and white stripes. Add rips as you wish!
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Kitten heels
YOU NEED: black open toe mules; black fluff; sticky fabric glue
Glue fluff to front band of mules.
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Mickey Mouse hat
YOU NEED: either a trip to Disneyland and the real thing or; thick plastic black alice band; black card; sellotape
1. Cut a circle out, 10cm across.
2. Cut out two rectangles, each 5cm x 2cm
3. Sellotape a rectangle to the bottom of the circle, overlapping by 2cm.
4. Sellotape second rectangle on reverse side of circle, like a mirror image. Do not tape the two rectangles together.
5. Fold each rectangle in half outwards, thus creating a flat base to sellotape on the the headband later.
6. Repeat steps 3-5.
7. Sellotape ears evenly on to headband.
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Ring
As above.