Costume and Wardrobe Specialists

Career summary

#3/19/19 lh

Costume and wardrobe specialists work closely with production teams. These teams may be made up of directors, actors, makeup artists, and set designers. They work together to create outfits for:

• Plays
• Television shows
• Movies
• Dance performances

Costume and wardrobe specialists study scripts to learn about the characters and what image the writer wants to portray. Costumes may range from contemporary fashions to medieval armor, depending on the production.

Costume and wardrobe specialists research the time period of the story. They learn about the fashion and accessories of people who lived during that time. Some film studios have large collections of costumes that specialists can use. If they cannot find the outfits they need, specialists design costumes and have costume technicians make them. At smaller film studios, costume specialists may rent, purchase, or make costumes to fit the script's theme. For filmmaking, costume and wardrobe specialists may need to provide clothes for the main actors and the extras.

Costume and wardrobe specialists work closely with the actors to determine how their outfits fit and if alterations are needed. They make notes or sketches about changes that must be made. Some specialists make the changes themselves.

The duties of costume and wardrobe specialists depend on the size of the budget and size of the production. In larger productions, specialists may supervise workers who do the alterations. They also may supervise dressers who set out the costumes and help actors change. In smaller productions, the costume and wardrobe specialist may be the only person in the costume department.

Related careers

This career is part of the Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Fashion Designers
• Industrial Designers
• Laundry and Dry Cleaning Workers
• Museum Technicians and Conservators
• Professional Makeup Artists
• Set and Exhibit Designers
• Tailors

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to costume and wardrobe specialists.

• Distribute costumes and equipment and keep records of item status.
• Create worksheets for show notes, costume checks, and dressing lists.
• Arrange costumes on clothing racks in sequence of appearance.
• Return borrowed or rented items and return other items to storage. Maintain inventories of costumes and accessories.
• Clean and press costumes before and after performances.
• Assist cast in donning costumes or assign cast dresser to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
• Repair or alter costumes or send them to technicians for changes.
• Design costumes. Make costumes or send them to technicians to make.
• Examine how costumes fit on cast members. Sketch or write notes about alterations.
• Analyze scripts to learn details of costume work.
• Purchase or rent costumes and other accessories from vendors. Prepare budget recommendations.
• Examine stock to determine types and condition of costuming available and select costumes.
• Study books, pictures, and examples of period clothing to determine styles from that era.
• May assign lockers to employees and cast members.

Common work activities

Costume and wardrobe specialists perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Think creatively
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Handle and move objects
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Assist and care for others
• Process information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Control machines and processes
• Develop and build teams

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, costume and wardrobe specialists:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They work with a team to put the production together.
• Communicate usually by face-to-face discussions. They also communicate via e-mail and telephone.
• Often work as part of a team.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by other workers.

Physical work conditions

• Often work indoors in costume shops. In rare situations, they may help solve problems on outdoor movie sets.
• May be exposed to contaminants, such as paint, makeup, and related solvents.
• Work physically very close to actors, usually within inches.

Work performance

• Must be exact and detail-oriented.
• Usually make decisions in conjunction with actors and directors.
• Must meet monthly deadlines.
• Most of the time can set their daily tasks and goals independently. This is after large decisions have been made.

Hours/travel

• May work long hours preparing for a production.
• May work for six months and then be off for several weeks. They do not work a regular schedule.
• May need to travel to major cities for productions and stay there until the jobs are completed.

Physical demands

Costume and wardrobe specialists frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Repeat the same movements.
• Stand for long periods of time.
• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for costume and wardrobe specialists to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Understand the speech of another person.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for costume and wardrobe specialists to be able to:

• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.

Skills and abilities

Costume and wardrobe specialists need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Apparel and Textiles
• Dramatic Arts
• Fashion Design

Other programs of study to consider

• Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts
• Modeling
• Theatre Design and Technology

Training

To work as a costume and wardrobe specialist, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Some costume and wardrobe specialists have a bachelor's degree or higher. Students major in areas such as theater or art for their bachelor's degree. Some get a master's degree in costume design. A broad background is helpful for costume designers to be successful. For example, you need to know literature, film and art styles, the costumes of various time periods, and the technical side of filmmaking.

Work experience

It is helpful to have experience working in theater. Participating in school plays and community theater is an important way to prepare for this occupation. Keep a portfolio with photographs of your work.

On-the-job training

Most costume and wardrobe specialists train on the job. Training typically lasts up to one month.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Art
• Clothing Design and Sewing
• Drama
• Drawing and Painting
• Stagecraft
• Textiles

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer to hire costume and wardrobe specialists who have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Many require a bachelor's degree. Most employers, however, look for someone who has experience and success in the field. Producers are cautious of taking a chance on someone who does not have much experience.

Most employers look for costume and wardrobe specialists who have a background in their area of production, such as film, television, or theatre. Costume fabrics appear differently on stage than they do on television. Employers prefer specialists who know a broad range of costumes. They also look for someone with creativity and good communication skills. Costume and wardrobe specialists need to work well with others, especially when under the pressure of a production. In large productions, they may supervise costume technicians, design assistants, cutters, and sewers.

Costs to workers

Some workers in theatrical design may pay union membership dues.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Costume Attendants 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Some costume and wardrobe specialists work as freelancers. They may work for a few months and then be off for a few months before their next job begins. This lowers the amount of money they earn over the year. Freelance costume and wardrobe specialists may have jobs in other areas to increase their income.

Wages vary by city and size of the production. Specialists generally earn more in larger cities. Costume and wardrobe specialists may be paid by the number of costumes, shows, or by the hour. If they are paid by the costume, they earn more for large productions. Some New York City dance companies and Broadway shows require that their workers be members of the United Screen Artists' union. The union sets wages for how much employees are paid. They also make sure that employees receive health and life insurance benefits.

Community theatres do not require their employees to be members of a union. As a result, wages are usually lower.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Although there are theatres throughout the nation, most jobs are in larger cities where more theatres are located. Two of the cities with the most need for costume and wardrobe specialists are New York City and Los Angeles.

Major employers:

• Performing arts companies
• Casinos
• Amusement parks

National outlook

The demand for new movies and live performances is expected to continue to increase. More costume and wardrobe specialists will be needed to outfit the actors for these productions.

Despite the growth in this occupation, it is very small and there will be very few job openings each year. Competition for these positions will be strong.

Other resources

Association of Sewing and Design Professionals 
2885 Sanford Ave SW #19588
Grandville, MI 49418
877.755.0303

Costume Designers Guild 
11969 Ventura Boulevard, 1st Floor
Studio City, CA 91604
818.752.2400

Costume Society of America 
PO Box 852
Columbus, GA 31902-0852
800.272.9447
706.615.2851

National Endowment for the Arts 
400 - 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20506
202.682.5400

Washington Filmworks 
1411 4th Avenue, Suite 1000
Seattle, WA 98101
206.264.0667

References

Career cluster

• Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications

Career path

• Conventional (Business Operations)

O*Net  occupation

• Costume Attendants (39-3092.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupations

• Costumer (346.261-010) 
• Wardrobe Supervisor (346.361-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Conventional/Realistic/Artistic

COPSystem

• Service Skilled