“The clothes make the man”

Costumes refer to anything worn by the actors on stage-shoes, makeup, clothes… It is a very important part in scenic design.
Factors of costume design:
  1. Age—-People dress depending on their age range, child vs old people
  1. Gender—-Male & Female, it’s a good basis
  1. Social Status—-Economic? High? Low?
  1. Occupation—-Occupation can tell people what job the people do, doctors, workers
  1. Geographic location—-Cultures,
  1. Occasion or activity—-Pe vs award ceremony, determines what we wear
  1. Time of the day—-Pajamas: just woke up, going to bed
  1. Seasons and weather—-Shorts or jackets?
  1. Historical period—-Which historical period did this character live in
  1. Psychological factors—-Feelings, emotions, and personalities impact what you wear (this sometimes overrides all factors)
These 10 factors are all ideas we consider every day choosing our costume, as well as the character on stage. What will fit with the character? Costume designers must be able to research if the character lived in different periods.
Fantasy costumes: very creative, uses different symbols to show the character