Muppet Costuming For Yourself?

[muppet baby]

It is interesting that they did just go with the Chef commercially, at least in recent years. You would have thought it would have been more of the main characters. Not many people go to parties as Chefs, at least not the parties i go to or would go to, if i had a life!!

Same for me Luke same for me

 

[Ruahnna]

The best way to get a good costume is to make it from scratch. I know sewers are in short supply (because I sew!), but when you need something unique, making it from scratch is the only way to go. Also, you can compensate for things like different body shapes--or wide-shouldered men trying to find slinky evening gowns in order to impersonate Piggy.... (imagines Piggy's reaction to such....hm...better start running now!)

 

[muppet baby]

The best way to get a good costume is to make it from scratch. I know sewers are in short supply (because I sew!), but when you need something unique, making it from scratch is the only way to go. Also, you can compensate for things like different body shapes--or wide-shouldered men trying to find slinky evening gowns in order to impersonate Piggy.... (imagines Piggy's reaction to such....hm...better start running now!)

Hi Ruahanne,

that is a great idea about making your own costume .
you are right about the miss piggy costume that is a great way to make it to your body shape .
Same to all the other muppet costumes as well

 

[Ruahnna]

I used to do a LOT of sewing for weddings and such. For bridesmaids you have to be able to make lots of different body types all look good in the same dress. Well, not the same dress at the same time...um, well, at the same time, but not in the same dress,,er, that is--it IS the same dress, and each of them are wearing it, but they are not EACH wearing one dress at the same moment, only....oh, forget it.....

 

[The Count]

Hee... Something got garbled in that post, but it still made me laugh a little.

On a bit of a different subject... *Monty Python voice: But completely the same...
Cath, you mentioned in another costume thread you made a book called "Things That Go Bump in the Night", I'd like to know more about that endeavor of yours if you don't mind explaining it. Feel free to post in that other costume thread, or we can talk via PM or E-mailer, whichever's more comfortable.

And here's to you getting to the five-eights mark at 625 posts!

 

[Ruahnna]

I guess I can muffin here for a moment:

I once did a costume called, "Things That Go Bump In the Night" at a little literary science fiction masquerage (costume contest). It was a costume partially inspired by the human-sized muppets that I had grown up with, and partialy inspired by Maurice Sendek's "Where the Wild Things Are." It was made of shaggy (sortof nappy) Aqua-colored fake fur (because it was the weirdest fur I could find at the store. I saw some the other day that was aqua shag with purple polka dots and I was just, um, green with envy). It had big furry feet with grey vinyl toenails/claws--these feet were actually connected to knit trousers (I was many months pregnant when I did this costume) so I could wear them without the, um, head part. (It was great fun running around after the costume contest wearing a regular shirt, only to have people look down at some point and notice my big shaggy feet and legs.) The head part was HUGE--I used about seven or eight lightweight pillows to stuff it once I had it on. It had curved horns (think of an s-curve, not a curlique) made from grey vinyl, great big googly eyes and lots of grinning, pointed teeth. I could look out through the eyes (well, sortof) because they utilized black window-screen mesh. The reason that the monster "went bump in the night" was because it was, basically, a HUGE head on little stumpy legs--with no arms for balance. So, after a little emcee set-up about "What are those things that go bump in the night...?" the sound booth booted up the 1812 Overtures (lots of cannon blasts) and I proceeded, for about 45 seconds, to bumble into everything on stage, including the emcee and the curtain, until I fell down and twitched. The bumping-into-things part was semi-choreographed to the cannon blasts. It was marvelous fun, and even "fun-ner" because it was so anonymous--it could have been anyone in there!

(Is amazed that Kev, our own super Foz, was embarrassed at the thought of buying a dress in a thrift store. I've done waaaaaay more embarrassing things in the pursuit of costuming fun. Kev, if you will give me a little lead time, there is a Miss Piggy pattern that has (sortof) her purple signature dress. It is one of those one-size-fits-several (all at the same time, I'd wager) dresses, since it is a costume pattern and not a "real dress" and I will make you one if we can work something out. But you have to promise video....

 

[The Count]

Thank Ru for that interesting detailed review of your contest entry.
*In Bugs Bunny manicurist tone: And I just find monster stories sooo interesting. After all, only the most interesting monsters are worth knowing about.

BTW: Kev... When I've been searching for Muppets in eBay's Toys and Hobbies category these last few days, I've seen a few auctions for Piggy Halloween masks if that helps any.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Oh, no. Some of those posts seemed like a challenge to have to go buy that dress, but I can't. No time to work out the act (for this year anyhow).

What I found was this:
Wig: http://www.buycostumes.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=18345
Pig Face: http://www.buycostumes.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=6136

 

[muppet baby]

Hi Fozzie Bear i hope that it all works out for you with the costume it really sounds great .

 

[Ruahnna]

Kev, I thought the wig and the nose were about as good as you could hope. The wig was awfully good for the price. What are you doing about ears? (Please let me know if I can help....)