Costume

Costume refers to the distinctive clothing and makeup worn by an individual or group, reflecting elements like class, gender, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, activity, or historical period—in short, culture. Historically, the term also described appropriate attire for specific activities, such as riding, swimming, dance, or evening wear. What is considered suitable costume shifts with fashion and local cultural norms. Over time, this broader usage has largely been replaced by words like "dress," "attire," "robes," or "wear," while "costume" now more narrowly applies to unusual or outdated clothing, as well as attire meant to signal a change in identity—for example, theatrical, Halloween, or mascot costumes.

The word "costume" comes from Italian, passing through French, and shares roots with terms for fashion or custom. It can be traced back to the Latin *consuetudo*, meaning "custom" or "usage," and has referred specifically to clothing since the eighteenth century.

National or regional costume expresses local or exiled identity, highlighting a culture's unique traits and often serving as a source of national pride. Examples include the Scottish kilt, Turkish Zeybek, and Japanese kimono. In Bhutan, prescribed national dress for men and women, including the monarchy, has been worn for thousands of years. Men wear the *Gho*, a knee-length robe fastened at the waist with a band called the *Kera*; its front pouch, once used for food baskets and a short dagger, now holds cell phones, purses, and betel nut (*Doma*). Women wear three pieces: the *Kira* (a long dress to the ankle), the *Tego* (a jacket), and the *Wonju* (an inner jacket). When visiting a *Dzong* or monastery, men wear a long scarf called a *Kabney* across the shoulder, with colors indicating rank, while women wear embroidered raw silk scarves called *Rachus* over the shoulder, which do not denote rank.

Theatrical costume refers to clothing worn to portray a character or type at social events or in stage, film, or television performances. Alongside other stagecraft elements, these costumes help actors convey character and context, including historical period, geographic location, time of day, season, or weather. Stylized examples, such as Harlequin and Pantaloon in Commedia dell'arte, exaggerate specific character traits. In tourism, some guides wear historical costumes at heritage sites to enhance tours, either alone or in groups.

A costume technician constructs and alters costumes, translating a two-dimensional sketch into a garment that matches the designer's vision. Techniques include draping—manipulating fabric directly on a dress form or padded body form—and flat drafting, which involves drawing patterns on paper from measurements. Cutting traces a pattern onto fabric and cuts out the pieces for assembly. In costuming, the pattern maker is called a cutter/draper; in fashion, a pattern drafter. Draping is especially useful for stretchy fabrics or bias-cut garments, as the maker can see how the fabric responds to body curves and gravity.

Key jobs include the costume designer, who creates the costume concept for a performance; the costume technician, who constructs and patterns the costumes; the wardrobe supervisor, who oversees the wardrobe crew and maintains costumes backstage; and the milliner, or hatmaker, responsible for hats and headwear.

Wearing costumes is central to holidays derived from religious festivals, such as Mardi Gras (leading up to Easter) and Halloween (linked to All Hallow's Eve). Mardi Gras costumes often feature jesters and fantasy characters, while Halloween costumes traditionally include supernatural beings like ghosts, vampires, pop-culture icons, and angels. Halloween costumes trace back to pre-Christian traditions: during the harvest festival Samhain, Celts wore disguises to avoid evil spirits. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory VIII designated November as a time for related observances.