Costume Help

[CaroPhoenix]

Thank you everyone for the ideas! RK ... You rock!

I've found some cheap white leggings & a long sleeve white shirt at The Children's Place website. Now I'm on the hunt for Rit Dye and duct tape in various colors.

As for the helmet? I might modify daughter's old bike helmet with some spray paint? Yeah, I know it's going to look like a bike helmet. Might go with the paper maiche thing, but I'll need help. (When it comes to a craft that isn't a latch hook, I'm all thumbs).

I was so focused on either buying a costume or sewing one, I didn't think about using already made stuff.

BTW, hubs did some research of his own and found out the yellow Mystic Force Power Ranger costume was never made for kids. Yeah ... stupid peoples.

ETA: Where can I find Rit Dye in a brick and mortar store?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Like I said, I'm not a great seamstress and I really don't like sewing much. So yeah, I'm gonna take the laziest way out I can.

Rit is usually sold in grocery stores or craft stores. In a grocery store, usually the laundry section. Try to get the bottle dye instead of the box dye, I just find it seems to go a little farther, although if all you can find is the box dye, that will be fine. Get a couple bottles/boxes because you want to make sure it's very bright. Also get some bleach to clean up your washer afterwards.

I wash the stuff first to remove sizing or starch or whatever might be on the fabric, and then I fill up the tank with dye and water and let the fabric sit in the washer with the lid up for a long time to get as bright as possible. I usually add salt to the water because it makes the dye take better and last longer.

Run an empty load of bleach, detergent, and hot water when you're done to clean the washer. Wipe up any spills.


I've seen colored duct tape in the sporting section of Wal Mart.

I've added a pic of the costume I made out of found items. It looks like it's a midriff top and it also looks like her thighs are exposed. They're not. The midriff is a belt made of duct tape, vinyl, and flesh colored spandex. So the "belly" is part of the belt worn over the costume. The "bare thighs" are spandex attached to the leggins and edged with vinyl. I made a spandex shirt by tracing one of her long sleeved t shirts and simply sewing two halves together. It's worn under the shirt and I attached cuffs to it. So I don't have all these little pieces to keep up with. Put the shirt on and all the cuffs are attached to it already. Throw the purple dress on, belt it, pull up the leggings and you're ready to go.

That little circular collar around her neck was the hardest part. I made a pattern out of old trash fabric before I cut my vinyl to make sure it fell right. Then I etched details on it with a Sharpie and glued a craft store gem onto it. (hot glue does not work with vinyl, by the way. Use silicone epoxy or something made for non porous surfaces.

I've seen colored duct tape in the sporting section of Wal Mart.

So I guess my point in showing you this is don't get hung up on it being "actual clothing" you must make. Think of it more in terms of "How can I recreate this look in a practical way a kid can wear?" (ie...my five year old would run around in a midriff top with bare thighs over my cooling corpse.)

When we did it for real, she had green glow sticks on her wrists, face was made up like Starfire, and we sprayed her hair red (the red spray was more trouble than it was worth. )

[fireheart]

Usually its the more popular rangers. IIRC, Chip was never that popular.

Fun fact: Mystic Force was filmed in New Zealand (where pretty much all the series from Ninja Storm to I THINK RPM were filmed, not sure about the current one), and most, if not all of the actors were Australian/New Zealander....(Red, Green, Blue and possibly pink are all Australian born, Yellow is New Zealander, Solaris Knight is also from New Zealand, as is the White Ranger (she's now dead ). Most of the minor cast are New Zealand in origin.

[Dreamstalker]

This method of dyeing takes a bit longer, but I used a large black plastic storage tub for dyeing my Ghostbusters uniform. A bit less mess comparatively, it holds the heat in, and I didn't have to worry about getting all dye traces out of the washer later (also you can see how it's going). PM me if you want directions for that.

[dalesys]

Now I'm on the hunt for Rit Dye and duct tape in various colors.

News flash: Idrinkarum is duct taping childrum!





(you may not want to quit...)

[Kogarashi]

I've seen colored duct tape in the sporting section of Wal Mart.

If it's not in sporting goods, make sure to check hardware near the adhesives and rolls of big tape. That's where our Walmart keeps the colored duct tape.

And an awesome way to get a quick-and-dirty pattern for a project is to find an item of clothing that fits right and trace it out. I've done that for quite a few projects.

[Shpepper]

Fabric and craft store as well as Chain hardware stores also carry colored Duct tape. Plus if you can't find it and need a specific color, go to http://www.duckbrand.com/Products/duck-tape.aspx and order it straight from the source. They even have sheets of it now.
You do realize of course that we shall have to see ChildRum in all her magnificence of this costume. No faces if you are not ok with that, but we shall have to see her.

[Food Lady]

Rummy, just pay RK to make it for you. She has amazing talent.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Thank you, Food Lady, but any talent I may have is the talent of figuring out how to take the easy way out.

I guess it doesn't hurt I used to work in a theater scene/prop shop, and very often in the costume shop, too.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

[BlaqueKatt]

Thank you, Food Lady, but any talent I may have is the talent of figuring out how to take the easy way out.

saying that applies to me and possibly to others:

"Give the laziest person the hardest job and they'll find the easiest ay to do it."

I'm proud of being a "creative slacker"-get stuff done so you have free time to slack

[MnR]

Usually its the more popular rangers. IIRC, Chip was never that popular.

Fun fact: Mystic Force was filmed in New Zealand (where pretty much all the series from Ninja Storm to I THINK RPM were filmed, not sure about the current one)

The current series is being filmed in New Zealand, however I believe they're using American actors again now that the series is out of Disney's hands.

[fireheart]

The current series is being filmed in New Zealand, however I believe they're using American actors again now that the series is out of Disney's hands.

Yeah they're using American actors again.

Ninja Storm had mostly New Zealand actors with one Aussie (from Adelaide ), one Brazilian-Australian, one Canadian and one Malay-Australian. No idea about the remaining cast.

Dino Thunder: 2 Canadians, 2 New Zealand and an American (Jason David Frank)

SPD: Funnily enough, the main cast were all Canadian or American, apart from the White Ranger, Kruger and Kat (all NZ)

Operation Overdrive: Oddly, 3 Aussies, 2 Brits and a New Zealander.

Jungle Fury: 3 Aussie, 2 New Zealander (one of them was really popular on Home and away, the other one was popular in kids shows)

RPM: 2 Aussies, 4 New Zealander at a minimum (no idea about the gold ranger).

[teh_blumchenkinder]

this is cool!
The only thing that I personally can add is 1) maybe go with a face mask instead of a bike helmet? Or both? Or maybe an open-face moto-cross helmet that got cracked and so no one can actually use it for anything, so very cheap?
and 2)... the only problem I had when my mom made me a halloween costume was that it was way, way too tight. I was a pig (harvest/noah's ark party rather than 'halloween')... but I still couldn't breathe or run around like I wanted 'cuz the waistband was way too tight. So, definitely keep ChildRum in the loop and measured! XD
EDIT: Chip's boots look like rain galoshes! :x

[fireheart]

EDIT: Chip's boots look like rain galoshes! :x

They usually do.

I actually liked Mystic Force, as they seemed to keep their head on straight as far as characterization goes and when adapting the source material, they were pretty much dead-on in some cases (i.e. the story from Super Sentai was matched in the Power rangers version). They did the same with SPD and it's super Sentai counterpart.

And speaking of Super Sentai, the current series is based upon pirates. With those pirates also having the ability to utilise the powers of the previous 34 generations. (yes, right back to the corny, cheesy 80's stuff )

[CalyCoRose]

Attached is a picture of my daughter's costume. 2 local strip malls was having a trick-or-treat thing going on. (One was from 12-2 and the one after was 2-4). We ended up having her wear an altered yellow rain poncho. The hood doubled as the back of the "helmet" and hubs spray painted a white face mask and then used a black sharpie to make design on the front. One child actually knew who/what she was without her having to announce it. She was so excited about her costume. It's cute. And if you notice, the shoes are duck taped in yellow.