With the tip of a hat…
by Cookster on May.16, 2009, under Costumes
Hats can really add to the completeness of a costume. I have made outfits for frontiersmen, renaissance, and pirates. None of which would have looked finished without a hat. In some cases, I was only required to make hat when the rest of the costume could be pieced together from thrift store items or forgotten old clothes.
For example, in both of my son Shaun’s student films, he did not have the budget for a complete wardrobe so in order to set the theme, I made hats. In the Chupacabra movie (see Family page), Shaun needed a pith helmet for the main character to wear in a jungle scene. Trying to find one was not easy (although later we learned our next-door-neighbor who was a mail carrier had one), so I formed one over an inflated balloon out of paper maché, white glue and cloth strips. Khaki fabric was cut and sewn to fit the molded pieces. I spent a lot of time watching and rewinding scenes from The Mummy in order to get the look that Shaun wanted.
The next film, Atlantis 2032, needed Russian hats for several of the players. After making a slew of coon skin caps for Shaun’s Boy Scout troop, this was a less challenging project. The pattern was basically the same as the coonskins only I needed to add “dog flaps” to the sides and an emblem to the front to distinguish it as a Russian hat.
Up close and personal these hats did not have that professional look, but on film they passed. For any costuming in the future, I’ll have to up my game for the new high definition film.
May 16th, 2009 on 5:00 pm
Very cool! I am impressed by the production value added with good costuming like you do.
Very resourceful and effective.
May 16th, 2009 on 5:54 pm
Thank-you for that! On to the tricorn hat and the other pirate costume pieces (Oh, and maybe a story along the way)!
June 1st, 2009 on 8:25 pm
Great hats! I love the pith helmet and how you made it. I agree that hats finish off the costume. One Halloween Ball I wanted to wear something that no one else would have. I decided to be a flame! The dress turned out great but I didn’t have time to make the hat/headress . . . I groaned at all the pictures. The headress/hat would have just made the costume . . . gerrr . . . I always start WAY TOO LATE!!! LOL Good piece Diane
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June 1st, 2009 on 9:01 pm
As I was looking over the post again, I realized I never explained how I made the Barbosa pirate hat. That one was actually kind of fun because I had never stretched felt before and had no idea how this hat was going to come out. I also didn’t have any pattern for it. I wanted to distress the hat somewhat, but David liked it so much, he wouldn’t let me.