Bring History To Life With Costumes

By Author: Deneah Romero
Total Articles: 3764
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Many people think of costumes as a way to have fun or to pretend to be someone else. However, historical costumes can also be educational. This is because all of the different eras and cultures throughout history have had their own style of dress that was unique and interesting. Whether it is cavemen and native peoples, royalty of the renaissance, or the flower power styles of the hippies, costumes can make history interesting.
Period costumes
Period costumes can be an interesting way to learn about cultures. For instance you can compare the dress of a peasant in the middle ages and a queen or a Native American and a Pilgrim. You can also compare how costumes have changed throughout the decades by comparing the historical costumes of the 1960s to the popular styles of today.
Activities with costumes
A great way to make historical costumes come to life is to see them yourself. Many museums will feature period costumes from different time periods. Pay attention to the details - historical costumes vary greatly in colors and materials as well as in styles.
Reenacting major events can be a lot ...
... more fun with historical costumes. For instance, some places in the South will reenact Civil war battles. Soldiers wear the traditional historical costumes of their assigned side and reenact the battle. At home or at school you can also use historical costumes - consider putting on the play Romeo and Juliet in period clothing, for example or hosting a Thanksgiving party where guests dress up as pilgrims and Native Americans. You could even have a Civil War era tea party and watch Gone with the Wind.
Going back even further in history, attending a local renaissance fair can be a fun way to get into historical costumes. Many participants at the fair will dress up in historical costumes, and there is always plenty of period activities and food to indulge in while you are there.
Buying historical costumes
Making your own historical costumes can be very difficult. For that reason, it makes more sense to buy a historical costume, particularly if you need it to be historically accurate. Genuine historical costume replicas will be made with careful attention to detail and often with fabric fitting to the period.
The easiest way to shop for historical costumes is online. Online you can find a wide variety of generic historical costumes from renaissance costumes to roman soldiers to Civil War era costumes and more. For the average historical costume, these will often be sufficient.
If you are looking for something truly unique you may consider having your historical costume made for you. This would require taking precise measurements and having a costume custom made by a seamstress. While this means having a historical costume that is accurate and unique it also can mean a hefty price tag. However if you regularly wear your historical costume you may find that the investment is worth it.
Always follow the manufacturers suggestions for cleaning your historical costume to make sure that it continues to look great use after use. With proper care a historical costume can make history come to life for years to come.