The "Wear a piece of cardboard" costume.

Courtesy of CMD+Shift.

I'm not a huge fan. For a few reasons. My main problem with these costumes. I feel they lack commitment. At any moment the wearer can take the card off and be costumeless.

Creativity: They can be imaginative, but get old quickly.
3/5





Recognizability: There is a potential to be recognisable. Also potential to be a little too clever and go over peoples heads.
2/5

Practicality: Hard to get through doors. Easily dumped and discarded later on. Just make sure you don't get it wet.
3.5/5

Effort: You may have put effort into the card you are wearing, but people might not see the effort at all.
2/5

Total 10.5/20

The death Star

Courtesy of Funny Potato

Not bad.
Creativity: Probably not unthought of by many, by attempted by few. For problems mentioned later. The idea could fit in nicely with with potential themes; sci-fi, space, movies, military and video games.
4/5

Recognizability: Good. As long as he was facing the right way, most people should be able to work out what he is.
3/5

Practicality: Poor. This guy must have struggled to do almost anything in that costume. I hope he didn't have to catch a train home.
1/5

Effort: I'm betting he spent a good long while getting the shape right, plus the outer coating.
4/5

Total score: 12/20

A decent effort.

What makes a good costume?

These are my personal guidelines for costume making. Now, I'll admit that most of my own costumes are perfect. Far from. But I try to keep these aspects in mind when I think up each costume.

Creativity - Witches, Supermans. Done again and again. The perfect costume will make those around you say "dammit, why didn't I think of that"?

Recognizability - It shouldn't take long for the crowd to work out who or what you are. It's like they say in writing. Show, don't tell. If someone has to ask "who are you supposed to be?", you might be dressing too obscure, or the costume just isn't very good.

Practicality - Can you hold a drink? Can you sit down? Can you dance? Can you see where you're going?

Effort - A single t-shirt that says "video pirate" is not really a pirate costume.

That "thing". Something that can't quite be quantified or classified. A spark.

Costumes: Good or Bad

I love costume parties. I love theme dress ups. But this page is not about me. This page is about my being judgemental of other people's costumes. From all over the internet I plan to seek out the best and worst of self made (not store bought) costumes.