costumes Archives

Ant-Man Costumes The Helmet and Inside Pym Tech Lab #AntManEvent

June 26, 2015 by Momstart 2 Comments

I’ve shared with you guys four Marvel’s Ant-Man interviews this week and today I want to share more about our on set experience and the fact that I got to wear THE ANT-MAN helmet which was AWESOME and yes this sentence will never end. (insert smiles because that’s how excited I am to share this)

See! This is us inside Pym Tech Lab in between takes. They has just filmed a major action scene the day before and were getting ready to film something else later that afternoon. It was really cool to be on the set because we could see what was on the computer screens and how detailed all the lab stations were. It’s so amazing how big these sets can feel while still being inside a building itself.

This also looks like part of the lab

We also saw a few other areas that they filmed in. We weren’t allowed to take photos but I did manage to get my hands on a few Ant-Man Movie Stills of the room we were in.

And this Ant-Man photo is really cool because I stood in that exact spot minus the body count.

After checking out the amazing sets we were allowed to go over to the costume department and chat with that amazing team. Learning about costumes is always one of my favorite things to listen to. And I was surprised to learn how a costume like Ant-Man’s evolves as the need arises.

The costume would start one way and then they would find that he couldn’t even lift his arms more than waist high like in the photo below; so of course they had to make it lighter and more flexible.

It took them over 7 months of prep to create the first costume. Everything was custom made and they used a 3-D printer for prototypes. As the costume evolved they were able to get a light in a set of the gloves and in one of the helmets.

And the helmet had to be screwed on. While filming only four different people had ever tried on the helmet, until the bloggers showed up that is. This is how the Ant-Man helmet was screwed onto my head.

In the end there were 13 suits 7 helmets, and 15-17 belts. The stunt belts are 1 piece, but the “hero” belt was over 50 pieces! It was such a fun an amazing day and I can’t wait to see the movie as it’s in theaters on July 17th.

Six Halloween Costume Ideas for the Comic Lover

October 13, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Halloween is fast approaching, which means it’s time to get thinking about your costume. From a cool Spider-Man to a classic Wonder Woman, comic lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a Halloween outfit. We reveal six of the hottest comic book stars who are perfect for dressing up as this Hallows’ Eve.

Wonder Woman

Image via Flickr by solo_anotnio

If you want to look cute and have an awesome costume that will be the envy of others then why not go as DC Comics amazing Wonder Woman? Not only is she one of the most famous female superheroes of all time, but she is also an Amazonian Princess and a poster woman for feminism.

When dressing up as Wonder Woman, you really have to go all out. Invest in a high quality Wonder Woman Halloween outfit and you will be rewarded with compliments all night long. Check out this infographic by Mr. Costumes for some Wonder Woman inspiration.

Bride of Frankenstein

One popular option is to dress up as a freaky bride of Frankenstein. This outfit has plenty of scope for customization so you can truly make it your own. You will need a white bride’s dress, which you may be able to find at your local thrift store, or you can order from a costume store online.

It’s the accessories that help to complete this outfit and make it spooky. Wear a black wig that has been backcombed, make yourself pale with some white face and body paints, and cover yourself in fake blood for a look that is sure to scream Halloween!

Spider-Man/Spider-Girl

This option is perfect for your little ones as they will love dressing up as one of the most famous comic characters of all time: Spider-Man. It’s easy to find ready-made Spider-Man (and Spider-Girl) outfits that have been made for children, so you won’t have to spend time painstakingly making the outfit at home.

Iron Man

If you really want to cause a scene this Halloween, why not dress up as the one, the only, Iron Man! A brief look on Pinterest will give you some inspiration of just how much effort can go into creating a handmade Iron Man suit!

If creativity is not your forte, then you can also buy pre-made Iron Man Halloween costumes online. Iron Man morph suits are available for the daring man while cute Iron Man themed onesies are great if you want to stay warm and cozy while trick or treating. There are even Iron Man themed crop tops and short sets available for girls who want to look hot this Halloween.

The Joker

The Joker is an extremely popular character that always makes an appearance come Halloween. If you don’t mind bumping into other Jokers, and if you have someone who is able to do some semi-decent make-up, then the Joker could be for you.

A purple suit, green shirt, and tie are all synonymous with the Joker, but it’s that classic face paint and eerie stretched smiling mouth that really makes this character. Print off some images to copy when you are having your make-up done to make sure that you get the look just right.

Pop Art Comic Character

A creative Halloween costume that has become popular in recent years is that of the Pop Art comic character inspired costume. These characters look like they have just been pulled straight out of a comic with Roy Lichtenstein inspired make-up, bright clothes, and fun Pop Art signs.

Creativity is the key to making an excellent outfit that works well, so make sure you get practicing with your make up skills early on and it should all come together nicely. There are plenty of comic-book inspired costumes on Pinterest.

So there you have it, six of the best Halloween costume ideas for the comic lover. Remember, you can always add your own personal touches to an outfit with fun wigs, different make-up, freaky accessories, trick or treat bags, and of course fake blood. Happy Halloween!

10 DIY Princess Costumes

October 9, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Be it Halloween, a fancy birthday party or just plain dress up fun, we found 10 DIY princess coupons to share with you guys.

1. DIY Princess Buttercup Costume

2. FROZEN Elsa Inspired Dress

3. Elsa and Anna Princess Costumes

4. Elsa Cape Tutorial

5. 20+ DIY Disney Halloween Costumes

6. Make a No-Sew Halloween Costume for $20

7. 7 DIY Disney Princess Halloween Costume Ideas

8. Disney Princess Costumes for Halloween

9. DIY Princess Anna Costumes from Disney’s Frozen

10. Frozen Elsa Dress, NO SEWING

The Fashion of the Witches: OZ The Great and Powerful

June 5, 2013 by Momstart 4 Comments

THE WITCHES’ WARDROBES OZ Costumes

There are three very distinct witches in the film, Evanora, Theodora and Glinda, who had to be costumed to reflect not only their personalities but their surroundings as well.

In creating the look of the sisters Evanora and Theodora, Kutsche says, “I could make a fresh start with the characters by looking at Rob’s [Stromberg] work and how he imagined the world of Oz. I used this to inform the costumes because there was a certain logic to his designs that I wanted to reflect in my illustrations.”

“For Evanora, the ruler of Emerald City, the starting point was looking at the architecture of the city,” Kutsche says. “I really wanted her to not just be some person in this place, but to actually be this place. The shape and color of her wardrobe actually reflect the architecture and feel of Emerald City, which was Art Deco inspired. So, by resembling and reflecting that, I could make her more of a mighty being that stands out against all the other citizens, and the other witches as well.”

Commenting on the costume for her character Evanora, Rachel Weisz says, “I wear a green dress pretty much all the time. It is slightly militaristic, because I’m sort of the military leader of Emerald City, as well.”

Once Kutsche had sculpted the characters’ looks in a two-dimensional sketch, costumer Jones began his process of bringing the illustrations to life with the chosen fabrics. “With Evanora, we took a little detour towards the Duchess of Windsor for a moment, and then came back to Michael’s drawings because of the iconic silhouette that you need to balance the sets and scenery,” comments Jones.

In defining the pair of opposing enchantresses (Evanora and Glinda) through wardrobe design, costumer Jones describes his approach: “The witches are very clearly light and dark to contrast good and evil. We used a mercury green color, all having to do with Robert’s Emerald City design, to portray Evanora. Glinda, of course, is basically a white, pristine kind of girl in the story, and we created three different white dresses or gowns for Michelle’s [Williams] character.”

Michelle Williams liked the transitions that Glinda’s costuming took during the course of the story. She says, “When we first meet Glinda, she’s more demure, cloaked in these very delicate fabrics. Then, as the battle dawns, she has a wardrobe change and appropriately suits up in something that is tougher, like fairy-princess armor.”

When we first meet Evanora’s little sister, the bewitchingly beautiful and vulnerable Theodora, she is wearing a Victorian-styled riding outfit, with a large-brimmed red velvet hat that Kutsche devised when he sat down to give life to the character in his concept sketch.

“Theodora in her riding outfit is how we first meet her in the film,” Kutsche says. “There was a little inscription in the script about her wearing pants and having a white blouse. Other than that, I could work freely on the character’s look.”

“It’s in a fantasy world while still being a period piece in a way,” the illustrator/designer offers. “So, I looked at fashion around 1900 when they had some pretty crazy hats. Theodora’s look is almost like a patchwork of different periods that makes it look like no distinct period. And that’s what I guess gives it this slightly fantastical feel.”

In comparing the sister witches Evanora and Theodora, costume designer Jones states that “one of the first times that the characters appeared together, you realize that they do have similarities in the cut of their clothes, but not at all in the feeling of the clothes. They’re two completely different worlds. Mila’s Theodora is a little more on the sporty, physical side, while Rachel’s costumes for Evanora are a little more of a reigning empress.”

“Theodora has three costume changes,” Jones states. “The first one is the riding costume which is when we first meet her. In my opinion, a beautiful costume, beautifully structured with a hint of contemporary pizzazz. A big, handsome velvet riding hat, a red coat, black riding breeches and a white blouse. All very beautiful with a sense of the pastoral fun of the eighteenth century one might find in a Fragonard painting.”

“The character goes through transformations with her costumes,” Mila Kunis remarks. “When you meet her, she’s very demure, very quiet, very sweet. She falls in love with Oscar and when you next see her, she’s in this big, beautiful ball gown.”

OZ The Great and Powerful comes to your home June 11th.

Party City Halloween Costumes & Party Supplies

October 19, 2012 by Momstart 7 Comments

Party City is quickly becoming one of my favorite stores. I’m helping out a lot with the preschool kids at church and getting supplies at Party City is always fun. Party city put us to the test with their Halloween costumes. Of course they have a huge selection and making a choice out of that selection was almost overwhelming because my family and I love to dress up. So they narrowed it down and challenged us to share with them which costume we like the best. Not knowing exactly which one was which for the grim reaper costume I can say we like the one with the red eyes that light up.

So out of the two above we really like the one on the right. You can barely see a difference in the costumes, and you can barely see the red eyes but they are lighting up. The one on the left though I really like the size of the hood. It’s so big, so they both have pluses and minuses. Now that I look at the details they sent it looks like theirs is the one we didn’t choose. But like I said, it’s still cook because of the hood!

Zoe loved the Disney mermaid costume and I did too out of the ones she and I received. I couldn’t even fit into the competitors mermaid costume. It didn’t have a zipper I was just supposed to slip into it. Ahh, not this body! LOL, The Disney themed costume won hands down. The most positive about the other mermaid costume was the accessories it came with. Zoe on the left above has the other costume on. It’s cute, she has a long sleeved shirt on too. I think that the Disney one on the right and Zoe has on on the left bottom photo is more flattering and more colorful.

Miles had two really cute costumes to choose from and I’m writing this review before looking to see which one is the one you can find at Party city. The one on the left is a knight costume and it fit him really well. The cape attached to his head piece and his body piece fit over his head piece too. The shield was something he already owned. The king costume on the right was also very nice, it was soft and seemed to be a more expensive option just by looks but it didn’t quite fit his head. He’s got a big head. And I really think the details on the knight’s costume were better. He had gloves and boots built into the leg piece. And the knight wins.

We received samples from Party City.

One Step Ahead Where Costumes Aren’t Just for Halloween #Giveaway

October 9, 2012 by Momstart 174 Comments

By: Ashley

I taught kindergarten for awhile before I became a mom. I saw first-hand what important role dress up played in the development of kids day in and day out. Halloween is a great time to take advantage of costume deals and sales to build a dress up kit for your own children at home. One Step Ahead is a great spot to check for Halloween costumes… and costumes that can be used all year long.

A lot of people automatically think of princess boxes or skirts, aprons, and old high heels for a dress up box all geared towards little girls. The truth is, little boys can have just as much fun with a dress up box even if some of the items inside are a little different. One Step Ahead is a great place to look for girl friendly, boy friendly and most importantly KID friendly dress up gear for your little ones. The costumes from One Step Ahead are extremely high quality and incredibly authentic encouraging your children’s abstract thinking, communication skills, and imagination.

What kind of high quality costumes does One Step Ahead have? Their firefighter costume comes complete with suspenders, a real zip and hook coat, and a great solid hat. It was cool enough that even my husband was impressed!

They also have dress up kits like the pirate role play kit, dragon costumes, police officer costumes, doctor and nurse uniforms, and more! I’ve always had great experiences with One Step Ahead and know that you will too.

One of the best things about shopping with One Step Ahead is their satisfaction guarantee. They have a 100% lifetime guarantee on all of their products and a price match guarantee. If there is ever a problem (or sizing issue), the customer service team will happily help fix the problem. I actually had a sizing issue with the dragon costume pictured above and wanted to check it out for everyone else.

Enter to Win:

To get you into the dress up spirit, One Step Ahead wants to giveaway an in-stock costume of equal value to the Firefighter ($60) to one MomStart reader! That means you will have $60 to spend on a costume for your dress up box at One Step Ahead!

To Enter:

Tell me what your kids like to pretend to be

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Ashley (Managing Editor at MomStart): Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at Momicles and follow her @Momicles2010 .

I was provided product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

This giveaway ends October 22nd. Please see the giveaway rules.

Sneak Peek At Macy’s Holiday Parade in Seattle

November 24, 2011 by Momstart 12 Comments

Yesterday our family had quite the treat. I was able to interview Denise Hinton, manager of event operations while my kids got to try on parade costumes. We had a fabulous time and the kids can’t stop talking about the parade. They really want to go watch it, rain or shine the parade will start at 9 AM.

The Holiday Parade route will begin at 7^th and Pine, then travel west down Pine St. to 5^th Avenue, south on 5^th Avenue to University Street, west on University to 4^th, and then north on 4^th to Macy’s doorstep. There are 57 colorful and sparkly entries in this year’s parade. Denise said she LOVES sparkles and puts sparkles on as many floats and people as she can. So expect lots of both.

Fun Props:

I was surprised when Denise said that the parade is geared to ages 6 to 12 because little ones always love the parade. My kids are super excited and every kids under the age of six always seem to be excited about parades. But maybe that’s why they focus on age 6 to 12 because they’re harder to keep interested. Check out these kid costumes and the crayon amazed Miles.

The Macy’s Stars!

And of course my Christmas Presents:

Also enticing to children will be the Dalmatian club. Children and adults will be dressed up as Dalmatians. Parents will be pulling the kids in radio flyer wagons.

And the clowns will be handing out candy in addition to making as many people laugh as they can.

The float I’m most excited to see is the Cinderella Float sponsored by Fifth Avenue Theater. It’s going to be a snowglobe with Cinderalla inside and then her ladies are going to be walking along with some princes. Then ushers are going to be walking before and after the float. Check out these fantastic costumes.

The Parade this year has a few floats and lots of costumes from last year’s New York Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade and will include two new train cars for the candy cane express inflatable float and a new rocking horse inflatable float. The parade will feature 23 inflatable floats, four trailer floats, local high school marching bands, over 500 costumed characters, professional sports teams and community drill teams. I think it would be fun to have the whole family in the parade myself.

I can tell that Denise loves her job and that’s what makes it such a spectacular event. Plus, she was SUPER professional, while I and another blogger was interviewing her, she was told that KOMO was going to be ready for her in 15 minutes. She said they can wait, I’m not done with these guys yet. WOW! She stayed with us until we were done and then went to them. She’s a rock star in my book. Denise also runs the Portland Holiday Parade running the same day as the Seattle Holiday Parade. Be sure to also check out the Holiday Star Lighting Ceremony in conjunction with the annual Seattle Westlake Center tree lighting. The famous 161-foot high, 3,600-bulb Holiday Star is a Seattle favorite. This event begins at 5 p.m. and will include an incredible fireworks display (weather permitting).

From Costumes to Review: The Tempest Now Available on Blu-ray

September 22, 2011 by Momstart 23 Comments

The Tempest captured my attention with words, action, and costumes. I love period pieces and the wardrobes that accompany them. I’m not saying I wish we dressed up as the Shakespearean people did but I do really love full dresses. The men’s clothing, not so much.

Here is a full peek behind the scenes with this slideshow of images of the cast, and original sketches of their costumes!

Synopsis: This modern retelling of William Shakespeare’s final masterpiece is an exciting, mystical and magical fantasy with Academy Award®-winner Helen Mirren (Best Actress, The Queen, 2006) leading a star-studded cast including Russell Brand (Get Him To The Greek) and Alfred Molina (The Sorcerer’s apprentice). Exiled to a magical island, the sorceress Prospera (Mirren) conjures up a storm that shipwrecks her enemies, and then unleashes her powers for revenge. Directed by Julie Taymor (Frida) — and complete with exclusive bonus features — The Tempest, with its innovative twist, is a supernatural dramedy filled with Shakespearean villains, lovers and fools that will leave you spellbound.

A New Wardrobe

I always love watching Shakespearean movies. I feel like I’ve been shipped off in a time capsule when they’ve been done well and The Tempest was done well. Not only that but it has a touch of supernatural with witch powers and of course a bit of romance. The Tempest is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Annie’s Costumes Giveaway! Easter Edition

March 14, 2011 by Momstart 85 Comments

I’ve been wondering if you like to dress up as much as I do? Do you? Yes I’m taking to each and every one of you. Ok, so I’m not going to nag you that much. Perhaps you are interested in seeing all of the Easter Options available at Annie’s Costumes? She has quite a selection of bunny outfits for young and old with the cutest baby bunny outfits. The Baby Bunny Easter Costume is ADORABLE, with a capital A.

Annie’s Costumes

Annie’s Costumes is part of the Extreme Halloween Network. The amount of costumes to choose from is the largest that I’ve seen around.

Since 1996, we have provided customers the most unique adult costumes, children costumes and costume accessories that add detail and will make your costume so memorable! We have thousands of costumes to choose from. Our child costumes range from size newborn to teen. With every kind of costume from Care Bears to Nickelodeon characters to Disney characters and, of course, those classic costumes such as fairy princesses, pirates, witches and cowboys, we sell children costumes they will play dress-up with all year! Our adult size costumes range from petite up to 3XL. Adult selections include costumes from every period in time from biblical to the futuristic fantasy realms, movie and television characters and every costume style in between.

Enter to Win:

Kid’s Cozy Bunny Costume

To Enter:

Tell me what you do for Easter!

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Annie’s Costumes #Giveaway @momstart & @anniescostumes Easter Edition http://momstart.com/2011/03/annies-costumes-giveaway-easter-edition/

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This giveaway ends April 4th, All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Secret Pocket Cape From North American Bear Co. Giveaway

February 17, 2011 by Momstart 75 Comments

We received a beautiful satin cape with Velcro closure from The North American Bear Co to review here on Mom Start. The kids were quite excited to find just how special this magical cape was. Zoe first noticed that the cape has a crest on the back. She took out the crest and found that there were blank ones that she could color. Oh, that is the fastest way to Zoe’s heart, letting her get her creative groove on. The Secret Pocket Cape was passed back and fourth for a night of family fun!

Then when Miles had a turn with it he found pockets. He recently discovered the value of having a pocket to store his stuff in so he started putting stuff in his pockets. Now this isn’t so good for the laundry, but it’s great for a boy that needs to take his tools and balls, and rocks, and stamps, and well you get the idea EVERYTHING with him.

Costumes are a great way for children to role-play and become active. My daughter loves to wear princess dresses as you can see above, well, now she actually plays role-playing games with her brother. Sometimes he’s a prince and sometimes he gets to be a monster, guess which one he prefers? He prefers to play the monster.

The North American Bear Co. has been a creative business for nearly 30 years. Barbara Isenberg, starting a family in New York City in the mid-1970’s desired a teddy bear with a nostalgic charm of an antique toy and a contemporary sense of whimsy for her own son. It was this desire that started a wonderful toy company where you can find unique, high quality plush bears and many other awesome toys like the cape featured here on Mom Start.

This giveaway ends March 7th. I received a sample for this post. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Enter to Win:

One Secret Pocket Cape.

To Enter:

Visit The North American Bear Co and tell me what you really like there.

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Follow North American Bear Co on twitter

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This giveaway ends March 7th