Adding It All Up

In my short time (so far) doing professional costuming I have come to realize that many people don't understand the true costs of doing this.  I have had people balk at a quote I've given them and try to argue me down.  So I thought I'd give a quick lesson in what it takes to make a costume.

Obviously fabric is the most important and noticeable piece of a costume.  In a job like mine where everything is custom-made, I don't have the luxury of buying cloth in bulk and getting a wholesale discount.  I never know from costume to costume what kind or color of fabric I'll need, so I buy things based on the costume, paying retail price.  Unless you're very lucky fabric will typically cost at least $6 per yard, and can easily go to $15 or higher per yard.  Want something higher quality like velvet?  Expect to pay at least $25 per yard.  Depending on the size of the costume I typically buy anywhere from three to eight yards of fabric, so this averages around $30 for a short coat to $80 for a large dress.

Okay, not too bad so far.  But fabric isn't all that goes into a costume.

Thread normally runs $3 or more per spool and a single costume will typically use one to two of these.  Zippers cost $3 to $7 depending on length and style.  Buttons are a whole 'nother beast!  You can spend $3-4 for just two buttons!  It's not uncommon to have up to 10 buttons on a costume for an average cost of around $35.  Interfacing (used for stiffening collars, the front of coats, and anything else that needs thickness or stability) averages $2 per yard and you may have to buy as much of this as fabric.  Do you want something fancy or stylish on the costume?  Trim runs a large gamut depending on material and complexity, from $2 per roll to $5 per roll.  If you're paying per yard for trim it can easily be $6-7 a yard.  If a garment has to be lined (common in coats, vests, and dresses) you'll spend $6 per yard.

So let's add all of this together for something simple. Maybe I'm making a Civil War uniform.
Cloth (8 yards) @$8/yard = $64
Buttons (16) @$1.5/button = $24
Zipper (1) = $3
Lining (4 yards) @$6/yard = $24
Decorative Trim (2 yards) @$3/yard = $6
Thread (2 spools) @$3/spool = $6
Interfacing (2 yards) @$2/yard = $4

Total Materials = $131

Now keep in mind that this is what I am paying!  This doesn't cover my time making it (at least 10 hours total time), overhead costs (electricity, wear and tear on sewing machine, etc.), and any profit.  If I only charged what it cost me to buy the supplies there would be no reason or ability for me to stay in business.  If I want to be a successful businesswoman I have to charge appropriately.  Which means that the actual cost to the customer for a full Civil War uniform would be $325-375 depending on the detail or if it was an officer's uniform.

Yes, it adds up quickly!  But keep in mind that all of this is for a custom costume made to a customer's specific measurements.  This is tailored work.  Whenever you're working through a personal costumer it's going to cost more than a mass-made costume that is created overseas where labor costs are low and are sewn with lower quality materials. 

But the results are well worth it! A custom costume is certainly worth the expense as it will fit better, look better, and last longer than anything you buy from a store.