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So, you have the script. You have the actors. The camera. Lighting, sound, food to feed the crew (aka the friends you’ve managed to recruit onto the project). You’re all set to film! Except now you need a costume. And not just a “find-it-in-your-closet” kind of costume. You need…a spacesuit. Period clothing. Lots of fur. Fashion from an alien planet. Cloaks for a fantasy land. Is it possible to find costumes like this on a small budget?

Absolutely! No, it’s not going to look like something right out of Hollywood. But you’d be surprised by the kinds of quality costumes you can find just by combing a couple thrift stores. Especially if you have access to a sewing machine. Thrift stores are treasure troves. They have beautiful gowns, big coats, and things full of story. They’re great for props too. Besides housing tons of relics from past years, thrift stores are my go-to place for costumes.

Almost everything at thrift stores can be transformed or combined into something new. Shirts can be salvage or cut up and turned into something else. Boots are in abundance and cheap. Some of the oddest things can be found in thrift stores, too (once I found an old jacket that looks like it came from the pirate era). You can find things fitting for soldier characters, apocalypse outfits, or detectives from the 1940s. It’s especially fantastic after halloween, when costumes and makeup get donated to the shops. So if you’re in the need for a costume or prop and absolutely stumped, try a thrift shop. You never know what you might find for only a couple bucks!

Have you ever made a costume out of thrift store finds? Share it in the comments!

If you want to contact me, I can be reached via Twitter @ejLadd or by my email, [email protected].

To see more from Frame Rate, check out Frame Rate: Filming on the go with a phone.