COSTUME SWATCHESItem description: Different costume swatches are gathered on a ring. Each of them represents a costume technique used in SUFFS. About the Item: In musical theatre actors frequently leave stage in one costume and reappear 15-30 seconds later in completely different looks. How does that happen? It takes a stellar crew of dressers and hair crew to facilitate changes – sometimes two dressers and a hair person are needed to help an actor with an especially quick change. Before that moment, however, the costume shop has anticipated how to engineer garments to be efficient. The costume shop can “quick rig” garments so they can break away quickly and no time is lost unbuttoning or untying garments. Attached to the stand you will see a sample of a quick rigged shirt collar, shirtfront, cuff and tie. You will notice Velcro down the front of the shirt. The buttons are moved to the outer layer so they are still visible and Velcro tabs are added on the inside to hook the shirt together. This allows for the shirt to rip open in one movement for quick removal. If you lift the collar of the shirt, you will notice that the part of the tie that wraps around the neck is cut short and has Velcro on the ends that attach to the shirt. This allows ties to be quickly changed without having to go over an actor’s head or be tightened. It also makes sure that the tie is the correct length every time and that the knot looks perfect.Also attached to this sample is a cuff from a shirt. If you put your hands inside the cuff and tug it apart a bit, you will notice that the button is on an elastic tab that allows it to stretch and pull open more than a firmly attached button would. This allows the actor to quickly dress or undress without undoing a button.  On the sample ring there is a muslin fabric sample labeled “quick rigging with magnet tape.” We often use magnet tape on things like jackets, over skirts, capes, or breakaway clothes.  Magnets are a bit less sturdy and secure than things like snaps and Velcro, so we tend to use them in places that have less physical tension on them. That way, if something comes apart for any reason the costume is not compromised. Try pulling the two pieces apart and then notice how quickly they attach back together perfectly when you let go of one side. The quick rigging methods on the sample rings are just some of the ones that can easily be displayed; quick rigging can be done in many more ways with snaps, hooks, zippers, and other techniques. One of our other favorite quick-rigging methods is creating what we refer to as a “jump-xedo,’ or jumpsuit tuxedo. This is a technique often used with men’s wear clothing, but can also be done with other clothing styles, like a skirt, blouse, and vest combo. The shirt is stitched to the pants at the waist in the front and around the sides of the garment, the vest or cummerbund is stitched in place across the front, and ties or other accessories are added. The garment is then cut from the neck to below the hips in the back and a zipper is added so that the actor can step into what has become a one-piece jumpsuit. A jacket is usually put on over it to hide the center back zipper. What looks like a 3- or 4-piece garment has now become two and can easily be removed in a few seconds.   Other samples you see attached to this ring show ways we manipulate fabric to make it have more body or flow different on stage; generally, these techniques are used on lighter weight fabrics such as silks, chiffon, and organza.    

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