Costume attendants select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.

  • Create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks.
  • Provide dressing assistance to cast members or assign cast dressers to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
  • Arrange costumes in order of use to facilitate quick-change procedures for performances.
  • Design or construct costumes or send them to tailors for construction, major repairs, or alterations.
  • Examine costume fit on cast members and sketch or write notes for alterations.
  • Distribute costumes or related equipment and keep records of item status.
  • Check the appearance of costumes on stage or under lights to determine whether desired effects are being achieved.
  • Clean and press costumes before and after performances and perform any minor repairs.
  • Collaborate with production designers, costume designers, or other production staff to discuss and execute costume design details.
  • Monitor, maintain, or secure inventories of costumes, wigs, or makeup, providing keys or access to assigned directors, costume designers, or wardrobe mistresses/masters.
  • Purchase, rent, or requisition costumes or other wardrobe necessities.
  • Study books, pictures, or examples of period clothing to determine styles worn during specific periods in history.
  • Return borrowed or rented items when productions are complete and return other items to storage.
  • Review scripts or other production information to determine a story's locale or period, as well as the number of characters and required costumes.
  • Inventory stock to determine types or conditions of available costuming.
  • Direct the work of wardrobe crews during dress rehearsals or performances.
  • Participate in the hiring, training, scheduling, or supervision of alteration workers.
  • Provide managers with budget recommendations and take responsibility for budgetary line items related to costumes, storage, or makeup needs.
  • Assign lockers to employees and maintain locker rooms, dressing rooms, wig rooms, or costume storage or laundry areas.
  • Recommend vendors and monitor their work.
  • Care for non-clothing items, such as flags, table skirts, or draperies.
Work Context
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 92% responded "Continually or almost continually".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 90% responded "Extremely important".
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 90% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 79% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 64% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Time Pressure — 47% responded "Every day".
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 55% responded "Some freedom".
  • Read More
Work Activities
  • Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Read More
Detailed Work Activities
  • Maintain supply or equipment inventories.
  • Distribute resources to patrons or employees.
  • Arrange items for use or display.
  • Deliver items.
  • Clean fabrics or apparel.
  • Maintain facilities.
  • Read More

Knowledge

Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Read More

Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring
  • Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination
  • Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Read More

Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Near Vision
  • The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
  • The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Read More

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
Read More

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
Read More