Thread: Plus-Sized Costume Troubles!

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Didn't think this quite fitted the Costume thread so...

Can anyone tell me what happened to the TRUE plus-sized Halloween costumes in recent years?

I remember when I was in middle school (in case you're curious around 2001-2003-ish) my family would go to Wal-Mart to buy me and my older sister our Halloween costumes. My sis was, and still is, very plus sized (as am I now) and back then they had costumes in sizes 22-24, and occasionally you'd even see a 26-28 (I know because she bought one!) They always had plenty of stretch in them too to help them fit too! But nowadays, I never see much over a size 14 in the costume section at Wal-Mart! (Last year they had a size 16 and it blew my mind!) But now that I've outgrown junior sizes (even though the size 14's sell as "women's plus" most times) I find it almost impossible to find a costume for anything much larger than 130lbs! I've even gone online looking for costumes since a couple years back, and when I'm lucky enough to see the words '2x' or '3x' I jump for joy! Only to realize that they barely ever surpass a size 20. And I'm incredibly lucky to even find those! I look at the size charts, only to find that even my size of 22-24 (and that size IS nearly impossible to find!) is actually about two sizes smaller than me! Which only leaves making your own costume (I can't sew) or paying someone else to make you one! Which is incredibly expensive! And I remember those really large sizes in the good 'ol days (lol) being at most only $25! Not the $50-100 that most plus-size costumes are now! (Which I'm pretty certain as cheaply made as they are aren't worth near that price even with inflation!) Not to mention I recently heard a study that said that the average American woman is a size 14. Yet most costumes are only that and UNDER in size! An average would mean that it's the most common size but also in-between, a median using math terms, of the most common sizes above and below it. Meaning that there is a good lot of women ABOVE that size! And yet nowadays I see LESS plus-size costumes than before!

So, may I ask, what the heck happened to cheap, TRUE plus-sized costumes!?

I feel ur pain, being a big guy i just use a little imagination and piece something together. I see alot of costumes that i wish I could fit into. LOL

I am plus sized, and feel your pain.

I think it's a combination of factors.

Most brick and mortar stores you actually go to need to stock stuff they know will be bought. The ones they figure are buying costumes are usually the ones that want the "sexy" witch, fairy tale character, etc... and they don't believe girls larger than a size 8 would be perceived as sexy. So they don't stock plus sizes except for a very small portion. Needless to say, my husband and the many guys that hit on me seem to think having some curves with a nice rack instead of being a stick figure IS sexy, but whatever.

And don't even get me started on how hard it is to find a non-sexy costume that isn't freaking stupid. Why the costume industry thinks all women want to dress with it all sleezy with everything hanging out still boggles the mind. I like to show some assets off, but seriously, I am not buying a costume that has everything hanging out and having to tug down or pull up the darned thing all night...

Sizes have also shifted over the years. Costumes have always run small - they cheap out on the construction and charge more for plus size because they are using more materials to make the costumes, so they make them slightly smaller than they really should be to save as much fabric as they can, and charge more since they HAVE to use more fabric than a stick figure's costume.

My suggestion is that you learn to sew. It's a priceless skill that you can use for many, many things... including making your own awesome, well made and completely custom costumes. I learned in college, in the theater department (which rocked since I do make my own costumes now!) and it is NOT hard to learn. I started out doing the basic patterns from Simplicity and McCalls and now I can freeform stuff and make it work without patterns. Oh, and curtains, and shirts and really awesome rockabilly dresses... I love knowing how to do all that stuff.

I would hit the thrift stores, they have tons of dresses and such and you can come up with something really cool with a few alterations. And it would be 10x's better than something you get at a costume store and way more fun to put together! Goodwill has 50% off days every month.

I completely understand. I was a 24-28. I yo yoed a lot. I'm an 18-20 now. Still working at it. I buy from buycostumes.com. Read the comments and you'll be able to pick the right size. Plus there are always coupons so I can get my costume for about 40 bucks with shipping.

Don't even get me started on this. Last year I actually made my costume. I'm so sick of seeing the "sexy" costumes everywhere. I'm sorry but Cookie Monster, Elmo and Big Bird weren't meant to be made into a "sexy" costume.

I can sympathise- I can't sew and I'm a plus size gal so have to order my costumes online to be able to find something that fits and isn't something I would only wear in the bedroom for my hubby!! I agree with Frankies Girl- its always nice to show some of the goods, but I don't think its appropriate no matter what size, to show everything you've got.
I've found that http://stores.ebay.com.au/Costume-Alibi?_rdc=1 has an alright range of costumes for plus sizes... compared to here where I can't seem to find any!!

Sewing is my thing, and I plan for Halloween costume-making all year. But, that being said, you really don't have to sew to "make" a great costume. As long as you have the time and ingenuity, you can put together something really cool with stuff from thrift stores and by using reclaimed items. You'd be surprised what you can come up with by just looking through your recycling bin! Most garments can be dyed with a little RIT, and accessories can be painted to become anything.
Look what people are doing with Nerf Guns:
Nerf Gun Repaint

I'm in the same boat too. I ordered a costume online last year. I was lucky enough to find my size....or so I thought. I got the package in the mail and tried it on right away. And what do ya know...the damn thing wouldn't fit! I was highly disappointed and quite frankly, I was pissed. They shouldn't be selling something as a certain size, when it's clearly NOT that size. Luckily, I had enough time to return the costume and plan something else. I began searching the web...yet again. I came across this costume


Of course, it was the same bs with the sizing. I began to analyze the costume and realized that it wouldn't be too dramatic to have it made. I already had the white peasant top, so all that really needed to be made was a jumper. For the hell of it, I called my tailor and asked how much would he charge to make it. Surprisingly, he said $50. Considering you'll pay at least that for a costume online, I figured it was worth it. I purchased the material myself, along with some netting to make the skirt poof, lace to trim the bottom of the jumper and some buttons for the straps. All that was about $20. I ended up buying a red hooded cape and just cut it to shoulder length. So, with material, the cape and labor, I spent about $80. I already had a pair of white thigh highs, black heels and a basket. $80 may seem like a lot, but to me it was well worth it to have a custom made costume that fit perfectly! Who says curvy gals can't be sexy?

That's great MissMandy - I'm sure you'll look super hot at Halloween in your custom costume
I actually bought that costume last year (ebay had a special half price thing going at the time). It was good except quite short so bought a really long gothic type red cape that wernt to the floor so my rear wasn't so exposed. Also, the black corest bit is actually only made out of a felt like material and after one pretty high temperature nights wear (and being a little tight I think), the black felty stuff started peeling off. I got a refund tho.

I'm being a gangster moll this year and am thinking of just trying to find a pinstripe dress/pants/vest rather than an actual costume since the plus sizes seem to only really be a size 14!