Costume Care

Guidelines for preserving and maintaining our costume collection

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Using costumes in productions

• These costumes are a valuable and shared resource for units only. Not for SU productions, sorry!

• Any alterations to costumes (including using fake blood) must be approved by Miranda first.

Contact: miranda.pfunder@bristol.ac.uk

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Hanging of costumes

• For everyone's benefit, storerooms and costumes need to be kept well-ordered and tidy!

• Costumes should be put back where they came from - see the plan in the storeroom and hang behind relevant dividers, left to right.

• Hangers should look like a '?' with the front of a shirt or jacket buttoned.

• One garment per hanger - except suits which should be hung with trousers folded neatly in half over the rung of the hanger (creases & inside seams together) and jacket on top.

• Long period skirts should be hung by hanging loops inside of waistbands, or on a clip hanger.

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Laundering

• Only wash shirts, blouses, socks, tights and contemporary clothes. All tailored, more structured period costumes should be dry cleaned via Miranda.

• If a shirt needs to be laundered, wash it at 30-40 degrees in the laundry room on a quick wash and hang it to dry. Once dried, return it to the storeroom.

• If a costume gets wet or dirty, please let Miranda know by email.

Contact: miranda.pfunder@bristol.ac.uk

💡 Quick Tips

  • Always check costume labels before cleaning
  • Report any damage immediately
  • Return costumes within 24 hours after production
  • Never use bleach without permission