Costume Design Vocabulary

the area out of sight of the audience

• Rigging

• Off-Stage

• Up Stage

• Stage Left

a rapid change from one costume to another, could be done off stage or in full view of an audience

• Quick Change

• Costume

• Layered Look

• Rigging

the use of snaps, Velcro, zippers, and other fasteners in order for a costume to be easily removed or put on

• Quick Change

• Croquis

• Rigging

• Stylized Design

the printed text of a play

• Score

• Book

• Lyrics

• Script

the way in which clothing sits on the body – this may emphasize or change the shape of an actor’s body

• Costume Design

• Silhouette

• Stylized Design

• Designer Concept

stereotypical characters that represent a generic, simplified type of personality; some examples include the damsel in distress, the fool or the dastardly villain

• Ensemble

• Background Players

• Stock Characters

• Cast List

exaggeration of the structure of the body

• Stylized Design

• Croquis

• Costume Design

• Design Concept

a costume that implies greater meaning for the character and/or play than just the clothing worn

• Color Theory

• Costume Design

• Croquis

• Symbolism

types of fabric that have a tactile surface – either 3D or 2D, fabric pattern, or the layering of a variety of fabrics

• Symbolism

• Texture

• Color Theory

• Croquis

one of the roles that an actor plays

• Character

• Croquis

• Costume Design

• Stock Character