Burlesque costuming is also an amazing way to keep sewing and creating for performance! Not standard “theater costuming” as many think, but there’s so many cool performers who need wild and fun costumes to design and create. I also used to make costumes for a small business that did “Princess Parties” for kids events and such (I also performed!).
As a costume and theater enthusiast, I'm sad to see such knowledge, passion and expertise leave the space. It's a great loss. At the same time, I recognize that people need fulfilling work which pays. Pivoting successfully is necessary right now. With your specialized knowledge, you might also try RUclips or TikTok creation. There is a vibrant costume and sewing community, and people would probably love to see and hear about your experiences.
Totally agree that it’s heartbreaking to see the field lose so much expertise. I have hope that young artists are fighting for change and we’re seeing it in some places. Not enough, but I celebrate every step of progress I hear about.
This is such an important topic! I’m a costumer who transitioned to project management, and hated it, and then transitioned again to be a jeweler. Realizing that while I could use my theater management skills but instead preferred to be hands on making things was huge! Some other options I considered were: sewing drapes or awnings, furniture upholstery, carpentry apprenticeships or welding school. Its amazing how quickly you can pick up new crafts when you have a background in something like costuming. All I knew was I wanted to make tangible products rather than move numbers on spreadsheets. I’m so glad this video is out there to help others find a new career when they need to move away from their theater jobs.
Thank you so much for sharing your own experience! I have one former colleague who started her own upholstery business, and a stitcher who now works making boat covers out of marine vinyl and loves it. She also loves that she has guaranteed time off, 40 hour work weeks, and health insurance. Backstage theater workers, especially costumers have been gaslit by the industry for so long, generationally, that many people don’t imagine themselves doing anything else because they’ve been told they can’t. It’s been glamorized, like “you’ll only succeed as a costumer if you can’t even imagine yourself doing anything else.”
@@woudgy thank you for the validation. Many of us are only now seeing the abuse that has been inherent in the industry for so long. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also a step towards a better way, even if it means many people leave for adjacent fields.
This is great! Thank you for providing these great ideas! I'm a costume design instructor getting out of theatre entirely after 20 years, and moving into illustration. It's rather "out of the frying pan into the fire" but I'm looking forward to transitioning to work for myself and pedal my own creations in a less collaborative experience. I have given myself a runway of two years. My love of illustration came from teaching rendering using Procreate in my theatre classes, so I'm working hard to pivot the skills I've learned to do one job toward another. It's videos like this one and the comments for it that give me faith that it's possible! Thank you!
I personally found that a lot of the logistical skills that I required as a costume designer pivoted very very well into being a veterinary receptionist! Having learned to have to track data points for things like costume changes and very finite details really built up a good base for a lot of the clerical skills involved.
Thank you for sharing options for people to earn a living wage and still do the thing they love. I spent 2 years in the bridal alterations department of a well known bridal store and it is not something I would go back to despite how much I loved working with all the dresses. At its worst I had a day with 25 bridal dress pick ups and 18 brides maid dresses and the sewing work wasn't even complete. They expected me by myself to finish the 10 dresses that still needed work steam the 15 that still needed to be steamed and run 3 appointments simultaneously. The store manager was angry mid shift when she found out I was by myself but the damage was already done and we were playing catch the rest of that night. It was actually a relief to put in my notice at that one and it only took me so long because of how much I enjoy sewing.
You’re welcome, and I’m so sorry for that awful experience in bridal alterations! I talked to some people who had started their own business doing alterations who enjoyed it because they made their own schedules and understood what reasonable expectations might be, but others who worked for corporate franchise establishments had stories similar to yours, about the unreasonable expectations and abusive labor practices. ❤️
I made the same switch in 2020 and that's exactly why I ended up leaving-- loved (most of) the customers and I absolutely adored my team, but the corporate expectation to do everything at once and make as much money as possible wore me out.
@@stoplimitingme we see this so often in the needle trades. I just read a theory that corporate takeover contributed to the decimation of the millinery trade-that once department store millinery departments forced closure of thousands of sole proprietorships of independent milliners, that began the elimination of hats from daily attire. I believe there were many other factors contributing to why hats are no longer common daily attire, but it’s an interesting theory. Most people I’ve talked to who have worked in corporatized creative trades absolutely hate how they’ve been treated in those jobs.
@@LaBricoleuse I’d love to check this out, do you have a link? I also did some bridal work at a corporate owned chain and it was equally as awful. The pressure to get so much done was insane. I’ve done a bit of bridal for friends and family (and my own lol) but I have found I generally don’t like doing alterations.
A cross between mascot & cosplay work is the fursuits some people wear. Some confine themselves to ears and tail and some go full suit. And that set of consumers are willing to pay good money for good suits. And I don't know if this is still a large market, but I used to know someone who sewed outfits for professional wrestlers. That's 2 more markets for the makers.
I am forever, grateful to the furry community for documenting their costume construction process, so thoroughly in so many different online venues. Their methods and advice have saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
I love costume making and am a trained maker but I'm about to do a career pivot for the time being but I know I will return to costumes in the future or do commissions on the side. You should also mention about drag costumes since there has been an explosion of those types of private clients!
Great video!! If you don't mind, I will share to my former university's theater dept page as I feel this will help many current and former students there.
Please do! I would love to reach new-career theatre folx, and hopefully it will expand their ideas of what you can do with these skills and what you don’t have to accept from employers in order to do so! ❤️
Burlesque costuming is also an amazing way to keep sewing and creating for performance! Not standard “theater costuming” as many think, but there’s so many cool performers who need wild and fun costumes to design and create.
I also used to make costumes for a small business that did “Princess Parties” for kids events and such (I also performed!).
These are excellent suggestions!
As a costume and theater enthusiast, I'm sad to see such knowledge, passion and expertise leave the space. It's a great loss.
At the same time, I recognize that people need fulfilling work which pays. Pivoting successfully is necessary right now.
With your specialized knowledge, you might also try RUclips or TikTok creation. There is a vibrant costume and sewing community, and people would probably love to see and hear about your experiences.
Totally agree that it’s heartbreaking to see the field lose so much expertise. I have hope that young artists are fighting for change and we’re seeing it in some places. Not enough, but I celebrate every step of progress I hear about.
This is such an important topic! I’m a costumer who transitioned to project management, and hated it, and then transitioned again to be a jeweler. Realizing that while I could use my theater management skills but instead preferred to be hands on making things was huge! Some other options I considered were: sewing drapes or awnings, furniture upholstery, carpentry apprenticeships or welding school. Its amazing how quickly you can pick up new crafts when you have a background in something like costuming. All I knew was I wanted to make tangible products rather than move numbers on spreadsheets. I’m so glad this video is out there to help others find a new career when they need to move away from their theater jobs.
Thank you so much for sharing your own experience! I have one former colleague who started her own upholstery business, and a stitcher who now works making boat covers out of marine vinyl and loves it. She also loves that she has guaranteed time off, 40 hour work weeks, and health insurance. Backstage theater workers, especially costumers have been gaslit by the industry for so long, generationally, that many people don’t imagine themselves doing anything else because they’ve been told they can’t. It’s been glamorized, like “you’ll only succeed as a costumer if you can’t even imagine yourself doing anything else.”
@@LaBricoleuse that's terrible! As someone outside your industry, I had no idea.
@@woudgy thank you for the validation. Many of us are only now seeing the abuse that has been inherent in the industry for so long. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also a step towards a better way, even if it means many people leave for adjacent fields.
This is great! Thank you for providing these great ideas! I'm a costume design instructor getting out of theatre entirely after 20 years, and moving into illustration. It's rather "out of the frying pan into the fire" but I'm looking forward to transitioning to work for myself and pedal my own creations in a less collaborative experience. I have given myself a runway of two years. My love of illustration came from teaching rendering using Procreate in my theatre classes, so I'm working hard to pivot the skills I've learned to do one job toward another. It's videos like this one and the comments for it that give me faith that it's possible! Thank you!
Congratulations on the new career and artistic focus! And thank you for sharing your own story in this comment as well!
Im a beginner costume designer and this was very helpful! The tips and alternative options are top notch 👍😁 thanks!
You’re welcome! There are so many jobs where our skills are valuable.
I personally found that a lot of the logistical skills that I required as a costume designer pivoted very very well into being a veterinary receptionist! Having learned to have to track data points for things like costume changes and very finite details really built up a good base for a lot of the clerical skills involved.
Wow that’s a cool job to pivot to! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Thank you for sharing options for people to earn a living wage and still do the thing they love. I spent 2 years in the bridal alterations department of a well known bridal store and it is not something I would go back to despite how much I loved working with all the dresses. At its worst I had a day with 25 bridal dress pick ups and 18 brides maid dresses and the sewing work wasn't even complete. They expected me by myself to finish the 10 dresses that still needed work steam the 15 that still needed to be steamed and run 3 appointments simultaneously. The store manager was angry mid shift when she found out I was by myself but the damage was already done and we were playing catch the rest of that night. It was actually a relief to put in my notice at that one and it only took me so long because of how much I enjoy sewing.
You’re welcome, and I’m so sorry for that awful experience in bridal alterations! I talked to some people who had started their own business doing alterations who enjoyed it because they made their own schedules and understood what reasonable expectations might be, but others who worked for corporate franchise establishments had stories similar to yours, about the unreasonable expectations and abusive labor practices. ❤️
I made the same switch in 2020 and that's exactly why I ended up leaving-- loved (most of) the customers and I absolutely adored my team, but the corporate expectation to do everything at once and make as much money as possible wore me out.
@@stoplimitingme we see this so often in the needle trades.
I just read a theory that corporate takeover contributed to the decimation of the millinery trade-that once department store millinery departments forced closure of thousands of sole proprietorships of independent milliners, that began the elimination of hats from daily attire.
I believe there were many other factors contributing to why hats are no longer common daily attire, but it’s an interesting theory. Most people I’ve talked to who have worked in corporatized creative trades absolutely hate how they’ve been treated in those jobs.
@@LaBricoleuse I’d love to check this out, do you have a link? I also did some bridal work at a corporate owned chain and it was equally as awful. The pressure to get so much done was insane. I’ve done a bit of bridal for friends and family (and my own lol) but I have found I generally don’t like doing alterations.
Keeping it real and helping artists survive and thrive - wonderful. Thank you.
You’re welcome! 🙏👍
A cross between mascot & cosplay work is the fursuits some people wear. Some confine themselves to ears and tail and some go full suit. And that set of consumers are willing to pay good money for good suits. And I don't know if this is still a large market, but I used to know someone who sewed outfits for professional wrestlers. That's 2 more markets for the makers.
I am forever, grateful to the furry community for documenting their costume construction process, so thoroughly in so many different online venues. Their methods and advice have saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
I love costume making and am a trained maker but I'm about to do a career pivot for the time being but I know I will return to costumes in the future or do commissions on the side. You should also mention about drag costumes since there has been an explosion of those types of private clients!
Another great suggestion! Good luck with your career pivot, what will you go into?
This is so interesting! Thanks
You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!
Great video!! If you don't mind, I will share to my former university's theater dept page as I feel this will help many current and former students there.
Please do! I would love to reach new-career theatre folx, and hopefully it will expand their ideas of what you can do with these skills and what you don’t have to accept from employers in order to do so! ❤️
Thank you Rachel. You always have valuable informed videos for us!
You’re welcome! Glad it’s useful! 🙏❤️
Interesting. I liked the resume suggestions.
Thank you! 🙏👍