Need idea for cheap international costume for camp!

[bas71873]

DD is attending a Disney Broadway Musical Theater camp next week and Thursday is "It's a Small World" international costume day. I need an idea, a cheap one. We have the Disney day covered (Ariel or Alice), but I need something for the international day? I can't picture any of the stuff inside It's a Small World....I can hear the song though

I'm not a crafty person and I don't want to spend a ton of money. Any ideas to get my started???

 

[hffmnheidi]

...a long skirt, white button down blouse, scarf tied around head can work as Germany, Russia, Spain...ect...

 

[gurglingsuitcase87]

I dont know if this counts as international, but for a work party we all went as Indians. I got a tan shirt at the craft store and created long slits up in the sleeves and along the bottom. Then i put two or three beads up on the bottom of each strip and tied a knot. I wore brown shorts, moccosians from target, and made a headbands out of this stretchy gold sequin trim and hot guled feathers Im on the right!

 

[bas71873]

I dont know if this counts as international, but for a work party we all went as Indians. I got a tan shirt at the craft store and created long slits up in the sleeves and along the bottom. Then i put two or three beads up on the bottom of each strip and tied a knot. I wore brown shorts, moccosians from target, and made a headbands out of this stretchy gold sequin trim and hot guled feathers Im on the right!

OOOH, that might work! Thanks. I also just realized that we have a Jasmine costume too....that's international right

 

[PHXscuba]

There's a cowboy in Small World too. Any western gear?

Mexican poncho?

Hula stuff from Hawaii/Polynesia?

Parka and boots for an Eskimo? Maybe not the best choice for summer camp ...


Have fun,
PHXscuba

 

[luckyfin]

I bet you could easily fashion a sari or even a kimono out of a large piece of cloth. I believe that characters on Its a Small World are dressed in a Polynesian theme in one part. That would be easy to find accessories for. I want to hear more about this camp! Sounds neat!

 

[kat3668]

I just ordered last night and my order shipped today...... got an awesome costume off this website..... You could'nt even buy the fabric for cheaper money!

Up to 90% off clearance and blowout items with coupon!
Extra 40% off clearance and blowout items Buy Costumes Coupon: clear40 exp 6/20

http://www.buycostumes.com/Miss-Kimono-Adult-Costume/38142/ProductDetail.aspx



Good Luck!!!

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

OOOH, that might work! Thanks. I also just realized that we have a Jasmine costume too....that's international right

Please don't do that. Please?

I'm not a militant Native woman by any means, but these make me sad.

 

[gurglingsuitcase87]

didnt mean to offend, sorry.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

didnt mean to offend, sorry.

I'm not going to jump on you or anything (you know how the DIS can be ), like I said, I'm not militant or anything. I work in the elementary school system, and I like to steer kids away from stereotypes, etc. Being in Oklahoma and being Native (with lots of Native students), this is one of the bigger issues we address with the kids.

No popcorn smilie...at least not from me. Just a little PSA.


P.S. The Bo Peep costume in your user pic...I can definitely give that one a .

 

[gurglingsuitcase87]

yeah we me and my boyfriend and our best friend went as woody buzz and bo peep for halloween this year. I actually made the woody costume myself. We actually won a 100 dollars for the best costumes that night!

 

[cbg1027]

If you already have a red dress, here's an idea:
Buy some cheap black floral or polka-dot lace and cut out some pieces you could pin together as an overlay.
Buy a cheap lacey fan.
Put hair in an updo and hang a pin a piece of lace to it.
Some black mary-jane type shoes.
Maybe a lace shawl tied around the waist if you have one.
And voila.....you have a Spanish Flamenco dancer!

If you have a solid plain colored (blue would be best) dress, and a white apron, you can add a bonnet and wooden shoes and you have a Dutch girl.

There are many satin bathrobes that look Asian. Add a sash and some chunky flip flops and you could have a Japanese Kimono. Use eyeliner to give the illusion of Asian eyes.

 

[bas71873]

Thanks for all the great ideas. Now I'm sure I come up with something by next week

 

[bas71873]

I bet you could easily fashion a sari or even a kimono out of a large piece of cloth. I believe that characters on Its a Small World are dressed in a Polynesian theme in one part. That would be easy to find accessories for. I want to hear more about this camp! Sounds neat!

This is our first year doing this camp. Don't know if it's a local thing, although I do think it's a national group with a local chapter. It's called CYT (Christian Youth Theater) and they get wonderful reviews for their programs and plays they do all year long. This year they've done Cinderella, Jungle Book, Peter Pan and this summer it's HSM. Our local website is www.cytrichmond.org, but you could probably go there and see if you have one locally?

 

[brymolmom]

Please don't do that. Please?

I'm not a militant Native woman by any means, but these make me sad.

Can you explain why it would be offensive? I went to a Native American presentation a couple months back and that poster didn't seem too far off from what they showed us as cultural clothing (the feathers definitely were in this presentation - not necessarily the beads on the shirt - but mocassins for sure they talked about). Is it just the shirt that you don't think is proper for that culture? Or is it dressing like a Native American at all that you think might be offensive? I don't get it.

 

[crisi]

Saris are a little tricky to tie but not too bad and just take a LOT of cloth. But if you know someone who sews, sometimes a lot of cloth isn't hard to find - or you can find a closeout bolt at a fabic store. You can YouTube instructions.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Can you explain why it would be offensive? I went to a Native American presentation a couple months back and that poster didn't seem too far off from what they showed us as cultural clothing (the feathers definitely were in this presentation - not necessarily the beads on the shirt - but mocassins for sure they talked about). Is it just the shirt that you don't think is proper for that culture? Or is it dressing like a Native American at all that you think might be offensive? I don't get it.

Sure...

Traditional outfits are now a sign of honor (whereas a lot of them were actually every day dress "back in the day"). Dancers wear them, people of great importance, etc. Feathers must be earned (and they certainly aren't of the neon variety). I, myself, only have three, aside from the feathers in my fan. Beadworkers spend countless hours searching for the perfect beads, and then days, weeks and even months beading their pieces. These are added to the attire in the form on medallions and other pieces. Mocs are given at important stages in a life, and they aren't even worn in some tribes (one of my tribes wears them, the other wears leggings). This is another facet, completely, of the portrayal of Indians as one people. There are 39 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma alone, all with unique dress, culture and traditions. Fringe is not used often. It is used on dance shawls (and they not cut into the fabric, it is added, strand my strand) and on buckskin dresses, which are a huge deal. Here is a pic of one of my tribe's traditional buckskin outfits:

My sister is on the far left.

All of these girls have been the tribal princess or have been honored in some other way. You must have done something honorable to wear these symbols of the past. Indians aren't a character of the past, but a living, breathing culture that is still very important in the lives of many Natives. Also, I am only speaking on the knowledge I have of the tribes in Oklahoma and surrounding areas.

Believe me, the picture posted bears little actual resemblence to the attire it is meant to represent.




If you'd like more info, PM me, as I'd hate to hijack. Sorry, OP, for this OT post!!

 

[brymolmom]

Thanks for the information. I'm still missing a bit about the potential offensive-ness, but I'm learning more. If the OP needs to dress internationally, and as you say, Native Americans are a part of the present international culture, I would think it would be a great way to honor that culture to include it in such a setting. I'm sure if OP dressed in Polynesian attire or African or even German - they wouldn't be exact in terms of what is actually worn - some things would be 'off' from what is the true culture, the sweat and ceremonies and history of how that traditional dress wouldn't be there for the OP, but all the people attending the party would be trying their best within their budget and creative talent to represent different cultures all coming together to celebrate. That's an idea that should be encouraged MORE!

 

[crisi]

Thanks for the information. I'm still missing a bit about the potential offensive-ness, but I'm learning more. If the OP needs to dress internationally, and as you say, Native Americans are a part of the present international culture, I would think it would be a great way to honor that culture to include it in such a setting. I'm sure if OP dressed in Polynesian attire or African or even German - they wouldn't be exact in terms of what is actually worn - some things would be 'off' from what is the true culture, the sweat and ceremonies and history of how that traditional dress wouldn't be there for the OP, but all the people attending the party would be trying their best within their budget and creative talent to represent different cultures all coming together to celebrate. That's an idea that should be encouraged MORE!

I think the point is that these things are EARNED in a tribe. It would be like dressing as a member of the military and pinning a bunch of unearned medals on your chest. Or going down to the boy scout store and buying a uniform - along with all the badges and awards for an Eagle Scout. A drindl or leiderhosen or a sari or a hanbok aren't earned, they are traditional dress.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Thanks for the information. I'm still missing a bit about the potential offensive-ness, but I'm learning more. If the OP needs to dress internationally, and as you say, Native Americans are a part of the present international culture, I would think it would be a great way to honor that culture to include it in such a setting. I'm sure if OP dressed in Polynesian attire or African or even German - they wouldn't be exact in terms of what is actually worn - some things would be 'off' from what is the true culture, the sweat and ceremonies and history of how that traditional dress wouldn't be there for the OP, but all the people attending the party would be trying their best within their budget and creative talent to represent different cultures all coming together to celebrate. That's an idea that should be encouraged MORE!

I think the point is that these things are EARNED in a tribe. It would be like dressing as a member of the military and pinning a bunch of unearned medals on your chest. Or going down to the boy scout store and buying a uniform - along with all the badges and awards for an Eagle Scout. A drindl or leiderhosen or a sari or a hanbok aren't earned, they are traditional dress.

That's definitely major part of it, crisi! I was thinking of the military example, too. Even more than that, not anyone can earn these pieces. More or less, anyone has the equal opportunity to join the military and do the work to earn medals (we're a USMC family). Your average Joe off the street cannot decide he wants to be an Indian for a living and earn these things. Make sense? It does in my head.

brymolmom (ahh...kills me not to capitalize the first letter of a sentence ), it's more the misrepresentation than the respresentation of Natives that has the probability of being offensive. The posted costumes are definitely not a representation of Natives (again, I speak in terms of the tribes of which I am knowledgable).



Again, sorry OP!! The teacher in me can't let questions go unanswered.