Description
Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.
- • Distribute costumes or related equipment and keep records of item status.
- • Arrange costumes in order of use to facilitate quick-change procedures for performances.
- • Return borrowed or rented items when productions are complete and return other items to storage.
- • Clean and press costumes before and after performances and perform any minor repairs.
- • Assign lockers to employees and maintain locker rooms, dressing rooms, wig rooms, or costume storage or laundry areas.
- • Design or construct costumes or send them to tailors for construction, major repairs, or alterations.
- • Purchase, rent, or requisition costumes or other wardrobe necessities.
- • Check the appearance of costumes on stage or under lights to determine whether desired effects are being achieved.
- • Inventory stock to determine types or conditions of available costuming.
- • Collaborate with production designers, costume designers, or other production staff to discuss and execute costume design details.
- • Monitor, maintain, or secure inventories of costumes, wigs, or makeup, providing keys or access to assigned directors, costume designers, or wardrobe mistresses/masters.
- • Create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks.
- • Direct the work of wardrobe crews during dress rehearsals or performances.
- • Examine costume fit on cast members and sketch or write notes for alterations.
- • Review scripts or other production information to determine a story's locale or period, as well as the number of characters and required costumes.
- • Recommend vendors and monitor their work.
- • Study books, pictures, or examples of period clothing to determine styles worn during specific periods in history.
- • Provide managers with budget recommendations and take responsibility for budgetary line items related to costumes, storage, or makeup needs.
- • Participate in the hiring, training, scheduling, or supervision of alteration workers.
- • Care for non-clothing items, such as flags, table skirts, or draperies.
- • Provide dressing assistance to cast members or assign cast dressers to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
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Related Pathways
Arts, Entertainment, & Design
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Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
