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How to Create a Zombie Costume

Steps

Decide on your zombie type. 

There are plenty of examples to go by, from vintage movie zombies to modern day versions on the small and big screen, to comic book depictions and YouTube inspirations. Any type can be turned into a zombie––think zombie ballerina, zombie celebrity, zombie footballer, zombie doctor, zombie zookeeper, you name the career or character, it can be zombified. Be creative in choosing your style, era and outfit––generic undead can get a little boring and zombification of your costume opens up many great possibilities.

Find your costume base. Depending on what you've chosen for a zombie look above, you'll either need to rustle up last year's costume for a total makeover or make/buy a new one. The number one rule is––keep it cheap because it's going to get destroyed! If you want to turn last year's costume into a zombie costume, make sure you never want to be that sweet princess or wise wizard again. And if you don't want to rip up clothes you already own, get yourself down to the thrift store quick smart to purchase someone else's unwanted clothes to transform into a zombie outfit. Ideas of things to turn into zombie costumes include:

Exercise gear you no longer like/can stand. Become a zombie aerobics instructor with an 80s bouffant hairdo.

Tutus or other dance wear. So cute until the zombie gets to wear it.

Everyday clothing. A good excuse to rip holes in an old pair of jeans and shirt that you were thinking of tossing into the rag bag anyway.

Old military wear from the army store or thrift store. Nothing like peeved soldiers returning for revenge.

   

Old school uniform. The suitability of this might depend on whether your old school is in close proximity––you don't want your former principal pulling you over for a rant over the school's rep.
Any career uniform. If you were once a nurse, garbage collector, council inspector or whatever else and it came with a uniform that you never returned, here's your chance to zombie it. Alternatively, look for discarded uniforms in thrift stores or online. Your best bet is outdated uniforms, just so that someone in charge of the uniforms for that career doesn't get irritable with you about breaching regulations on the misuse of uniforms.
Party gear. So you were going to a party, all dressed up, when suddenly the zombies took over.

Turn your costume into a zombie costume.

 Now comes the fine art of zombification of the costume. It's a healthy piece of clothing right now, so you need to fix that. Most all, keep things unkempt and messy––tattered and ripped elements work really well with zombie clothing. Always feel free to add more disheveled looking pieces to complete the look. The following steps set forth some ways to zombify your duds.

2. 
   Rip the costume. Zombies stumble and catch themselves on all manner of plant life, fences, poles, barbs, whatever and their clothing rips. Moreover, clothing that has been in the ground weakens and tears. When making tears, keep modesty in mind––you don't want holes that reveal parts of your body you'd rather keep under wraps.
   • Jeans: Everyone loves a good jeans ripping. Simply insert the scissors here and there over the legs and make cuts. Then pull the threads. You can also use sandpaper. Since this isn't about making a fashion statement, less care needs to be taken than if you were ripping them for style but more details on ripping can be found at: How to rip your own jeans.
     
   • T-shirt: Use the scissors to make a few cuts here and there. Either pull the cuts a bit more or just leave jagged.
     
   • Shirt: Same as for t-shirt but depending on the fabric, you might have more threads to tease out.
     
   • Coats and jackets: Use scissors to make slashes in the arms and various parts of the jacket or coat body. Absolutely only do this to something that's not expensive!
   • Skirts/dresses: Same as for shirts, just get the scissors and make cuts, then use your hands to make the rips bigger. There's no harm in making the hem rather jagged and lopsided (use an unstitching pick to help), it'll add to the look. If there are lace trims or other decorative pieces, make them look askew by undoing some of the stitching so that bits hang off.
     
   • Tights/stockings: Simply get your nail and catch it on a few threads and pull. If your nails are too short, sit under a table and gently catch your legs on the underside of the table and let the tights rip.
     
   • Accessories: You can also rip scarves, gloves, socks, hats, etc.
     
3. 
   
   
   Add burn or singe marks.   If you're game, use a lighter to add a few burn or singe marks here and there. However, always know the fabric's flammability level before doing this and only ever do this over a surface that isn't flammable and where flammable items are not nearby. You don't want to burn the house down. For example, a few burn marks on a wool coat (wool resists burning) made over a garage concrete floor in the middle of the garage away from everything else might work well. On the other hand, trying to burn a synthetic pair of tights near paperwork on your carpet is just asking for trouble. Use your noggin.

Add blood. Zombies are definitely about blood dripping here, there and everywhere else too. Experiment with making fake blood and then adding it to the costume here and there. Some tips on fake blood when applying to costume or body:

• If you're buying blood, it is recommended that you use the darker, more water-based kind.

Sticky "edible" or corn-syrup blood can be very uncomfortable to walk around in, and can give you a more cartoon-ish look.

To apply fake blood to the costume: Set aside an area, preferably outside, where you can get messy. Put down newspapers or plastic to prevent damaging any furniture. Go nuts! Use your hands and mess up that costume. Go for hand prints, random splatters, and even create a fine mist of fake blood by flicking the end of a paint brush at your costume.

Liquid latex can make torn skin or wounds. Apply in a wound shape, then add dabs of red, brown and purple acrylic paint to color the wound. For added freshness, dab some fake blood inside the wound. To get more of a texture feel get oats and nude color jell-o. Melt the jell-o for about 10 to 15 seconds and mix the oats in. The apply to the face and let dry.

Add dirt. Zombies have emerged from the earth, so rub some soil onto your costume and dirty it up here and there.

1. 
   
   Move on to make-up. One of the most crucial steps, make-up can make or break your costume. The two best types of products to use for zombies are grease paint and water-based airbrush make-up.
   • If you want a gory, messy zombie, stick with greasepaint. It's heavy, easy to apply, cheap, and can create some good effects.
     
   • If you want a cleaner, grey "freshly dead" ghoul, stick with airbrushing. Airbrushing is great to apply a light layer of color and contour features, sinking in the face. Apply at least two coats of white water-based make-up, adding some light blue make-up on fleshy areas and dark blue make-up wherever the skin needs to appear hollowed out. Add fake blood to both looks and you're done!
   • For a shriveled look, stuff cotton balls on the inside of your cheeks, then cover the skin with liquid latex. Let the latex dry, then remove the cotton balls. The latex will dry into wrinkles and you'll look dead!
     
   • Colored contacts can also be used for an extra effect, and are relatively cheap online. Don't forget to add make-up to your neck, hands, and any other exposed areas. Swish a little edible fake blood in your mouth and give your teeth a nice finish.
     
2. 
   
   Add some special FX make-up. Special FX make-up can add a lot of quality to your work. You can start from scratch by using liquid latex, or buy pre-made effects at your local party stores. Remember: You can use special effects on your body, too! Gashes on your legs and arms, fake nails going through your hands; be creative! If this all sounds like too much work, skip this step.
3. 
   
   Fix the hair. Hair is just as important as the rest of your costume. Done well, it can add a lot to your zombie look. If your hair is long enough, tease it and get some knots going. Smear fake blood, dirt, leaves, and anything else you want through your hair. Try adding something wacky, such as fake insects or mice to ad to your character.
   • If you don't want you hair to be ruined, go for a cheap wig––it's also easier to turn the wig into a mess by simply sitting it down in front of you (on a dummy head if possible) and gluing all the elements to it.
4. 
   
   Get into character. What good is a zombie without a limp and a groan? Get into character by channeling your inner zombie, adding twists depending on your character.
   • Are you a classic, slow zombie? The typical foot-drag and moan for human brains will suffice.
     
   • Are you a "28 Days Later" zombie, running around with rage? Try some shrieks and wide-eyed stares.
     
   • Is your zombie a vegan, protesting human rights? Try shouting out "Grains!"
5. 
   
   
6. Finished.

2 VAMPIRE Costumes (can be used together)

1: Creating the Cape

Choose your fabric. Whether you prefer bloody red taffeta, jet black silk or inky blue velvet, make sure your fabric and color choice is sufficiently vampiric. You will need 1-2 yards of fabric, depending on how long you want the cape to be.

Cut out your cape. Lay your fabric out on a large space, such as your living room floor. Use a measuring tape to measure from your shoulder to your calf, or wherever you want your cape to end. Use this measurement to mark the length of your cape on the fabric. Cut along this line to make your cape.

• Another way to measure your cape is to lie down on the fabric. Lie with the top edge of the fabric at your shoulders. Sit up without moving your legs. Mark with chalk at your leg where you want the cape to fall. Make another mark a few inches lower. This is where you will cut. Use your measuring tape to mark this line all the way across the fabric. Cut across.
• You can hem all around the edges of your cape if you are going for a refined look. For a rougher look, leave the edges raw.

Cut out the hood. Measure a 30" by 15" rectangle in the corner of the remaining fabric. Mark this rectangle with chalk, then cut it out. This will be the hood of the cape.

• To hem the hood, fold in the short edged of the hood about 1/2". Pin and then iron in place. Stitch the hem and then set aside.
• If you want an extra droopy hood, measure the rectangle as 35" by 20" instead.

Inches to cm CONVERTER (link)

Baste and gather the cape. Loosely straight stitch along the edge of the cape, a 1/4" from the edge. You are putting a loose thread along the edge of the cape so that you can use it to evenly gather the cape. This is called 'basting'. After you have threaded the edge of the cape, hold the extra thread with one hand and use the other to scrunch the fabric down along the thread. Continue to evenly gather the fabric along the thread until the edge of the cape is the same length as the hood.

• If you are using a sewing machine, set it for the longest stitch available.
• Leave plenty of loose thread on the edge.

Sew hood to cape. Lay the hood on the gathered end of the cape. Sew the cape to the hood.

•  Make sure you are touching together the right sides of the fabric so the hood is inside-out.
•  Use a straight stitch to sew the cape to the hood.

2: Choosing the Right Clothes

Put on an elegant top. A boned corset would be ideal, but any form-fitting top in black velvet, satin, lace or brocade will do the trick. Look for elaborate designs with some metal accents, such as grommets, buckles or zippers. In terms of color, black, dark purples and deep reds are best, although a ruffled, immaculately white shirt can be striking.

Wear a long skirt. A full-length, floor-skimming skirt is essential to complete your vampire costume. Try to find full-skirted black tulle for a glamorous edge, or choose figure-hugging satin to reveal your seductive side.

Slip on heels or heeled boots. Wearing high heels will elongate your figure and and ensure your vampire costume retains its classy style from head to toe. Wearing heels will also lend you an air of confidence and authority essential to any female vampire. Again, black is best, either in matte leather or shiny patent.

LOSE YOUR BAGGAGE!

DIY: UNDEREYE DE-PUFFER

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Hair (HALLOWEEN) 2

HALLOWEEN HAIR TUTORIAL

A couple weeks ago, I asked you guys which Halloween hair tutorials you wanted. Let’s just say it was an overwhelming victory for 1920′s and 1930′s hair. There are 3 more coming up, but for now we bring you “Vintage Vixen” starring Lady Conrad! This hairstyle can be used with many different costumes– Gatsby girl, flapper, silent film star, old school gangster’s girl, showgirl (a la Water for Elephants), etc… Good luck and as always, tweet us a photo!!

TOOLS: small barrel curling iron (we used 5/8″), sectioning clips, silver 2-prong setting clips, 2 clear elastics, large bobbypins, a large soft bristled flat brush, comb, hairspray, and a headband (optional).

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start with clean, dry hair (straight, wavy, or curly… just make sure it’s completely dry)
2. To remove excess length and weight, you’re going to want to braid the bottom hair and pin it up so it’s out of the way. Part your hair from ear to ear in the back of your head + clip the top half up.
3. Create two braids.
4. Pin the two braids flat against your head in the back. It helps if  you lay them in a zigzag pattern. Use large bobbypins for more support.
5. You want all of the curls to go TOWARD your face. In order to create a pattern in the hair, your curls need to be lined up. They should all be the same size and going the same direction. To get the right pattern, I always I like to pretend I’m laying a brick wall and you should do the same! For this particular look, take sections that are about the same size as your pinkie finger. Wrap them tightly around the outside of your curling iron. Equally important is the size of your iron. It must be small. Anything over 3/4″ will just give you big waves. Check the beauty supply and/or google for smaller irons! Curling will take a lot of time, but it’s SO worth it.
6. After you curl the hair, clip it in place and allow it to set.
7. See how Lauren’s curls are all going the same direction and are the same size? That’s what you want. Let it set for as long as you can. The longer, the better. Put your makeup on while you wait, or if your costume/dress goes over your head, put it on now to avoid messing it up later.
8. When the hair has cooled entirely, release all of the curls (don’t pull them apart with your fingers). Using a large soft bristled flat brush, start brushing the curls out. Give it a couple hard brush strokes and then switch to a lighter stroke (repeat if necessary). The pattern will begin to develop. Look down slightly and brush hair toward your face. Brushing everything toward your face is best for bringing out the pattern.
9. If you have a lot of hair, it’s optional to pin one side back like Lauren is doing in the shot so that the hair doesn’t overwhelm your face.
10. Grab a section of brushed out curls. Hold the very bottom of the curls with one hand. Using a comb, tease (using long upward strokes) with the other hand. You should only need 1 or 2 strokes to get it into the “bob” shape.
11. Spray the section with a strong holding hairspray and then tuck the extra hairs. Pin in place using a large bobbypin or two.
12. Add a headband, comb, head dress, or barrette for sparkle! Learn how to make your own HERE! Pin it in place and give it one last veil of hairspray. Trick or treat, fancy ladies!!

Hey! A pretty girl tried it!

Hope you enjoy,

See u later

Mo

Hair (HALLOWEEN)

HALLOWEEN HAIR TUTORIAL

Lots and lots of request rolled in for a Halloween hair tutorial on creating frizz. Clearly this look can go with SO many costumes– 70′s glam, a lioness, a gypsy, a witch, a dead person, zombie, ghost (spray with white hair powder!), and countless others… I snagged my gorgeous friend Nora for this tutorial. She has smooth fine hair and you can see how BIG it gets. If you have curly hair or thick hair you’ll get even MORE volume. The best part is this tutorial will work on any texture! Warning: this takes about 1-2 hours. Yes, it sounds like a lot, but it’s worth it. No crimping iron can get you this much volume! For this particular look, I suggest you get a friend to help with the back. It’s very hard, if not impossible to do the back yourself. Alright, here we go:

TOOLS: paddle brush, sectioning clips, U-pins, light holding hairspray or thermal styling spray, temperature-controlled flat iron.

STEPS:

1. Start with clean, blow dried hair. I like prepping the hair with a light-hold styling mousse so you get a little extra support + hold from the inside when you set it.
2. Take a section as seen above and clip it up. Create 1″ x 1″ square sections (this is exactly why I say it will take a long time!)
3. U-Pins can be found at the beauty supply. These are not bobby pins. They don’t close. They’re referred to as either “hair pins” or “U-Pins”. If you can’t find them at your local beauty supply, google them– they’re all over the internet!
4. Place the 1″ square section inside the pin the way Nora does above. Make sure the base of the pin stays close to the head. The more room there is between your scalp + pin, the less volume it will create.
5. Zigzag the hair in a “circle eight” pattern in and out of the pin all the way to the end.
6. Once you get to the very end, give it a mist of light holding hairspray or thermal styling spray. (Don’t worry if little pieces fall out! There will be so much texture, you won’t really notice those.)
7. Your flat iron should be on medium, not high. Start at the bottom and flat iron the end piece first. That will keep the hair from unraveling. Work your way up to the base. Don’t let the hair get too hot. I like to do it on 300 degrees Fahrenheit and only clamp the flat iron for 5 seconds at a time.
8. Once you (and your friend) finish your entire head it should look something like this (photo 8)!
9. Instead of unraveling from the bottom up to the top of the pin, just pull the U-Pin out from the base. Should slide right out.
10. Brush with a big paddle brush until you reach your frizziest potential. Give it a good spray and you’re done!

PS, I love my friends because they do things like this for me…

The make-up is optional, and REALLY easy.

Hope you liked it, enjoy,

See you later

Mo

Make up (HALLOWEEN SPECIAL)

TRICK OR TREAT… LIGHT! (EYES)

The Beauty Department

This is for those of you who either can’t wear a costume to work or don’t feel like it, but still want to do something festive! For the rest of us, don’t forget to revisit  Halloween Beauty Help and Halloween Beauty Help Part Two! Today’s look is simple if you break it down and actually very wearable if you pair it with a nude lip (peachy nude or pinky nude to add a little life) and a light peach cheek. And it lets everyone know you love Halloween, even if you can’t dress up for it! Here’s how:

TOOLS:

• Peach Eyeshadow — I used Lime Crime The Eye Palette’s Macarooned because it’s a gorgeous matte shadow, but you could easily use a light peach blush!
• Copper Eyeshadow — I used Lime Crime The Eye Palette’s Incantation because it’s a metallic copper shade that complements the peach beautifully.
• Purple Eyeshadow — I used Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Pot’s Blazing Purplebecause it’s blazing!
• Your Favorite Mascara — I used Eyeko Curvy Brush Mascara because I’m obsessed with it right now (it’s creates tubes around each lash with fibers and gives you gorgeous thick and curled lashes.
• A Black Kajal Liner —  I used Tarte Skinny SmolderEYES Waterproof Liner in Onyx because it’s intensely pigmented to make the eyes look really piercing.
• A Highlighting Eyeshadow — I used Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow’s Champagne as it’s a perfectly pearlized shimmer shadow.

STEPS:

1. Apply the peach shade all over the lid.
2. Apply the copper shade in the crease.
3. Also sweep the copper shade along the lower lash line.
4. Wet an angled liner brush and dip it in the purple shadow. Trace it along the upper lashline then flick it up and out for a cat eye effect.
5. Line the lower lash line with the purple eye shadow as well.
6. Apply a couple coats of mascara.
7. Rim the inner waterline with the Black Kajal Liner.
8. Stamp the highlighting shadow on the inner corner to brighten and separate the eyes.

Tags: amy nadine, beauty, blog, eye, eyeliner, Eyeshadow, fun, halloween, how to,inspiration, liner, make up, makeup, peach, pretty, pumpkin, purple, the beauty department, thebeautydepartment.com, tip, tips, tutorial

lIPS

The orange lip trend is everywhere this Fall but can be a little intimidating. How do I wear it? What eye makeup do I wear it with? Blush or bronzer? Of course with makeup there are no rules and however you want to express yourself, I stand behind you! But this is how I’d do it. And maybe you’re thinking you have no interest in this trend, but I’m nonchalantly asking you (with no hard feelings either way)… what do you have to lose? You try it and if you’re not feeling it, you wipe it off and go with something else! Here’s exactly what I did on my lovely model Brook Power above.

TOOLS:

• Orange Lip Pigment — I used MAC Lipmix in Orange because it really pops and is a true orange.
• Lip Brush — I used MAKE UP FOR EVER Precision Lip Brush 302 because it provides the perfect edge for the perimeter.
• Coral Lip Liner — Try Beauty Is Life Lip Contour Liner in Orange.
• Pearl Eye Shadow — I used NARS Single Eye Shadow in Edie.
• Navy Blue Eye Liner — I used Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof Liner in Minuit because it’s gorgeous and stays put for hours.
• Angled Liner Brush — I used Space NK’s Liner Brush because it beat out the rest to find a home in my kit for it’s thinness and stiffness.
• Mascara — I used Maybelline Great Lash in Blackest Black because it’s a classic and never disappoints.
• Cream blush — I paired the lip and eye with CHANEL’s new limited edition Le Blush Creme de CHANEL in Revelation 63.
• Foundation — Brook is wearing CHANEL Vitalumiere Aqua Skin Perfecting Makeupin #50 because it’s super lightweight but covers where you need it (while letting her freckles sparkle!).
• Powder — I used Tarte Aqualillies Smooth Operator Loose Powder because it really sets the makeup without looking cakey.

STEPS:

1. Apply foundation all over your face and neck with your favorite foundation brush.
2. Set it with powder.
3. Apply the pearly-white shadow all over your lid and crease as a single wash of color.
4. Line the upper lashline with the navy blue liner. Wing it slightly out and up for a little more stylized look.
5. Perfect the wing by slightly dragging the liner brush to extend the tip of it.
6. Line the bottom lashline.
7. Add a couple coats of mascara on the top and bottom lashes.
8. Apply the light peach cream blush along the cheekbones.
9. Line the perimeter with the lip liner then use it to fill in the entire lip.
10. Finish with the star of the show, the orange lip pigment! Use the lip brush for precision.

And for the jewelry lovers out there, the rings she’s wearing in the Blush step are Anna Beck’s Green Onyx Stackable Rings, my newest obsession and head-turner that I got on a shoot with Rachel Bilson last week (and had to have!).

Tags: amy nadine, beauty, blog, bright, cat eye, color, coral, easy, eye, eyeliner,Eyeshadow, fall, fashion, fun, how to, liner, lip, lipstick, look, make up, makeup, orange,pop, pretty, style, the beauty department, thebeautydepartment.com, tip, tips, trend,tutorial

Hope you liked it (if you tryn it send me photos, I can upload them if you want),

See you later

Mo