Whether it’s a theme birthday party, Halloween, or any other occasion, every once in a while you might find yourself racking your brain, trying to come up with an idea for a costume; which often proves to be a task more difficult than expected.
One of the reasons for that is the fact that elaborate costumes can get pretty costly. But with or without a big budget set aside for the mission, one has to be quite creative in order to figure out what they want to be and how best to achieve the look.
Some people are capable of showing that a big budget is not necessary when you have imagination. Renowned for their elaborate, yet affordable costumes, Anucha Saengchart—going online by the moniker Lonelyman or The Low Cost Cosplay Guy—proves that one does not require using a lot of fancy materials or expensive items to create something impressive; you can make do with things you have lying around the house.
On the list below, you will find the best of Anucha’s costumes, all made with household objects, as well as Bored Panda’s interview with the creative costume genius themself. Moreover, we also discussed costume design with an expert in the field, former lecturer in theater at Williams College in Massachusetts, Deborah Brothers, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions; so what are you waiting for? Scroll down and get inspired for your next costume party!
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Here at Bored Panda, we’ve covered Anucha’s work quite extensively, starting as early as 2014. Since then, they’ve made incredible progress in the way they carry out their ideas and the costumes they create.
In a recent interview, the costume aficionado shared that their interest in the peculiar kind of craft came from their love of cartoons and cosplay. “I always wanted to cosplay myself, but I didn’t have enough money or time to create elaborate costumes. So, I started using household objects to create costumes that resembled characters from various anime,” they said.
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“I found it really fun, and when I posted my creations on social media, people liked them. That’s why I kept doing it,” Anucha continued.
“I’ve always felt a passion for creating art. When I started cosplaying using household objects, I tried to make each costume a piece of art. As for my next costume, I’d like to try making a robot-themed one using milk cartons.”
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During the recent interview, the mastermind behind the costumes shared not only what their ambitions for the future were. They also revealed what has proven to be the most challenging endeavor so far, saying that the most difficult costume was one that required full body painting on their back. “That meant I needed help, and my wife was the one who assisted me while I directed the process,” they recalled.
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Whether it’s body painting, crafting all sorts of accessories, or covering themself in crab sticks, Anucha’s effort didn’t go unnoticed. Created back in 2016, their Instagram account now has close to two million followers, while their Facebook page boasts more than 6.2 million likes and over 7 million followers.
While the fans might find it difficult to determine which costume they love most, The Low Cost Cosplay Guy is certain about their favorite; it’s the ‘Luffy and Boa’ from the One Piece manga series – a two-in-one cosplay that uses a mirror as part of the concept.
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Discussing the response their costumes receive from the online community, Anucha shared that seeing people enjoy their work fills them with positive emotions. “I believe that life is short, but art is long; if people enjoy what I create, that makes me very happy. If they don’t, well, that’s their problem, and I’m sorry for that,” they said, jokingly.
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It’s not difficult to see why people admiring their costumes makes Anucha happy, bearing in mind how much time they put into making them; especially since it’s likely that the less money you spend on a costume—making certain details yourself, instead of buying a costly combo, for instance—the more time you might have to put in.
According to a former costume designer and lecturer in theater at Williams College in Massachusetts, Deborah Brothers, time and money are the biggest challenges when it comes to costume creation. “Costumes are made by people; designing, making, draping, sewing, fitting – it all takes labor, time, and money,” she told Bored Panda, adding that hopefully realistic conversations are carried out in the process among the parties involved regarding what is possible and what should be happening.
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“The process involves communication with the various artists who are involved with the larger project such as a play,” Brothers said. “As a costume designer, I am always looking at the world around me for inspiration and I use visual research from life, books, paintings, photographs and nature; museums and festivals are also huge influences. Those are the starting points.
“The next steps involve creating image boards, collages, drawings, sketches, and ways to communicate the desired costume. Then once a design has gone through meetings and more sketches and edits, a final design is made; fabrics and trimmings are sourced and bought or can be up-cycled and construction begins.”
The next step, according to the expert, is the first fitting on the person the costume is designed for—usually in a plain woven cotton—and then onto a fitting in the actual fabric, which eventually leads to finishing the costume. “Also in the process is the acquiring of shoes, undergarments, hair, makeup, and all accessories necessary for the costume to be complete, whether it is for a contemporary style or historic dress or fantastical creation.”
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It’s clear that costume design requires lots of time and effort, but creativity is no less important. “Creativity is central to costume design,” Brothers emphasized, pointing out that, when it comes to creating an outfit for a play, for instance, it goes way beyond coming up with a great idea.
According to the expert, in such a scenario, creativity entails “sewing skills, drawing and painting skills, flexibility, imagination, problem solving, reusing materials, experimenting with traditional techniques such as dyeing and embroidery, using materials such as thermoplastics, being open to all the inspirations around you, and being aware that the costume is worn by another collaborator and it has life in the specific time and space that it is performing.”
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