Costumes LA

The guides

Hung on One Rack

Three rails, one for each part of the story. Every tag is a guide; the ones you have read get a Fitted stamp.

Rail ACostume HistoryHollywood costume design decade by decade, the silent era, studio wardrobe departments and the costume Oscar.
Look 01A Short History of Hollywood Costume Design, Decade by DecadeHow costume design for film and television developed in Los Angeles, drawn from the Costume Designers Guild’s own timeline and the Academy’s records: the first designers of the silent era, studio glamour after sound, the founding of the guild in 1953, the first costume Oscars, television’s rise and the designers who defined later decades.4 min readLook 02Costumes in Hollywood’s Silent EraHow film costume design became an occupation in the silent era, the designers the Costume Designers Guild credits with the first signature looks, why most silent features are lost according to the Library of Congress, and what the survival numbers mean for anyone hunting for silent-era costume history in Los Angeles.4 min readLook 03Inside Golden Age Studio Wardrobe DepartmentsHow costume work was organized in Hollywood’s studio era and what remains of that system today: the contract designers the Costume Designers Guild credits, the costumers who have been organized as IATSE Local 705 since 1937, the many crafts inside a costume department, and the studio costume houses that still store and rent costumes.4 min readLook 04The Academy Award for Costume DesignA short history of the Oscar for costume design from the Academy’s own records: the first awards at the 21st ceremony, the separate black-and-white and color categories, the year they merged, the designers named in those early lists, and the 2018 milestone the Costume Designers Guild highlights.4 min read
Rail BBehind the SeamsHow a film costume is made, the Costume Designers Guild, working in a costume department and caring for costumes.
Look 05How a Film Costume Is MadeThe path a film or television costume takes in Los Angeles, built from the job descriptions of the Motion Picture Costumers, IATSE Local 705: breaking down the script, deciding whether to buy, rent or build, patterns and dress forms, cutting and stitching, dyeing and aging, fittings and alterations, and keeping continuity on set.4 min readLook 06The Costume Designers Guild, Local 892What the Costume Designers Guild is, from its founding in 1953 to its place in IATSE as Local 892, which jobs it covers, how it differs from the costumers of Local 705, and what its own application FAQ says about requirements, recommendation letters and credits.4 min readLook 07Working in a Los Angeles Costume DepartmentHow people get into film and television costume work in Los Angeles, based on the Motion Picture Costumers, IATSE Local 705: finished and custom made costumers, the Industry Experience Roster, the 30-day, 100-day and 200-day paths, permits, training programs and what an application requires.4 min readLook 08Caring for Costumes and Vintage GarmentsHow to store and look after costumes and old garments using the National Park Service Museum Handbook’s textile guidance: temperature and humidity ranges, the 50 lux light limit, deciding between hanging and flat storage, padded hangers and dust covers, folding, moths and mold, and pesticide residues in old hats.4 min read
Rail CCostumes in LA TodayWhere to see film costumes, renting and buying vintage in Los Angeles, and the Halloween rules.
Look 09Where to See Film Costumes in Los AngelesA visitor’s guide to the Los Angeles museums that hold film and fashion costume: the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, LACMA’s Costume and Textiles department and the ASU FIDM Museum downtown, with addresses, opening days, admission notes and why costume displays change so often.4 min readLook 10Renting Costumes in Los AngelesHow costume rental works in Los Angeles, from the studio costume departments in Burbank, Glendale, Universal City and West Los Angeles to the independent signatory costume houses listed by IATSE Local 705, what each type offers, and what to ask before renting.4 min readLook 11Buying Vintage Clothing and Costumes in LAA practical checklist for buying vintage garments and costume pieces in Los Angeles: checking seams, fabric and waistlines the way museum curators do, spotting moth and mold damage, reading or missing care labels under the FTC rule, weighted silk and bias-cut risks, pesticide residues in old hats and furs, and the federal drawstring rule for children’s clothing.4 min readLook 12Halloween in Los AngelesWhat to know before you wear a costume out on Halloween in Los Angeles: the 2026 West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval date, route, bag and safety rules and street closures, plus the California laws on masks used to hide identity and on imitation firearms in public, including why an orange tip alone is not enough.4 min read

The pattern

Five Pieces That Make Up the Story

Cut these out first: the facts everything else on the site is sewn onto.

  1. Piece 1 · Cut 1

    Designers have a guild

    The Costume Designers Guild was founded in 1953 by nine film costume designers and joined IATSE in 1976 as Local 892. It represents designers, assistant designers and illustrators. More in The Costume Designers Guild, Local 892: Who It Represents and How to Join.

  2. Piece 2 · Cut 1

    Costumers have a union

    The Motion Picture Costumers, IATSE Local 705, say they have been making costumes a reality since 1937, and that almost every piece of clothing on screen has been custom altered to fit. More in How a Film Costume Is Made: From Script Breakdown to the Last Fitting.

  3. Piece 3 · Cut 1

    The costume Oscar began in 1949

    The Academy first gave costume design awards at its 21st ceremony, in separate black-and-white and color categories; from the 40th, in 1968, there was a single award. More in The Academy Award for Costume Design: When It Began, Why There Were Two, and Milestones Since.

  4. Piece 4 · Cut 1

    Most silent films are gone

    Only 14 percent of American silent features survive complete in their original 35mm form, the Library of Congress found, so much of early costume history survives only in stills and memory. More in Costumes in Hollywood’s Silent Era: How a New Craft Began, and Why So Little of It Survives.

  5. Piece 5 · Cut 1

    Old garments need museum care

    The National Park Service recommends 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, humidity as close to 50 percent as possible and no more than 50 lux of light for textiles. More in Caring for Costumes and Vintage Garments: Storage, Light, Pests and Handling.

Hang or fold check

Should This Garment Hang or Lie Flat?

Pick the piece and answer the questions museum curators ask before they hang anything. The answer follows the National Park Service’s textile guidance.

What are you storing?
The handbook’s questions before hanging

Verdict

    How to do it

      Any storage: 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, relative humidity as close to 50 percent as possible (under 35 percent can embrittle textiles), no more than 50 lux of light with ultraviolet filtered, and no big swings.

      Caring for Costumes and Vintage Garments →Buying Vintage Clothing and Costumes in LA →How a Film Costume Is Made →Where to See Film Costumes in Los Angeles →

      General guidance based on the National Park Service Museum Handbook. It cannot see your garment: for a valuable, fragile or weighted-silk piece, ask a textile conservator before you clean or store it. More in Buying Vintage Clothing and Costumes in LA: How to Inspect, What the Labels Tell You, and What to Avoid.

      Fitting room

      Questions Asked in the Fitting Room

      Short answers, each with the guide that goes further.

      When did the Oscar for costume design start?

      At the 21st Academy Awards, in 1949, with separate black-and-white and color categories. The two were last split in 1967; in 1968 a single award went to Camelot. See The Academy Award for Costume Design: When It Began, Why There Were Two, and Milestones Since.

      What is the difference between Local 892 and Local 705?

      The Costume Designers Guild, Local 892, represents designers, assistant designers and illustrators. The Motion Picture Costumers, Local 705, represent the costumers who build, fit and look after costumes. See The Costume Designers Guild, Local 892: Who It Represents and How to Join.

      How do I get into costume work in LA?

      Most paths into Local 705 start with the Industry Experience Roster once you are close to 30 days of eligible work, and every application needs three letters from members in good standing. See Working in a Los Angeles Costume Department: Jobs, Rosters and the Paths Into Local 705.

      Where can I see film costumes in Los Angeles?

      The Academy Museum at 6067 Wilshire Boulevard is open six days a week and closed Tuesdays; the ASU FIDM Museum downtown opens only when an exhibition is on. See Where to See Film Costumes in Los Angeles: Museums, Hours and What to Check First.

      Can I rent from a studio costume department?

      Local 705 lists four studio costume departments: ABC Signature, Warner Bros., Fox and Universal. Whether a house rents to private customers is something to ask it directly. See Renting Costumes in Los Angeles: Studio Costume Departments and Union Costume Houses.

      Should I hang a vintage dress?

      Only if it is sound. The National Park Service says skirts, bias-cut dresses, heavily beaded costumes and garments with weak shoulders are best stored flat. See Caring for Costumes and Vintage Garments: Storage, Light, Pests and Handling.

      When is the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval in 2026?

      Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 6pm to 11pm on Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny Drive and La Cienega Boulevard. No backpacks or tote bags; clear plastic bags are allowed. See Halloween in Los Angeles: West Hollywood Carnaval 2026 and the California Costume Rules to Know.

      Is an orange tip enough on a toy gun?

      Not in California. For a costume prop to be exempt from the ban on displaying imitation firearms in public, the entire surface must be brightly colored or transparent. See Halloween in Los Angeles: West Hollywood Carnaval 2026 and the California Costume Rules to Know.