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Costume Attendants

Costume Attendants is the O*NET name for people who select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. Interest ratings put Artistic on top at 5.6 out of 7 and Conventional second, so the code is ACR and the day leans toward creative work with room for original expression. The preparation level is some preparation, typically a few months to a year of learning on the job. O*NET’s skill data points to speaking, monitoring, and coordination as the ones to build. The job can ask you to create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks. It tends to suit people who want creative work with room for original expression, and it offers little for anyone seeking research, analysis and working through hard problems.

What they do

Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.

Main tasks

  • Create worksheets for dressing lists, show notes, or costume checks.
  • Provide dressing assistance to cast members or assign cast dressers to assist specific cast members with costume changes.
  • Arrange costumes in order of use to facilitate quick-change procedures for performances.
  • Design or construct costumes or send them to tailors for construction, major repairs, or alterations.
  • Examine costume fit on cast members and sketch or write notes for alterations.
  • Distribute costumes or related equipment and keep records of item status.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Coordination
  • Active Listening
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You want room to make something in your own way.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and monitoring.

May not suit you if

  • You prefer clear instructions to open creative briefs.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ACR takes the three highest, and Artistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Costume Draper
  • Costume Seamstress
  • Costumer
  • Draper
  • Dresser

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.