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Costume Ideas Our Grandparents Taught Us

by Randel Metz on October 3, 2014

This gallery accompanies the blog "Costume Ideas our Grandparents Taught Us."

A man in a woodchuck costume poses with a taxidermy mounted groundhog in Denver, Colorado for a Cancer Society fundraiser.

A group poses in 18th century ball costumes and powdered wigs, Colorado Springs, Colorado; women wear lace gowns, jewerly, plumes and hold fans, men have on jackets with tails, tights, knickers and ruffled shirts. Members include: Zeph Hill, (Mrs. Theo) F. P. Holland (?) Frank Wordmarch, Xianau Lee (married Tarbor Hagam,) Julian Streans (Mrs. T. B.,) Mrs. E. F. Powers and A. Vermis.

Louise Campa, Lucille Campa, a well known dancer and teacher of Mexican, Spanish classical dance and flamenco, poses in a classical style Spanish dance costume. She wears a short blouse with long sleeves, has a bare midriff and has a short skirt with a long train. She wears a Spanish style wide brimmed hat and holds castanets. Louise Campa was the wife of Professor Arthur L. Campa, Sr., and author, renowned scholar, historian and professor of cultural anthropology.

A participant in Mask Day at the Festival of Mountain and Plain in Denver, Colorado, wears a costume of tattered pants and jacket, an oversized hat, and a mask. The mask is a caricature of a hobo, with large lips and nose, and a cigarette in its mouth. The person carries a broken umbrella.

Full length studio portrait of Hairy Chin, Dakota male, dressed in "Uncle Sam" costume, with a top hat and jacket, standing in front of painted backdrop. Hairy Chin was wearing This costume to lead a Fourth of July parade in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Group portrait of men (with drums) and women in Ku Klux Klan costume and Revolutionary era uniforms, in Denver, Colorado.

Studio portrait of a man. He holds a pistol and wears a jacket and pants decorated with embroidery and a wide-brimmed hat.

Shows two unidentified Chinese actors dressed in full costume. The actor on the left wears a headdress with pheasant feathers, armor and holds two large maces. The second actor wears no makeup, a headdress, embroidered shirt and pants; he holds two small maces.

Posing at the Flower (or Sunflower) Carnival Burlesque Parade, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, E. R. March, Jamie Platt and Frankie Poley are by a horse. Props include a ballet dress, a fan, a clown costume, mask, and top hat. A dog wears a ruffled paper collar.

Shows one Chinese actor dressed in full costume. The actor wears a headdress with pheasant feathers, armor and holds two large maces.

Studio portrait of Joseph W. Hall and another man in costume in Leadville (Lake County), Colorado. One man poses with goods for sale while the other looks on with a monacle.

Native American (tribe unknown) men who are dressed as giraffes pose near a circus tent, Sunflower (Flower) Carnival, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. The men hold the necks of the costume with long poles. The costume is attached to suspenders that the men wear.

Portrait of Denver Community Player LaVonne Matson in Denver, Colorado wearing a page costume and blowing a horn.

View of the Knights of Pythias Flower (Sunflower) Carnival parade float, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado; shows a tableau of an execution; men in medieval costume hold halberds and look on as a knight is condemned by a king (identified as Matthew Mahew). Another man holds an axe; the arched set has letters: "Tis Sweet To Die For Those We Love," and a shield with: "F. C. B."

Helen Wilcox, a cast member in a production of "The Sunbird," poses indoors in Denver, Colorado. She holds a bow and arrow and wears a costume that includes sandals, cloak, and a headband with a moon.

A man and woman pose in fur costumes; her brow is bound with a wreath.

A man and woman pose in costume for a Denver Press Club ball in Denver, Colorado. Outfits have a Moorish motif and include a sword, turban, face paint, beads, paisley, feathers, and crescent moon and star earrings.

Portrait of three women posing in gaudy costumes of fringe, fur, and hats in Denver, Colorado.

A man and woman pose in costume for a Denver Press Club ball in Denver, Colorado. Outfits have a Moorish motif with robes, embroidery, turbans, feathers, beads, and a veil.

Men and women wearing costumes sit on stairs; outfits include hats, gingham, and a clown suit.

A woman poses in costume for a Denver Press Club ball in Denver, Colorado. Her outfit has a Moorish motif with brocade fabric, a jeweled belt, bracelets, beads, a turban, feathers, and scarves.

Women pose against a backdrop in costumes that include an umbrella, ballet slippers, a hat, and a baton, Denver, Colorado.

Men and a woman pose in costume by a throne for a Denver Press Club ball in Denver, Colorado. Outfits have a Moorish motif with brocade fabric, turbans, beads, feathers, sashes, earrings, and face paint.

Four women in bathing attire (bathing suits), one with an umbrella, pose at a Gates Company costume party in Denver, Colorado. Mrs. Hazel Gates is on the far right in black.

Women pose in Denver, Colorado in Little Bo Peep costume including flowers, lace dresses, grapes, hats, wooden shoes, braids, and shepherds' crooks.

A man and woman pose in Denver, Colorado. Costume includes a a trench coat, tie, hat, glasses, a smoking pipe, skirt, blouse, fur muff, feather boa, hat, and glasses.

A man poses in costume for a Denver Press Club ball in Denver, Colorado. His outfit has a Moorish motif with robes, embroidery, a turban, and a goatee.

A woman poses in an "Egyptian style" outfit in Denver, Colorado; costume includes sequins, beads, and peacock feathers.

Close-up view of Chief of Midland Band, Fourth of July celebration, 1895, Victor, Colorado; shows man in costume with feathered headdress holding large pointed staff, a young boy in street-clothes with suspenders and another man in costume with feathered headdress standing on each side. Background view is of commercial wooden frame false front buildings with boardwalk; a patriotic bunting hangs from cornice.

Portrait of Harry M. Rhoads; costume includes fur, brocade fabric, sunglasses, and a wide brimmed hat.

A photoprint of an Nino Ruisi, an actor from the Central City Play Festival, is set against a dark background in Central City, Colorado. He wears an Egyptian style costume with an ornate, pointed hat, a wig that has metal pendant hanging from it, and an elaborate collar. A screen is in the background.

Photographer Harry M. Rhoads poses in costume. He wears a floral patterned women's bathing suit with a matching bonnet and hand bag, women's shoes and black socks.

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