Rocky Horror Picture Show is definitely one of my all-time guilty pleasures, and it will also be the inspiration for my Halloween costume this year! For my current RHPS costume, for Halloween or otherwise, I have chosen to dress up as Columbia (Little Nell). Since I already have hair to the proper length, that would be pretty simple (hello hair dye, here I go!). Which made me decide to share some of my Columbia costume secrets with you here now, in case you want to create your own Columbia costume.
Shorts are the easiest part. Go to any normal clothing store and pick up a pair of black bike shorts, then cut some multi-colored ribbon lengthwise, sew them into the shorts, making sure to use a zigzag stitch (always wear a zigzag stitch on fabric elastics so everything stays where you put it).
The top hat would be a bit more difficult, of course. It seems like the easiest option would be to buy a costume top hat (boo) or find a top hat at the thrift store and invest in lots of glitter. Spray the top hat with glue, roll the glitter evenly and pat; of course I would do this a couple of times to make sure there are no spots where the original color of the top hat shows.
After that comes the sequin top. I can hear the moans now, the sequins can be a pain, but look at it once you’re done, it’s absolutely beautiful and worth the effort. Tube tops are pretty easy to make too, and I’d stick with an elastic knit base (probably four-way stretch) to make it less likely to move, and then I’d sew an extra band of elastic across the top. to make sure that fool really didn’t go anywhere. (This is especially important if you’re doing a stage production like I once did – you don’t want anything to come out during your tap dance or lab scene with Eddie!)
And for the last part of a Columbia costume: the bright blue socks. Ruffle socks are pretty easy to come by in most sizes nowadays, but when I played Columbia, that wasn’t the case, and I wasn’t about to go out and buy a full pack of RIT dye for just one pair! of socks! (And to be honest, the RIT dye scares the hell out of me.) So this is what I did. Combine unsweetened blue kool-aid and two cups of water in a small saucepan, adding a healthy touch of vinegar to that. Soak your new white ruffled (cotton) socks in this solution, then wash them alone on the gentle cycle. Ta-da! Ruffled blue socks.
Now put on a pair of tap shoes and you’re on your way to a great performance, or just a night on the town with friends. Hint: learn the tap dance from the movie, or at least the trick of spinning the hat; People love it and you’ll be the hit of any party you attend this year in your very own colorful Rocky Horror Columbia costume. Have fun and Happy Halloween!