# Making zombie clothes.



## jskidman (Nov 7, 2003)

Does anyone have tips for aging clothes? This will be my second year to work in a professional haunt, and I know from last year the clothes they offer suck! LOL So I want to provide my own wardrobe this year. Since it's a theme part with an old west theme, I've decided to go with the original idea of a cowboy. I've got a brown vest and flannel shirt and will be getting some brown or tan pants of some kind.

Since most of us get the zombie treatment for makeup, I'm going to give these items the appropriate treatment. I'm seriously considering burying them for a month or so, but don't know if that will give me the results I'm looking for. Has anyone tried this? I would think they would need to be kept pretty moist to speed up the process, but I don't know if a few weeks would do anything.

I will also do some ripping and tearing, and maybe take some sandpaper to them, but I would greatly appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks.
Jeff


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## Lurks in the shadows (Mar 12, 2005)

Do you really want to wear clothes that have been buried?

Frank at Haunt Inspirations sells ready made zombie clothes. They're fantastic and pretty cheap, too! 

But if you want to do it yourself, worn spots are easy to make by pounding the fabric with a hammer, on a cement surface.
Stains can be made from tea, etc... anything really.
Mixing coffee grounds, sand, sawdust... with latex, can be dabbed on and painted fungus-like colors. (I love painting with FW acrylic inks!)
Clear silicone can become "wet" areas, or used to add a flexible glossy finish to almost anything.

If you will be wearing them for any appreciable amount of time, you'll want them to be at least somewhat comfortable.


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## ragdoll_sally (Jul 8, 2005)

I know this one! For a show I was in last summer we had to age this guys cloths so that it looked like he had been living in the mountains and working in a coal mine, not changing clothes for three years (he must have smelled really bad...). What we did was we had him go out and smear mud and grass and junk all over the clothes and then run over them a few times with a truck. It works!


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## jskidman (Nov 7, 2003)

Lurks in the shadows said:


> Do you really want to wear clothes that have been buried?
> 
> 
> > LOL, well you do have a good point. I kind of thought I would air them out in the sun for a while though, but maybe that's not a good idea. Since I already have the clothes I'll probably give it a try anyway, but will also have a backup plan in case I decided to pass on wearing them.
> ...


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## Accuran (Jul 11, 2004)

Jeff, 

I responded in a email, but I came on here and thought I would respond here also.

We do sell custom costumes. I just have not had the chance to update the site. With a big family move and relocating to Il. for a new yry salery position to run and operate a haunt and so much more, I am swamp!!!

Ok enough of good news that i am all excited about.

Lets break down your costume and them of it also in step by step.

Western theme, we dont want howdy doody theme, we want a wrangler of the dead look.

so lets go with what you already have and what you need to get.
a vest, you have a brown one, and a flanel shirt. with those items I see a gold miner.

Ok, this is what I suggest to get.

Grey slacks,
White shirt,
black vest,
black boot,
grey duster wrangler hat,
and a black or grey trench.

the last 2 is a scavanger hunt, but findable. the other clothing can be found at thrift shops, goodwill and such.

now use a airbrush to brush on FW Acrylic inks onto the clothes.
Lets start with the grey slacks.

Shredd the bottom cuffs with a razor and also the pockets of the pants. take the FW inks (amberwood) and airbrush in the depth of the folds and using whites and earth tones, airbrush the highlights of the folds.

Do the same technique for the trench coat and the vest.

For the hat, use a white and earth tone to airbrush the highlights and shadows, also 3m the hat with a liht mist and fluff on baby powder into the area of the 3m. Added dust.

for the shirt, use a combo of coffee and green fw inks for a really nice aging effect.
Shredd the cuffs and the collar very slightly.

Now when all of that is done, get your 3m spray and some shredded cheese clothe that has been dipped and or spray with rid dye, White!!! and and 3m the strips on the shoulders of the trench and lil strips on the hat. Also the pants from the waist.

Add on a few details as 3m'ing twigs and small strands of straw on the hat, 
a gun holster.

Get a pair of monster latex hands, around $10 and cut out the finger tips of a pair of brown jersey gloves.

I say, with purchasing the ink (any craft place) the clothes and accesories, you are looking at doing this custom western bounty hunter of lost souls for less than $50

I know I may have lost some of you on this how to, but this is just a general route i would go for a character.

Frank


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## CatMean (Jul 5, 2004)

He's right, a light dusting of talcum powder or baby powder makes a great finishing touch. Dusty.


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## pirategirl (Jul 9, 2005)

another idea: you can take sand paper and rub in areas that you want to look thread bare or worn...


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## SkullAndBone (Aug 18, 2005)

Funny you should ask.. http://www.skullandbone.com/tutorial_03.htm


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## whynotgrl666 (Oct 12, 2003)

WOW skull & bone they are....awful !


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## Johnny Thunder (Oct 7, 2004)

SkullAndBone - those are awesome.


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