Make a Post Apocalypse Costume

Kimbriel McLeod
Jun 1, 2013
2 min read

So this was a first for me in creating a post-apocalypse costume. I've always loved the steampunk, vintage, and dystopian themes and costumes, so I thought I would try my hand at it. Considering what I have built here for roughly $30, I'd say it's not half bad. Most costumers and cos-players spend an exorbitant amount of money on making costumes. Not me. I'd like to see how much I can do with what I have, what I can find, or better yet -what's FREE. My favorite price. THRIFT SHOPS are my best friend! You can't even imagine all the things people donate and throw away. I've been crafting and designing things since I was 10, from hemp necklaces, to jewelry display wall shelves, to hope chests and fashion design and props, the obsession grew as I aged, and with it my skills for salvaging and up-cycling. By college I was a thrift shop addict! The fun, I realized then, came from remaking something old into something new and useable again. By that time (around 2003) the phrase

"up-cycle-ing" was born. At that point during college I was taking my old clothes, purses, and belts, and making costumizable book covers and journals and selling them on Etsy. Years passed though never having a solid "take off" in sales, so my passion took a backseat like most artists starting out, and it resumed being just a hobby instead of taking me to Broadway or NY FashionWeek like I'd hoped. Then in 2013 I was invited to a MAD MAX themed costume party, and I got all excited again, and away I went.

This picture displays the costume 3/4s done, and I hope to get some professional photos one day. I ran out of time to complete it before the party, but with my already busy schedule I managed to put in nearly 3 weeks on this set, but I spent less than $100 on all of it!!! So with very little money you can make something epic like this post apocalypse, bazooka toting berserker! The funny thing is, the most expensive thing in this whole costume was the 3 packs of rainbow feathers from Michael's Arts & Crafts at $5 each. The helmet and football padding were both thrift shop finds at $3-5 each. The bazooka is literally cardboard tubes my brother found. A couple old Nerf guns parted out, some nuts and bolts and odds an ends and BAM #Looks like a bad ass!