Occupation · SOC 39-3092
Costume Attendants
Select, fit, and take care of costumes for cast members, and aid entertainers. May assist with multiple costume changes during performances.
Median wage
$54,810
$33,610–$115,240
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
6,290
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
20 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCoordinationSocial Perceptiveness
Knowledge areas
Fine ArtsDesignProduction and ProcessingCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish Language
Technology & tools
Data base user interface and query softwareInventory management softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail software
Representative 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.Check the appearance of costumes on stage or under lights to determine whether desired effects are being achieved.Clean and press costumes before and after performances and perform any minor repairs.Collaborate with production designers, costume designers, or other production staff to discuss and execute costume design details.Monitor, maintain, or secure inventories of costumes, wigs, or makeup, providing keys or access to assigned directors, costume designers, or wardrobe mistresses/masters.Purchase, rent, or requisition costumes or other wardrobe necessities.Study books, pictures, or examples of period clothing to determine styles worn during specific periods in history.Return borrowed or rented items when productions are complete and return other items to storage.Review scripts or other production information to determine a story's locale or period, as well as the number of characters and required costumes.Inventory stock to determine types or conditions of available costuming.Direct the work of wardrobe crews during dress rehearsals or performances.Participate in the hiring, training, scheduling, or supervision of alteration workers.Provide managers with budget recommendations and take responsibility for budgetary line items related to costumes, storage, or makeup needs.Assign lockers to employees and maintain locker rooms, dressing rooms, wig rooms, or costume storage or laundry areas.Recommend vendors and monitor their work.Care for non-clothing items, such as flags, table skirts, or draperies.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Dressing lists and show notes — create basic worksheets using spreadsheet software under direct supervisor guidance during pre-production.Costume distribution records — maintain item status logs by following established inventory tracking procedures in a theatre or film setting.Costume arrangement — organize garments in sequence of use on a rack following a dressing-order checklist before each performance.Cast dressing assistance — provide hands-on help to performers with costume changes under close direction from a senior costume attendant.Minor costume repairs — perform basic hand-stitching and button replacements following demonstrated techniques in a wardrobe workroom.Costume pressing and cleaning — launder and press garments before and after performances by following care-label and department protocols.Fit observations — note visible fit issues on cast members and relay findings verbally to a supervising dresser or costume designer.Costume appearance check — observe garments on stage under lighting conditions and report discrepancies to a senior team member.Inventory software — enter costume items and return statuses into database or inventory management software with supervisor oversight.Active listening on set — receive and follow verbal instructions from the wardrobe supervisor accurately during fast-paced quick-change sequences.
developing
Dressing worksheets — independently draft and update dressing lists and show notes using word processing or spreadsheet software for a full production run.Quick-change procedures — arrange and label costume pieces in proper performance order without prompting, anticipating actor needs between scenes.Cast dresser coordination — assign and brief junior dressers to specific cast members, verifying each is prepared for costume changes during a live performance.Costume fit documentation — examine garment fit on performers, sketch alteration notes, and communicate requirements clearly to a tailor or seamstress.Minor alterations — execute straightforward hemming, seam repairs, and simple alterations in the wardrobe room with minimal oversight.Inventory management — distribute costumes and equipment, track item status across multiple performers, and reconcile records after each performance using inventory software.Stage appearance evaluation — assess costume appearance under stage lighting conditions and make independent judgments about color, silhouette, and wear.Email and scheduling tools — use electronic mail and office suite software to coordinate fittings, delivery timelines, and team communications across departments.Care and maintenance routines — develop and follow a consistent cleaning and pressing schedule for an entire show's costume stock throughout a production.Social perceptiveness on set — read performer stress levels and time pressures during quick changes, adjusting communication style to maintain calm and efficiency.
proficient
Production worksheets — design comprehensive dressing lists, change charts, and show notes that serve as the authoritative reference document for a full cast.Costume construction coordination — evaluate whether a costume requires in-house construction or tailor referral, then manage the handoff, timeline, and return fitting autonomously.Complex quick-change management — orchestrate multi-dresser quick-change sequences for large ensembles, resolving logistical conflicts independently during live performances.Alteration analysis — conduct thorough on-body fit examinations, produce detailed written and sketched alteration briefs, and verify corrected garments meet design intent.Inventory system administration — configure and maintain inventory or database software to track full costume stock, generate reports, and identify discrepancies across a production.Stage and lighting assessment — evaluate costumes comprehensively under varied lighting rigs and communicate precise adjustment needs to designers and lighting departments.Costume repair and maintenance — perform and oversee a full range of repair tasks — including structural seam work, zipper replacement, and boning repair — across a production's entire run.Cross-department communication — liaise with directors, designers, stage managers, and cast to resolve costume continuity or fit issues without escalation to a supervisor.Non-routine problem solving — diagnose and address unexpected costume failures or last-minute design changes mid-performance using available materials and tools.Training facilitation — instruct and demonstrate proper dressing, pressing, and repair techniques to new or junior costume attendants on an active production.
advanced
Department systems design — establish dressing-list templates, inventory workflows, and show-note standards adopted as best practice across an entire organization or touring company.Dresser team leadership — recruit, schedule, and mentor a full wardrobe team, setting performance expectations and conducting evaluations across a season of productions.Costume construction oversight — direct in-house construction and tailor relationships for full productions, approving designs, managing budgets, and ensuring timely delivery.Organizational inventory strategy — implement and govern inventory management software solutions for a multi-production costume stock, ensuring accuracy, accountability, and accessibility.Artistic collaboration at leadership level — partner with directors and costume designers from earliest concept through closing night to ensure costume execution aligns with production vision.Quality and compliance standards — establish and enforce costume care, repair, and safety protocols that protect both garment assets and performer well-being across a venue or company.Budgetary and resource management — develop and steward wardrobe department budgets, negotiating with vendors, rental houses, and tailors to maximize production quality within constraints.Cross-functional coordination — represent the wardrobe department in production meetings, aligning costume timelines with lighting, scenic, and stage management schedules at an organizational level.Curriculum and onboarding development — design training programs and reference materials for new costume attendants, elevating department-wide skill and consistency over successive productions.Adaptive crisis leadership — lead the wardrobe team through major production disruptions — cast replacements, emergency repairs, or schedule collapses — maintaining performance readiness and team morale.
Also known as
28 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Wardrobe AttendantWardrobe TechnicianCostume TechnicianCostume SeamstressTheatrical Wardrobe DresserCostume DraperWardrobe DresserWardrobe SupervisorWardrobe StylistCostume AttendantCostume CutterWardrobe SpecialistFashion AssistantCostumerSpecial Services Officer (Navy 3535)Costume MistressDraperCostume DresserWardrobe AssistantWardrobe MistressShop AttendantCostume SpecialistUniform AttendantTheatrical Wardrobe AttendantCostume Shop CoordinatorCostumer AssistantWardrobe CustodianDresser