4 Fun and Creative, DIY Group Costume Ideas Perfect for your next Escape Room Experience

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought that this would be a great time for us to showcase some fun and creative costume ideas so that even you can throw the best escape room party throughout Memphis, Tennessee. 

While there is no official escape room dress code here at Escapology, we would nevertheless appreciate seeing our fellow patrons dressed up for the occasion. Plus, getting into costume is a great way to get you and your team in the mood of playing the game. If done right, it may even boost your team’s chances of escaping from the room. 

Without further ado, here are four fun and creative, DIY group costume ideas perfect for an Escapology escape room party. 

1800s Sailors/Pirates - Shanghaied 

For the people who are interested in Asian and European History during the 1800s and don’t want to spend a lot of time preparing a costume, this costume idea is perfect. Especially if you already happen to have either a pirate costume and some sailor suit rags on hand.  

Speaking of which, if you want to make your costume more authentic, don’t be afraid to make some wears and tears in it. After all, the object of the game is to escape off of a ship before time runs out. 

Brief game synopsis: Set in Hong Kong, December 26, 1848, you and your team of captured sailors are trapped onboard the Keying and must escape before time runs out. 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

For Boys/Men: 

A long-tailed jacket with narrow sleeves 
A white shirt with long snug sleeves 
A pair of pants that stop at the knee(otherwise referred to as breeches)
Long white socks/stockings that stop at the knee
A pair of comfortable black shoes

For Girls/Women: 

A Bustle Dress/Victorian Style Dress
Stockings 
A pair of comfortable black shoes
Optional: Either a petticoat or bustle(to give the dress its shape)

For the most part, you should be able to find these pieces at either a costume shop, an antique shop, flea market, warehouse, second-hand store, or even your grandparents’ attic. 

However, if none of those places sound feasible to you, then feel free to check sites like Etsy or Amazon for some cheap, last minute costume pieces. 

Costume Designer’s Tip: If you want to support your local artists and find the best costume pieces in time for the party, head on over to Two Rivers Bookstore located in the Cooper-Young District in Memphis, TN.  They should have some of the pieces that you’re looking for. 

1930s Stylish Detectives - Budapest Express 

For the folks who already have some pieces from the time that they raided their grandparents’ closet(s) to attend that last Agatha Christie-themed mystery party, you should have no trouble looking like the best group of detectives solving the mystery of Sir Clarance Hayden’s murder. 

Otherwise, feel free to check out any independent coffee shops, bookshops, antique shops, or anything similar to that in your area. Usually, they have second-hand clothing dating back to the early 20th century. 

Brief game synopsis: Set in Central Europe, February 25th, 1931, you and your team of ragtag detectives are tasked to figure out who the killer on board the famous Budapest Express is before time runs out! 

Here’s what you need: 

For Boys/Men: 

A Fedora(any color and pattern is excellent)
A Fancy Italian work suit with a matching jacket with flaps on the sides(job interview clothes are fine)
A pair of comfortable black shoes 

For Girls/Women: 

Either a fancy work dress with a low hemline on the bottom and shoulder pads on the top or a simple pair of work trousers with a nice blouse that contains butterfly sleeves on it
A pair of comfortable, ladylike shoes(your grandmother should have something similar to that)
Optional: A bolero jacket

Costume Designer’s Tip: If you can’t find any of the exact same items listed above, then feel free to borrow some clothes made either during the 1920s or 1940s and tailor them to what we have written on here. 

Otherwise, you are more than welcome to use whatever it is that you wear for a job interview or any type of professional interview and make some adjustments. 

1960s CIA Agents - Cuban Crisis 

For the folks looking to reconnect with their inner secret agent, this costume idea is perfect. Especially if either your parents or grandparents happen to have some of these pieces on hand already. 

Brief game synopsis: Set in Havana, Cuba, October 28, 1962, you and your team are tasked to escape from Fidel Castro’s palace while gathering clues and solving puzzles before time runs out. 

Here’s what you need: 

For Boys/Men: 

A Fedora(any color and pattern is fine)
A Fancy Italian style work suit/Interview Suit with flaps on the sides
A pair of comfortable black shoes 

For Girls/Women: 

Either a cute work dress with a mid to high hemline on the bottom and shoulder pads on top or a nice pair of dress pants with a blouse that contains butterfly sleeves on it
Flat, ladylike shoes 
Optional: A nice bolero jacket with flaps on each side of the chest

Costume Designer’s Tip: For the most part, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of differences between men’s fashion during the 1930s and 1960s. So if you want to, you can reuse your Cuban Crisis costume for the Budapest Express game(and vice versa). 

However, for the women, if you want to “mod” your costume from a 1960s CIA agent to a stylish 1930s detective, then all that you need to do is either lower the hems of your skirts or get a skirt that already has a low hemline. 

Late 2000s Chemical Scientists - Antidote 

If you’re looking for the perfect costume idea that isn't gendered specific and doesn’t require a lot of searching around, then this scientist costume idea is great for playing our most popular game in Escapology. 

Brief game synopsis: Set in the Nevada Desert on May 25th, 2015, you and a group of scientists are tasked to find an antidote to a mysterious desert before time runs out! 

Here’s what you need: 

A white lab coat 
A pair of black pants 
A pair of black closed toed shoes 
Optional: A pair of black lab gloves (latex or non-latex is fine)

Conclusion 

So tell us fellow patrons, which of our group costume ideas do you like the best? Can you think of any other suggestions for group costume ideas here at Escapology? Be sure to let us know on  Facebook!