How to be... Columbia

We've decided to try (emphasis on try) a monthly segment called 'How to be..." where we show you cheap and easy ways to compile Rocky Horror costumes for showings, parties, et cetera, mostly because we're bored. For me, dressing up is an integral part of the Rocky experience, and if you're a Rocky virgin and are worried what to wear, I hope this guide can help to at least give you a starting point!

I've seen some of the pre-made costumes in the flesh and I don't like them. They're expensive, poorly made and sometimes look nothing like the picture on the packet! I'm thinking especially of the Columbia pre-packaged costume Click Here, which contains what looks like a floppy gold sunhat, far from the nicer picture on the front. For the same money, you could probably make a better costume yourself by compiling some items and making others.

This month's costume is Columbia!

Columbia's costume for the Time Warp (movie costume, left) is my personal favourite, but it isn't the easiest costume in the world being so fabulously sequined.

If you want to make your costume really accurate, I'd recommend: www.rockyhorrorcostumelist.info/anlcolum.htm

Tailcoat:
Columbia's tailcoat is fully gold sequined with black sequin lapels. I would recommend buying a mirrored-sequin fabric tailcoat. The cheapest I've found is on Amazon for £11.99 Click Here. Alternatively, you could buy a plain tailcoat and cover it with gold sequined material such as this Click Here but this is likely to be more expensive and will require a lot of work and a bit of skill.

Bustier:
Columbia's bustier is made of a complex pattern of different coloured sequins. You can buy PERFECT multi-sequined custom fabric from Larry Viezel Click Here but it costs $50 a yard and you'll probably need two yards so this isn't a cheap option.
How about wearing a sequin bustier in one colour like this one? Click Here. It's nice and cheap, and if you're feeling creative you could sew some sequins in other colours on as well. Or if you're more skilled with a sewing machine you could buy some multicoloured sequin fabric like this Click Here and sew it around a plain bustier.

Shorts:
Columbia's shorts are black satin with stipes of metallic ribbon. I found these Click Here on eBay for £12.99, but you can probably find cheaper pairs, especially if you don't want satin ones. Sew strips of ribbon onto the shorts (you can buy coloured ribbon in a million places).

Top Hat:
The top hat is covered in gold sequins with a black un-sequined hatband. You can buy sequin felt top hats for under £6 on eBay Click Here or you could buy a plain top hat and cover it with sequined fabric as I mentioned for the tailcoat, but this will likely be more costly and time consuming.

Bow Tie:
The bow tie is pink sequined on the front, and is attached on an elastic strap. I found this Click Here on eBay for £2.95. Sorted.
If you don't want to wear a bow tie, Columbia wears a black dog collar with rhinestones on it after the time warp. You could wear a studded choker like this Click Here or buy a plain black choker and glue rhinestones to it.

Hair:
Columbia's hair is short and red, parted on the left. I can't vouch for the pre-packaged wig Click Here but you can get it for under £10 in most places. If you have short hair already, you could use wash in-wash out red hair colour Click Here. I've even seen people with long hair dye it red and hide most of it under the hat.

Fishnets:
Nice and easy, you can buy black fishnets for under £5 Click Here.

Socks:
Light blue ribbed socks Click Here. I didn't spend too much time looking for these, so you can probably find better ones.

Shoes:
Columbia's shoes are black tap shoes (due to the tap solo she performs during the Time Warp) with blue and silver (I think) sequins stuck on. The strap is fastened with a buckle, not a ribbon. I found some accurate-looking ones on eBay Click Here but they're expensive. You can buy tap shoes for under £20 Click Here and stick sequins or rhinestones on them with glue, but they'll be noisy. I'd recommend getting a pair of black mary jane shoes with a small heel and just stick sequins on. Will stick look great and will probably be cheaper.

Ring:
If you want to be really accurate, Columbia wears a ring on her left ring finger. It's silver with a flat blue band in the middle. A cheap mood ring would look great Click Here - I used to own a mood ring and it was almost always blue: perfect.

Hopefully this will help you to recreate a great Columbia costume. It's such a great costume because there are so many areas which you could add your own creative flair to, so don't be afraid to experiment. Now all you need is a squeaky voice and a lovable delivery boy on your arm, and you're sorted!

More costumes coming soon.

Glee kills the Time Warp

If you haven't heard already, Glee is doing Rocky Horror. I was cautiously optimistic for a while but after seeing this... abomination, all hope is lost.

Here is Glee doing the Time Warp.

I have seen (and done) better Time Warp's whilst waiting at a bus stop. Can someone please explain why there are TWO Magenta's AND TWO Columbia's??? And why Eddie and Rocky are involved in the Time Warp before said characters are even introduced??? Did they even WATCH the film???????

Here is my summary of what this episode will almost certainly be like:

crap singing + crap dancing + crap wannabees who didn't read the script = a headache to any Rocky Horror fan.

See for yourself...

Click here to watch on YouTube

The Virgin's Guide to Rocky Horror - Part 2

Part 2 - Dancing

Another huge part of the Rocky Horror experience is dancing. Embarrassed about dancing in front of strangers? Don't know when or how to dance? Never fear! We're here to help!

There are certain parts of the show where most people dance (ie. The Time Warp) and other parts where some like to dance and others don't. During the "Time Warp", most of the audience at a stage show will be on their feet and dancing, so you shouldn't feel embarrassed about it at all. The dance is very simple because the instructions of how to do it are all in the lyrics. If you really do feel uncomfortable dancing in front of everyone, no one is forcing you to, but you might well being the only person left seated and so this might make you even more uncomfortable. In the end, just have fun, whether that's from watching everyone else dance or from having a boogie yourself.

How to do the Time Warp

Like I said, the basic dance steps are in the lyrics so it's a very simple dance. A good way to master the dance is to do it in time with the actors when watching the movie. As well as the basic steps, the dance is also embellished with arm gestures, etc, but if it's your first time at the show there will always be more experienced people to copy! But if you're still nervous, here is my simple guide!

"It's just a jump to the left!" - Take a jump to the left.
"Then a step to the right!" - Take a step to the right.
"Put your hands on your hips" - Place your hands on your hips.
"Bring your knees in tight" - Bring your knees together tightly.
"But it's the pelvic thrust" - Thrust your pelvis forwards and backwards.
"That really drives you insane" - With your hands on your hips, move your pelvis in a circular motion.
"Let's do the Time Warp again!" - The action to go with this varies from show to show. In the film, the Transylvanians do a range of things, from waving their arms to jumping from side to side. In the current UK tour, the action is to put your left arm above your head, then your right arm, place your left hand on your right hip, your right hand on your left hip, then wiggle your upper body up and down. But because the move here changes with most productions, you can either copy what the actors on the stage are doing, or simply do your own thing!

Dancing at other time during the show is not as compulsary as during the Time Warp. My advice is just to dance when comfortable. During a stage show, apart from a little boogie in my seat, I only stand up to dance during the Time Warp because I wouldn't want to obstruct anyone elses view and therefore dampen their own experience of the show. Be considerate and don't do anything you're not comfortable with. Also, things can get pretty cramped at a stage show, so don't get too carried away when Time-Warping! ScofieldBurrows says: If, like me, you happen to be sitting at the end of the row, it's a good idea to move out into the aisle to dance. This will give both you and the people around you more space - plus it can be a good way to get noticed!

Look out for The Virgin's Guide Part 3 - Audience Participation Lines!