This is something that's really been at the forefront of my mind for months now. What's better? Handmade OR Store bought?
From what I see there's pros and cons for both sides. For instance:
Store Bought Cons
- Are often expensive. These ones sell for about $25. Gideon's cost $18 to make.
- You are limited in what options you have with them
- The quality can be a bit lower... IE Painted on crests VS Embroidered and fabric is thinner and see through at times
- The accuracy varies. IE: Sleeves are not as long as they should be. While other things like the frog closures are right.
- Colors for the Maroon vary from a brown to a red... this may or may not be the image due to the camera it was photographed with.
For instance take this costume that I found online. I believe it sells for around $30 with a retail value supposedly of $49.99 for a child.
Now this is one of the REAL HP Robes. Look at the sleeve LENGTH.
That's quite the difference! I've YET to see a child's HP robe with the LONG sleeves!
Here's Gideon's!
Ahhh nice long sleeves!
However as you can see WE used the SILVER clasp as that's all I could find in our town and I was unable to go elsewhere (an hour away) to the store that would have the right variety needed.
Check out the bottom of the girl's robe. It's rather see through.
Check out Gideon's... not see through. In fact it's rather heavy... at using FIVE YARDS of fabric.
How about some PROS for the Store Bought Costumes?
- They do cost about the same as it does to make them, though there's times that it costs MORE to make them than it does to BUY.
- They are better made - in my experience they don't have the mistakes that I sometimes have... and they are MACHINE sewn as mine are NOT. (I'm better by hand.. I need to make friends with my machine though LOL)
- They can be MORE accurate at times.
Check out those two kids again. See the maroon around their necks?
Gideon's doesn't have that too much. It's THERE since the robe is fully lined, but it doesn't always show right. It might just be a matter of ironing it so it folds over right.. not sure yet since he only wore it the day I took his photo in it.
Of course the stress of cramming too much sewing into too little time is gone if you BUY... but then you don't get the satisfaction of knowing YOU made it yourself and there won't quite be another like yours out there.
In the end after all these hours of sewing and possibly cutting it down to the last few days before the festival, it's going to be worth it since I made it...
Comparing ADULT costumes is a bit harder since mine's not done yet... but here's one online. It's retailing for $31 marked down from $42.99.
So right off the bat, I see the crest is NOT embroidered - it's painted again. The Sleeves are not long like they should be, and it seems a bit taught around the legs. It should billow a bit and gather more. It also looks a bit see through between the legs.
My fabric for my robe takes up over 18 yards TOTAL. It's VERY heavy and solid. Clint described it as feeling like a BLANKET since it was so heavy. (Good for fall when we'll wear them for trick or treating. BAD for the summer LOL)
The fabric for my robe minus 2 1/2 yards more of the BLACK. (It was cut off on another piece not in this photo)
The robe uses almost ALL of this fabric. Total yards used for my robe: 20 YARDS. What I cut off of the bottom of my robe from this is being used for the HOOD.
The fabric ONLY cost me $41. Plus $6 for the patch (from Christy THANK YOU!) and the clasp was another $3. Then all the thread (at least 3 spools at $1 each) So it WAS more to make it, but I'm pretty sure the store bought ones are not quite as HEAVY as this. So, counting all the thread and all it's costing over $50 to MAKE my robe. Store bought costs looks to be $31.99. That's a bit of a difference, but the difference in styles and quality is also evident.
We'll see what mine looks like when done! (And I'll try to COMPARE the store bought and mine at this time)
It seems there's a bit of a trade off between the choices. Some are handier, better and nicer, but both have their pros and cons.
Time shall tell what the CONTEST prefers. (I've had a few tell me they think we will win, so we'll see.) I do know it'd feel REAL GOOD to win with the costumes I MADE rather than BOUGHT.
Which do YOU prefer as a rule? Store bought or handmade?
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Comments: 33
I really thinks it depends on the craftiness of the maker. In your case, home made is definitely the best, and your work looks amazing.
I agree!
Homemade... it's cheaper in the end!
That's true, Jr it does depend on the skill level. I struggled a lot with Gideon's... a lot of headaches (and love) went into it... but I can safely say it was worth it all.
Kerrell, it's not always cheaper. It was cheaper for Gideon's robe, but mine is a good $20 MORE to make than to buy.
Jennifer, I made curtains for the boys room, when we lived in Europe, and I could easily have bought some that were cheaper. I too put a lot of love into them, got to chose my own material etc., and now they have moved half way across the world with us and the boys still love them.
Aww they muct know the love that was put into them. Having full control over how it looks is another perk and worth the extra money as well.
I LOVE hanmade but I can't sew. So often times handmade isn't an option for me! LOL!
I LOVE your costume!
That's often the case with me as well, since I'm not on good terms with my sewing machine. Haha!
Thank you, Bridget!
Like J said, it really just depends on the item, and how well it was made. If I can make something for cheaper than I can buy it then I will probably try to make it, if it won't take a lot of time to do. But if I can just buy it for less than I likely will just do that.
You did a fantastic job on Gideons costume!
That's basically where I was coming from. Though this project was a 50/50 split as it's complex to make and part of it (Gideon's) was cheaper to make and part of it (mine) was more to make. Then adding in the shirts and skirt we bought and all the animal materials and such...
Thank you! I'll let you all know how the contest goes.
It all depends on the quality of the material and the seamstress. You really did an outstanding job on the costume!
Very true. Honestly, my material is just cheap cotton from Walmart, but it's really heavy cotton.
Thank you, Rose!
I think that one of the things that you see is on store bought, they don't worry so much about the detailed quality because most costumes are worn once and then discarded or played in, so it doesn't matter if they fall apart. Yours will be wearable and look good for years, and can be handed down even. You have done a great job, and the convenience of bought cannot touch each loving stitch that went into Gideon's costume.
That makes sense. I was here scratching my head wondering why they weren't more accurate. I actually was looking at them to determine if ours were diffferent enough that the judges of the contest would know if they were homemade or not. I guess my answer to that is more than likely, yes, they should know.
We plan to wear these for many occasions - The festival, then to the movie, then for Halloween, and for trick or treating in the caverns, then for the next several HP festivals (it's an annual event)
Thank you so very much! No convienience doesn't come close to the love and care put into these robes. That and we had a bit more control in how they turned out.
What outstanding work.
Thank you, kindly. It has it's errors, though, which I'm working to correct on mine (darn me for making the errors in the first place on Gideon's!
It still looks great.
Thank you, kindly, Sharon!
Your welcome.
I think it has to depend on the project. One thing I can say you get from homemade you don't from store bought is the love and care of the project.
Yes, I think it does rely heavily on how complex the project is, fabric type and yardage needed.
And yes you are absolutely right about the love and care not being there in the mass produced store bought stuff.
I am really good at sewing, just can not find the time.
It's really time consuming! I've been working on these costumes for months now!
I think it depends on who is making it, the quality of it and how much the difference is. I can't make anything myself, so unless I know someone particularly crafty, I'm SOL! LOL
That's a hard position to be in. I have an aunt that used to have a costume shop and she can do anything. Of course, she's in Ohio and I'm, uh, not. LOL
I do the best I can with what abilities I have. It's all one can do. :P
I personally say that handmade is better.... Though it takes more time. It will be worth it... It will be something that you can keep forever! :D
Thanks Christy. I overall do think it's better (I'd not be doing this otherwise) but yes much more time needed.
I THINK it'll be worth it but I've also had some mini meltdowns over TWO two day setbacks... but oh well life goes on and I stay up later to fix it LOL
And yes we'll wear these for all the future HP fests. It's an annual event.
You've done a very good job