The Makerspace was a center of excitement and bustling energy as members of the UConn Costume Club painted accessories, applied makeup and hot glued last-minute pieces to their costumes before their Halloween photoshoot on Friday, Oct. 31.
“A lot of clubs feature a lot of organization, and this is not one of those clubs,” said Kyle Pazienza, a member of the UConn Costume Club. The club, which allows students to handmake individual costumes and cosplays of characters, meets every Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Makerspace lounge in the Homer Babbidge Library.
While the atmosphere is relaxed and collaborative, workshops are offered to help beginners and experts alike advance their skills in various aspects of costume making. Topics covered so far include sewing and crafting with foam. In the foam workshop, club president Sebastian Suarez led participants on the best practices when working with the material, informing attendants that EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam is the standard for its durability and flexibility.
Many members of the club used the foam to construct helmets, pieces of armor and swords, sealing their creations with Plasti-Dip or contact cement. Throughout the process, attendees helped each other with costume ideas and executing their concepts. New attendees are always welcome to ask questions and use the space to experiment with their own creations.
Suarez, an eighth-semester animal science major, has been making costumes for nearly half of his life. What started out as a hobby evolved into him winning top awards from multiple competitions and serving as a judge at ConnectiCon, an annual pop-culture convention in Hartford. He joined the club as a freshman, eventually becoming vice president and then president this fall.
Suarez said one of the best aspects of the club is the sense of community and ability to work on projects. His most recent project was the character Ash Williams from the horror franchise “Evil Dead,” which included a rotating blade as part of a faux chainsaw connecting to his arm.
He said some projects take months or even years to complete. While some parts of his costume were sourced on his own, the club does provide materials for students to use.
Third-semester psychology major Hannah van Rijnswou said she found out about the club like most people, at the annual Involvement Fair on Fairfield Way her freshman year.
“It was really like the first club where I was like, ‘Hey, I want to make things,’” said Rijnswou. She now serves as the club’s vice president and secretary. Her costume, from the game Team Fortress 2, features plenty of recycled materials, including boots from Goodwill and a hand-sewn lab coat.
She said her favorite part of going to the club is the people she’s met.
“I’ve made, like, my best friends here,” said Rijnswou.
The club, which formed in 2013, now has around 15 to 20 members, many of whom return frequently. Suarez said he hopes the club, which struggled to survive through the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to grow into the future.
Students interested in a creative space to experiment with costume making or a related skill are encouraged to stop by.
“It’s just a good place to make friends,” said Suarez. “Everyone here is very accepting and all of the new people who came this year come back really often.”