When you’ve been involved in Rocky for decades, you notice it’s easier to find certain items during certain times of year and impossible to find them during other times. Seasons have a big influence on what colors of clothes, shoes, and accessories are sold in stores. For example, don’t go Janet costume shopping in the dead of winter! The same usually goes for yardage fabric and trims, although some colors and types are sold year-round. Here’s a simple calendar-based costume and prop shopping guide. It’s mainly based on the US/North American calendar—if you live somewhere else, your results may vary. Check out the post-holiday or post-season clearance sales to save money and stock up. If you’re looking for something out of season, your best bets are usually thrift stores or online shopping sites like eBay, etsy, or poshmark. Now you can get almost anything online, but remember: we’re cosplaying a movie from the 1970s! Styles go in and out of fashion, and some things will only look right if they’re custom-made or vintage. Also, be aware that metallic ribbons (for your Columbia shorts) that are meant for gift wrapping may not be very durable or washable—use at your own risk.
New Year’s Day (January 1):
- Transylvanians (party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
- Frank (party hats, plastic champagne glasses)
- Columbia (red and gold items like metallic ribbons)
- All floorshow characters (lingerie like corsets, bustiers, sexy black underpants, garter belts; hosiery like fishnet pantyhose, fishnet thigh-highs, sheer thigh-highs)
- Rocky (gold underpants)
Mardi Gras (February or March)
- Columbia (gold and green metallic ribbons [don’t use purple!], sometimes sequin top hats, tailcoats, and tube tops)
- Frank (party hats, plastic champagne glasses, giant pearls that can be modified into necklaces)
- Transylvanians (party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
Purim (February or March—in some places, this is like a second-chance Halloween in early spring)
- Transylvanians (party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
- All characters (costumes in general)
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
- Transylvanians (party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
- Columbia (gold and green metallic ribbons; sometimes leprechaun-style sequin top hats, tailcoats, and tube tops)
Easter (March or April)
- Janet (light purple, pink, and white fabric/clothes/purses/accessories/shoes/hats—best time to get a white cardigan sweater and white mary jane shoes!)
Mother’s Day (May)
- Janet (fake flowers for bouquet)
- Brad (fake white carnations for boutonniere)
Prom, graduation, bridal season, Father’s Day (June)
- Brad (tuxedo jackets and pants, Oxford-style shirts, bowties, cummerbunds, class rings)
- Riff (tailcoats, waistcoat/vests, white suspenders, silver gloves)
- Magenta (silver gloves)
- Dr. Scott (suit jackets, neckties, Oxford-style shirts)
- Criminologist (suit jackets and pants, Oxford-style shirts)
- Eddie (red suspenders)
- Transylvanians (tailcoats, waistcoats/vests, bowties, cummerbunds, white gloves, colorful Oxford-style shirts)
- Frank (rhinestone tiaras and crowns)
LGBTQIA Pride Month (June), summer/beach season (June-August)
- Rocky (gold swimsuits)
- Eddie (black T-shirts, Levi’s jeans)
- Miscellaneous gay pride stuff (rainbow flag for tank, lingerie and hosiery, rhinestone and sequin things of all kinds)
American Independence Day (July 4)
- Columbia (red, blue, and sometimes gold metallic ribbons; sometimes sequin top hats, tailcoats, and tube tops, although usually not gold or multi in the right colors)
Back to school (late August-early September)
- Brad (sweater vests, windbreaker jackets, loafers, Oxford-style shirts)
- Dr. Scott (suit jackets and pants, neckties, Oxford-style shirts)
- Criminologist (suit jackets Oxford-style shirts, globes)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October)
- Frank (pink dishwashing gloves)
- Janet (pink items, generally)
Halloween (October 31), aka Rocky Horror season when costumes and wigs of all sorts are sold, so every character! But especially:
- All floorshow characters (satin/metallic/sequin fabric of all kinds, stage makeup; lingerie like corsets, bustiers, sexy black underpants, garter belts; hosiery like fishnet pantyhose, fishnet thigh-highs, sheer thigh-highs)
- Frank (see above and also capes, fake weapons to kill Eddie with, giant pearl necklaces, black/silver tights to chop up and make into gloves)
- Magenta (aprons and sexy maid costumes, fake eyelashes, gold spacesuit fabric)
- Riff (tailcoats, bald caps, pitchfork-style props, gold spacesuit fabric)
- Eddie (fake sideburns, fake blood, skeleton keychains, costume helmets)
- Columbia (metallic ribbons of all colors; sequin top hats, tailcoats, tube tops)
- Transylvanians (tailcoats, white gloves, party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
- Miscellaneous (best time of year to get a coffin clock skeleton and other random spooky decorations)
Christmas (December 25) and to a lesser extent, Hanukkah (November or December)
- Columbia! And all characters (Frank, floorshow) with metallic or sequin fabric costumes (gold quilted spacesuit fabric; red and silver metallic fabric; red, pink, and gold sequin fabric, metallic ribbons of all colors)
- Transylvanians (party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
New Year’s Eve (December 31):
- Transylvanians (party hats, noisemakers, plastic champagne glasses)
- Frank (party hats, plastic champagne glasses)
