Help with MST3k costumes? Finished for DragonCon-Pics added to first page.

Bizarro Lois

Bizarro Lois

Sr Member
My husband, a friend and I are going to DragonCon as TV's Frank, Dr Clayton Forrester, and Pearl. Let's start with the biggest parts - their outfits. Does anyone have an idea if these were store-bought or made specifically for the show? I know that I need a bright green labcoat for Dr F, but I'm not sure what kind of shirt Frank is wearing. I'm not sure if it's a labcoat or more like a chef or waiter's jacket. I think Pearl has a longer labcoat that she wears buttoned up. I'm going to take some screen shots later, but here are a few to start with:
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I haven't found very good pics of Pearl yet, but here's someone who did a decent costume:
Pearl Forrester from Mystery Science Theatre 3000 worn by Sailor Tweek

**UPDATE**I know that some people prefer finished pics get added to the first post so they don't have to wade through responses. Some people might have already seen these in D*Con threads, but I figured I would post pics of the finished costumes here for future reference.
Our Dr. Forrester made his labcoat from scratch. There was only one labcoat pattern at the fabric store, and it didn't have the lapels. So he made one, based on a jacket he had. He just put on a dress shirt, tie, and pants that looked like a decent match.
Our TV's Frank is wearing a chef's jacket we found online, black dress pants, and high-top Chucks. His hair was the hardest part. He wasn't happy with the results of temporary stuff, so he ended up bleaching it. He still didn't get his hair as light as he wanted, so we'll be looking for a wig in case we do this again.
I made my shirt by altering a pattern for scrubs, adding a collar and buttons. I just added black dress pants and clunky shoes. My hair was spray stuff I got at a beauty supply store in light blonde, with a hairpiece from Sally Beauty.
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Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

I know that cotton takes dye better than synthetic blends, and as bright as that coat is, we'll need it to take as much dye as possible. I've had some luck in the past using something called soda ash as well as non-iodized salt to boost dye jobs. I'm kind of worried about the jacket having inconsistent coloring and was really hoping to just buy one in the right color.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

Franks costume looks a little bit like this police uniform from around 1800s
2751602309_f37dba05de.jpg
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

I've seen Frank's referred to as a chauffeur's uniform as well as a chef's jacket. I'll be able to look more at home from my pc instead of my iPhone.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

I checked out the Deep 13 patch, but my husband was thinking more of the Gizmonic Institute one. There were none on that site. Has anyone made them? The chauffeur and chef jackets are often so similar that I think either one would work. The chef jackets seem to be much much cheaper. Does anyone have any sources they swear by for these, or cotton lab coats?
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

I have no sources, but I think the chefs jacket is the way to go - just the buttons need to be slightly larger than on most. The rest of his outfit (if I recall correctly) is a pair of dark grey or faded black pants with black converse sneakers.

Attatched a version of the Gizmonic patch - if you can't find an embroidered one, it should do to make an iron-on in a pinch. :)

Forresters' green glasses can be a problem - oversize ray-ban style shades might work.
I think the frames used were semi-clear neon green, so if you can find some clear frames that match, use spray-on glass paint to colour the frame. I've heard of someone using a green sharpie, but I wouldn't trust the ink to stay onlyon the frames!

Coz.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

Thanks for the patch design - I should be able to use that as a template and with a little practice, embroider it with my sewing machine.
Finding frames in the right shape for Dr F shouldn't be too big a problem. If all else fails, I was figuring on pretty much the same thing as you said. I might even be able to get results from dry brushing and some kind of clearcoat. I was planning to remove the glass anyway, since our Clayton doesn't actually wear glasses.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

TV"S Frank's jacket could be a double breasted pea coat. Does it look like wool?
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

No, it really doesn't. I had thought about that too, because my husband has one, and it doesn't match. I'm confident that the uniform shirts are the way to go.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

Frank Conniff is on Facebook and a pretty frequent poster. I suspect that if you msg'd him, he might reply with whatever he knows about the outfit.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

squirk said:
Frank Conniff is on Facebook and a pretty frequent poster. I suspect that if you msg'd him, he might reply with whatever he knows about the outfit.
Click to expand...

I had thought about doing just that, and sent him a message a little while ago. He wrote back almost immediately that he thinks the TV's Frank costume was a double-breasted chauffeur jacket, but he didn't seem sure. He didn't have any details on the other costumes, but I was excited to hear back from him so quickly.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

Ok, we finally have gotten some work done on these. I bought a chef's jacket that's a pretty good match for TV's Frank. We have glasses on the way for Dr F. They're not clear, but they still look pretty good. Our friend that will be wearing them picked them out, and said that he doesn't care if they're clear, as long as the shape and color are about right. Now, I'm just going to ask here because it's easier than going through every company online - where is the best place to buy cotton lab coats? I'll buy a white one and dye it, but it would be even better if someone sells them in lime or neon green.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

You might try looking for lab coats for dental assistants, they seem to wear stuff of all colors.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

Where's a good place to buy them? I was hoping to buy one in that color, but if I absolutely have to dye it, I think I need a cotton one.
 
Re: Help with MST3k costumes?

Yay, so I'm sitting here, using the IMDB to check which episodes Mary Jo Pehl was on, then going through our collection to see if we have them. We have quite a few of the boxed sets, but they weren't really organized well. So I might have a box with all TV's Frank and Dr Forrester, or I might have one with Pearl mixed in. I'm trying to get screen caps of her basic look - it's a greenish top with black pants, and so far every movie I've fast-forwarded through has her in something else. Google isn't getting me the images I need.
 
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