need some ideas on how to display a spandex costume

[ave4uevoli]

Hey guys. I have several superhero costumes that I need help with.

1 66 batman costume
2 spiderman costumes
1 vampire ninja costume


currently these things are just sitting in a box and I would like to display them. I am not going to make lifesized accurate looking displays with these... but I would still like to display them in a "cool" sort of way.

I'm not sure how to describe it but I want the feeling like it's "on display in the batcave waiting to be put on to fight crime".....does that make sense?

I can't be too floppy and yet, it can't be too rigid to resemble a full lifesized display.

well any ideas or pictures of how you display spandex suits would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Chiok]

Could you get some shop mannequins? Or make a skeleton frame from pieces of pvc pipe and conduit connectors. At work we have costume stands that are a piece of black pipe, that are bent to resemble a torso and head, and you just plonk the costume on top.

Most of the time, spandex or lycra suits are displayed in a large glass frame, no? That's more of a "This used to be my old suit but now it's an antique" display than you described, but it's another option.

 

[ONEYE]

I recommend getting some very good looking models to put them on and stand around your place wearing them. :love

 

[EvilRocketeer]

I recommend getting some very good looking models to put them on and stand around your place wearing them. :love

You want men to dress up like batman and spiderman and pose in your room?? :confused

 

[ONEYE]

NO, women. :love

 

[ave4uevoli]

You want men to dress up like batman and spiderman and pose in your room?? :confused

First, Oneye said it not me! :lol

Second - If I were partial to that idea... it would quickly become a batwoman, female blade ninja, and spiderwomen.

 

[EvilRocketeer]

NO, women. :love

I guess he will have a batgirl and two spiderwomen than..That will be perfect.

 

[ave4uevoli]

Could you get some shop mannequins? Or make a skeleton frame from pieces of pvc pipe and conduit connectors. At work we have costume stands that are a piece of black pipe, that are bent to resemble a torso and head, and you just plonk the costume on top.

Most of the time, spandex or lycra suits are displayed in a large glass frame, no? That's more of a "This used to be my old suit but now it's an antique" display than you described, but it's another option.

Hey Chiok, that's a good idea- I think it's just tough to get the balance of having a 3d frame that looks like a suit on display rather than a horribly done lifesize display. I just putting this out there to see if anyone has a display that they've made that is a good balance.

I don't like the glass frame idea because if I lay these things flat the latex/urethane parts of these costume (spiderman's webs or some armor parts on the ninja costume) would get destroyed over time.

thanks..


anymore opinions or ideas will be appreciated guys. PICS would be helpful too if you can find any

 

[darthgordon]

Now if memory serves... and it has been many years since I watched the show, I seem to recall a compartment in Barbara Gordon's apartment that came out of the wall and had her Batgirl costume stuff all nicely displayed in there. So you could do something like that with the Batman costume... but of course you can take some creative license because it's Batman's.

You could display the Spiderman in a chest like he keeps it in the movie.

I have no idea what a ninja vampire is... though I did laugh when I read it.

 

[Chiok]

My PVC pipe idea was sort of like this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Quick-PVC-Halloween-Mannequin/
But make it to the shape that you want, free standing or hanging. Pad the body out with some scrunched up newspaper and wrap in tape if you want more of a body in the costume.

http://www.displays-store-fixtures.com/forms-clothing.htm
These look quite affordable if you don't mind spending *some* money on a mannequin. They don't freestand or pose, so you'll have to make a stand, or hang them, or get creative with brackets and wingnuts.

http://www.thiesmeyer.com/tk5108/dummy.html
This seems to work quite well using 40mm pipe, but again, you'd need to add padding with foam or stuffing to get a body shape.

http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11488&hl=
Here is more of a dressmakers dummy using the packing tape method. He makes quite a good poseable model with pipes, the moulds and some wing nut brackets. Instead of filling with expanding foam, perhaps just keep the tape mould as is and pack it out with wads of newspaper dipped in PVA+water. It'll take a while to dry, but much much cheaper.