# Aging my costume 10 years in four days? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 26, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222 "2004-10-26T12:49:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/21 "2004-10-26T21:36:50Z")
Get the type of hydrogen peroxide use to dye hair. Do not get the type sold at the grocery, but ask at the drug store. Grocery is 3%, hair dye is 10% (I think). The hair dye stuff is strong. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/22 "2004-10-27T00:23:54Z")
Neither bleach nor peroxide did a thing for my polyester bits. Looks like I’ll be running 'em over a few times. If worse comes to worst, I’ll take the spray-paint to them on Saturday a few hours before the party 🙂 Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/23 "2004-10-27T00:37:58Z")
You didn’t put enough bleach in the water. Test a little on the bottom or somewhere inconspicuous. Just a drop or two **straight bleach** on the polyester. If it doesn’t turn white I’ll be very surprised. Straight bleach should take the color outta damn near anything. How much dilution is the question. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/24 "2004-10-27T00:41:23Z")
BTW **Jim** what’s the costume? ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/25 "2004-10-27T11:38:09Z")
> [@t-keela](#): > > BTW **Jim** what’s the costume? We keep our costumes secret until the party - kind of a tradition. On the off chance that anyone who knows me is reading this, all I can is: Arr. 😉 I dipped a piece of my ‘polyester’ straight into the bleach, and it’s still as bright and cheerful as ever. I put polyester in quotes because it’s a piece of fabric I bought at the fabric store. I thought it was polyester, maybe it’s something else. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/26 "2004-10-27T12:03:59Z")
> [@Earthworm Jim](#): > > We keep our costumes secret until the party - kind of a tradition. On the off chance that anyone who knows me is reading this, all I can is: Arr. 😉 > > I dipped a piece of my ‘polyester’ straight into the bleach, and it’s still as bright and cheerful as ever. I put polyester in quotes because it’s a piece of fabric I bought at the fabric store. I thought it was polyester, maybe it’s something else. no bullshit…straight bleach had NO effect. Are you sure that isn’t a Superman costume. IIRC, You said the blue was a cotton/poly blend. Well I know that’s a mistake. Go get a couple or three cans of cheap spray paint then. Maybe a gray or black…perhaps a brown…and an off/antique white 😕 but w/ my luck the paint would melt whatever the hell that suit is made of. The reducer in spray paint is often quite hot. What about just taking a small amount of plain old white latex house paint and soaking it in the paint for awhile. I’m just throwing ideas at ya now. Maybe something will stick…arrrgh :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/27 "2004-10-27T15:19:53Z")
Dude. Just stick it in a suitcase sized time machine, a la Primer. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/28 "2004-10-30T13:08:40Z")
_bump for update_ So, how’d it turn out? Can you post pics or tell us what it is yet? ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/29 "2004-10-30T16:02:23Z")
> [@Earthworm Jim](#): > > I have a costume party to attend on Saturday, > [@WhyNotSo](#): > > , how’d it turn out? Can you post pics or tell us what it is yet? I think it may be a bit early yet, **WhyNot** dontcha think? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/30 "2004-10-30T16:30:30Z")
Um, isn’t that today? Did I have the wrong Saturday? It is the day before Halloween, right? If not, I’m gonna be sooooo embarrased driving around with blue fairy wings and blue makeup this afternoon! Jeez, I hope he didn’t leave it until the last 12 hours! (Or did I just get whooshed?) ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/31 "2004-10-30T17:01:02Z")
I hear ya…yeah, today is Saturday but you asked him how the party turned out a bit early in the day. I guess it coulda been a real quick morning party. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/32 "2004-10-30T17:05:54Z")
I meant how did the \*costume \* turn out. The party is irrelevant - I want to know how it looks! 🆒 (No stage costumer cares how the show went, we just ask you to be nice. We want to know how you looked onstage and if you spilt that seam _again_!) ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/33 "2004-10-30T18:05:34Z")
> [@Earthworm Jim](#): > > We keep our costumes secret until the party - kind of a tradition. On the off chance that anyone who knows me is reading this, all I can is: Arr. 😉 you’re going as Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor? 😉 i had to age my Jason Voorhees hockey mask for my work costume last year “Freddy Vs. Jason” (Jason hockey mask, Freddy sweater and glove, ripped up denim shirt, big honkin’ knife) as it was too new and shiny… i took a Dremel tool to scar and cut it, dragged it around on the gravel driveway, then took an old smoky candle and let the soot from the candle bond with the plastic it now looks old and beat up, it worked well ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/34 "2004-10-30T18:14:55Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I meant how did the \*costume \* turn out. The party is irrelevant - I want to know how it looks! 🆒 > > (No stage costumer cares how the show went, we just ask you to be nice. We want to know how you looked onstage and if you spilt that seam _again_!) :smack: sorry 'bout dat… whooshed myself again damn. I’m gettin bad about that. See I like to know about the parties too. I’m interested in the costume of course. Actually now that you mention it, even more so. Sometimes we humans just don’t seem to be on the same page. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/35 "2004-11-02T01:17:55Z")
Halloween’s over. Let’s see it. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222/36 "2004-11-27T18:16:12Z")
Dude, it’s been almost a month now. Seriously, what the heck was your costume? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aging-my-costume-10-years-in-four-days/271222.md?page=1)