Welcome to the research guide for Costume, defined as: "...distinctive clothing for individuals or groups of performers, a visual presentation of character or idea through clothed physical appearance..." from The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre & Performance.
Note: For research on general topics in theatre - history, performance, production and design, and the industry, see the Theatre Subject Guide.

Before you begin searching for books and articles, use the sources (encyclopedias, handbooks, etc.) listed in the two "Starting Points" pages. They will:

• provide a scholarly yet accessible introduction to your topic in the broadest sense.
• identify key ideas, themes and important people associated with your topic.
• introduce unfamiliar terms that you can add to your list of keywords.
• include a list of books and articles (bibliography) useful for further study.
• Subject encyclopedias, in particular, may help you either choose or narrow/focus a topic.

Call Numbers that are prefaced with REF (e.g., REF PN 2101 .B68 2008) indicate that the book is in the Reference Collection, located on the main/1st floor of Howe Library. Books in the reference collection are non-circulating, but you may scan pages for free in the library.