Costumes and props are important elements of post-apocalyptic films to establish setting and theme. Common costume elements include militaristic or protective clothing, damaged fabrics, improvised armor and accessories, and unnatural hair colors. Props may include makeshift weapons and tools, shields from scavenged materials, and minimal survival gear. Both costumes and props portray the depleted resources and hazardous environment of the post-apocalyptic world to immerse viewers in the genre.

1. Costume and Props

2. Costumes Within Post Apocalyptic
Films
There are a lot of common parts used within Post-Apocalyptic costumes, most post apocalyptic films/movies start by combining
some of the items in the lists below to create a weathered and overall heavily irradiated feel to the outfit.
Hairstyles: Bald, Mohawk, red, blue, pink, or purple-dyed hair, rustic/hair hasn’t been cut, and hair that has been self cut.
Headgear: Hockey helmet, headband, military cold weather mask, military officers cap, military helmet, paintball mask, airsoft
mask, gas mask, respirator, leather motorcycle mask, cloth mask, rag bandanna or head scarf, leather tanker helmet, leather
aviator helmet, improvised helmet, coolie hat, umbrella hat..
Eyewear: Aviator sunglasses, military goggles, motorcycle goggles, lacrosse eye mask, swimming goggles, eye patch.
Neckwear: Leather collar, plain red bandanna, chain.
Tops: Football pads, military overcoat, metal or chainmail bra, worn out t-shirt with holes, black or brown leather garment
(especially with studs, spikes and buckles) such as jackets, dresses, bras, vests, and armour, kidney belt, studded waist belt,
custom garment made out of re-purposed rubber materials (e.g. inner-tube, tires), motocross chest protector (aka roost
deflector) or protective jacket, mesh shirt, improvised armour and/or shoulder armour made out of plastic parts, leather, tire
tread.
Bottoms: Leather pants or chaps or leather skirt or hot pants, vintage motocross pants, torn fishnet stockings or tights, military
pants, black, grey, or earth-tone pants, riding pants (aka jodhpurs) leather studded codpiece, baseball shin guards, knee pads.
Footwear: Boots! Motorcycle (engineer), combat, motocross, New Rock, or others. Classic, Punk Converse All-Stars can work too.
Accessories/Decoration: Elbow pads, leather studded bracelets, gauntlets and armbands, junk jewellery, baseball shin guards or
other guards for the forearms, fur, car emblems, red-lens marker lights or reflectors, leather or sports gloves (motorcycle, police,
paintball, lacrosse), leather ammo belt or bandolier, other ammo pouches and belts and military webbing, bullet belts. Think
about tools or utensils you might need during the weekend. Can opener? Mountain bike tires are a great material to work with:
easy to cut and they look like motorcycle tires.

3. Examples of Post Apocalyptic
Costumes in Movies/Film

4. Props Within Post Apocalyptic Films
• Weapons: Guns, bow, crossbow, baseball bat, hammer, glaive, mace, saw-blade
axe, any home made weapon. Anything can be thrown together to make a weapon
in the post apocalyptic world. This is because there will be limited amount
• Shields: Road sign, garbage can cover, pot lid, hubcaps.
• Miscellaneous: Backpack, supply kit, first aid kit, torch, food, flares, fire equipment
and assorted survival equipment.

5. Reasoning
• Both Costumes and Props are essential to the post
apocalypse film/movie as they link with the theme.
Damaged equipment and grubby clothing illustrate and
reflect the environment and setting and thus reinforce
the post apocalyptic landscape.
• Furthermore, the costumes can depict different
meanings within the genre, for example within “Mad
Max” the “Car Boys” all have the same costume and
body paint. This categorises them within the film and
thus allows the audience to know what group they are
in. This is why costume is so important within this
genre.