Dress vs. Costume — What's the Difference?

A one-piece garment for women or girls.

A set of clothes for a particular event or activity.

Can be formal or casual.

May include accessories.

Varies in length and style.

Specific to an event or performance.

Designed for comfort and style.

Often elaborate and thematic.

Often tailored to fit the body.

Used for portraying characters.

To adorn or ornament (something).

Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch. In short costume is a cultural visual of the people.

A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers the torso and hangs down over the legs.

A style of dress, including garments, accessories, and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period, or people.

Put on one's clothes

An outfit or a disguise worn on Mardi Gras, Halloween, or similar occasions.

Decorate (something) in an artistic or attractive way

A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.

Treat or prepare (something) in a certain way.

To put a costume on; dress.

Draw up (troops) in the proper alignment.

To design or furnish costumes for.

(of a man) have the genitals habitually on one or the other side of the fork of the trousers

A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people.

Make (an artificial fly) for use in fishing

An outfit or a disguise worn as fancy dress etc.

A one-piece garment for a woman or girl that covers the body and extends down over the legs

A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.

Clothing of a specified kind for men or women

To dress or adorn with a costume or appropriate garb.

To put clothes on; clothe.

Dress in general; esp., the distinctive style of dress of a people, class, or period.

To furnish with clothing.

Such an arrangement of accessories, as in a picture, statue, poem, or play, as is appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances represented or described.

To decorate or adorn

A character dress, used at fancy balls or for dramatic purposes.

To garnish

The attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball;

To arrange a display in

Unusual or period attire not characteristic of or appropriate to the time and place;

To arrange (troops) in ranks; align.

The prevalent fashion of dress (including accessories and hair style as well as garments)

To apply medication, bandages, or other therapeutic materials to (a wound).

The attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class;

To arrange and groom (the hair), as by styling, combing, or washing.

Dress in a costume;

To groom (an animal); curry.

Furnish with costumes; as for a film or play

To fertilize (land or plants).

(Archaic) To cultivate (land or plants).

To clean (fish or fowl) for cooking or sale.

To put a finish on (stone or wood, for example).

To tan or prepare (a hide) in leather-making.

To put on clothes.

To wear clothes of a certain kind or style

To wear formal clothes

To get into proper alignment with others

Clothing; apparel.

A style of clothing

A one-piece outer garment consisting of a skirt and bodice.

Outer covering or appearance; guise

Suitable for formal occasions

Requiring formal clothes

(transitive)

To put clothes (or, formerly, armour) on (oneself or someone, a doll, a mannequin, etc.); to clothe.

To design, make, provide, or select clothes (for someone).

To arrange or style (someone's hair).

To apply a dressing to or otherwise treat (a wound); (obsolete) to give (a wounded person) medical aid.

To fit or prepare (something) for use; to render (something) suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready.

To cultivate or tend to (a garden, land, plants, etc.); especially, to add fertilizer or manure to (soil); to fertilize, to manure.

To cut up (an animal or its flesh) for food; specifically (hunting), to remove the internal organs (of a game animal) shortly after it has been killed so that the carcass cools more quickly; to field dress.

(cooking) To prepare (food) for cooking or eating, especially by seasoning it; specifically, to add a dressing or sauce (to food, especially a salad).

(military) To arrange (soldiers or troops) into proper formation; especially, to adjust (soldiers or troops) into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other; to align.

To treat (someone) in a particular manner; specifically, in an appropriate or fitting manner; to give (someone) a deserved beating; also, to give (someone) a good scolding; to dress down.

(obsolete) To break in and train (a horse or other animal) for use.

To prepare (oneself); to make ready.

(intransitive)

To put on clothes.

Of a thing: to attain a certain condition after undergoing some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use.

To allow one's penis to fall to one side or the other within one's trousers.

(slang) cross-dress

Of an animal carcass: to have a certain quantity or weight after removal of the internal organs and skin; also, to have a certain appearance after being cut up and prepared for cooking.

Of soldiers or troops: to arrange into proper formation; especially, to form into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other.

(sports) Of a sportsperson: to put on the uniform and have the equipment needed to play a sport.

(countable)

An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist.

Ellipsis of dress rehearsal

(uncountable)

Apparel or clothing, especially when appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc.

(archaic) The act of putting on clothes, especially fashionable ones, or for a particular (especially formal) occasion.

(by extension)

(obsolete) The act of applying a dressing to or otherwise treating a wound; also, the dressing so applied.

To direct; to put right or straight; to regulate; to order.

To arrange in exact continuity of line, as soldiers; commonly to adjust to a straight line and at proper distance; to align; as, to dress the ranks.

To treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a wounded or diseased part.

To adjust; to put in good order; to arrange; specifically: (a) To prepare for use; to fit for any use; to render suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready; as, to dress a slain animal; to dress meat; to dress leather or cloth; to dress or trim a lamp; to dress a garden; to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress grain, by cleansing it; in mining and metallurgy, to dress ores, by sorting and separating them.

To cut to proper dimensions, or give proper shape to, as to a tool by hammering; also, to smooth or finish.

To put in proper condition by appareling, as the body; to put clothes upon; to apparel; to invest with garments or rich decorations; to clothe; to deck.

To break and train for use, as a horse or other animal.

To arrange one's self in due position in a line of soldiers; - the word of command to form alignment in ranks; as, Dress right, dress!

To clothe or apparel one's self; to put on one's garments; to pay particular regard to dress; as, to dress quickly.

That which is used as the covering or ornament of the body; clothes; garments; habit; apparel.

A lady's gown; as, silk or a velvet dress.

Attention to apparel, or skill in adjusting it.

The system of furrows on the face of a millstone.

A one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

Clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion;

Clothing in general;

Put on clothes;

Provide with clothes or put clothes on;

Put a finish on;

Dress in a certain manner;

Dress or groom with elaborate care;

Kill and prepare for market or consumption;

Arrange in ranks;

Decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods

Provide with decoration;

Put a dressing on;

Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of;

Cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width

Convert into leather;

Apply a bandage or medication to;

Give a neat appearance to;

Arrange attractively;

Suitable for formal occasions;

(of an occasion) requiring formal clothes;

A dress is generally worn for regular activities or formal occasions, while a costume is used for special events or performances to represent a specific character or theme.

Yes, dresses can reflect cultural fashion trends and social status, and they are integral to personal style across many societies.

Dresses typically use materials that align with fashion trends and comfort, while costumes may use a wider variety of materials to achieve a specific look or theme.

Generally, costumes are not designed for everyday wear due to their thematic and often elaborate nature, but some elements of costume design can influence everyday fashion.

Costumes can range from simple thematic clothing to highly elaborate outfits depending on the context and the character being portrayed.

Choosing a costume can be important for fitting into the thematic setting of an event, fulfilling role-playing desires, or participating effectively in a group or public event.

Yes, a dress can be considered a costume if it is styled or themed to fit a particular character or event, like in a play or during a themed party.

Dresses are designed for comfort, practicality, and aesthetic appeal, suitable for frequent use, while costumes are designed to make a visual impact and convey specific artistic or thematic messages.

Yes, events like Halloween, cosplay conventions, theatrical performances, and historical reenactments often require costumes.

Dresses often use fabrics that are fashionable and comfortable for regular use, while costumes may include more dramatic and unconventional materials to fit the theme.

Dress design focuses on trends, wearability, and market demand, whereas costume design focuses on accuracy, thematic details, and the specific needs of a performance or event.

Accessories are crucial in costumes as they complete the look and enhance the authenticity of the character portrayal.

Dresses can adopt thematic elements, especially for special occasions like themed weddings or cultural events, but they typically remain more understated than costumes.

Considerations include the occasion, the season, personal style, and comfort.

Vintage dresses can be considered costumes if worn for thematic events or performances that require a specific historical look, otherwise, they are simply retro fashion choices.