Wardrobe vs. Costume — What's the Difference?

A wardrobe or armoire is a standing closet used for storing clothes. The earliest wardrobe was a chest, and it was not until some degree of luxury was attained in regal palaces and the castles of powerful nobles that separate accommodation was provided for the apparel of the great.

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 tall cabinet, closet, or small room built to hold clothes.

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

Garments considered as a group, especially all the articles of clothing that belong to one person.

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

The costumes belonging to a theater or theatrical troupe.

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

The place in which theatrical costumes are kept.

To put a costume on; dress.

The department in charge of wearing apparel, jewelry, and accessories in a royal or noble household.

To design or furnish costumes for.

(obsolete) A room for keeping clothes and armor safe, particularly a dressing room or walk-in closet beside a bedroom.

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

(figuratively) A governmental office or department in a monarchy which purchases, keeps, and cares for royal clothes.

An outfit or a disguise worn as fancy dress etc.

(figuratively) The building housing such a department.

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

(obsolete) Any closet used for storing anything.

To dress or adorn with a costume or appropriate garb.

A room for keeping costumes and other property safe at a theater; a prop room.

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

(figuratively) The department of a theater, movie studio, etc which purchases, keeps, and cares for costumes; its staff; its room(s) or building(s).

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.

A movable cupboard or cabinet designed for storing clothes, particularly as a large piece of bedroom furniture.

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

A tall built-in cupboard or closet for storing clothes, often including a rail for coat-hangers, and usually located in a bedroom.

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

Anything that similarly stores or houses something.

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

The contents of a wardrobe: an individual's entire collection of clothing.

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

(figuratively) Any collection of clothing.

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

Any collection of anything.

Dress in a costume;

(obsolete) A private chamber, particularly one used for sleeping or (euphemism) urinating and defecating.

Furnish with costumes; as for a film or play

Badger feces, particularly used in tracking game.

(intransitive) To act as a wardrobe department, to provide clothing or sets of clothes.

A room or apartment where clothes are kept, or wearing apparel is stored; a portable closet for hanging up clothes.

Wearing apparel, in general; articles of dress or personal decoration.

A privy.

A tall piece of furniture that provides storage space for clothes; has a door and rails or hooks for hanging clothes

Collection of clothing belonging to one person

Collection of costumes belonging to a theatrical company