While being a mascot can be lots of fun as you meet people and children, it can also be pretty demanding on your body, especially in the summer. In general, mascot costumes tend to be large, thick and bulky. While you don’t mind so much in the winter, in the summer, it can get pretty hot inside a mascot costume.
Also, when designing your mascot costume, you need to keep certain things in mind, mostly around comfort. If you know who will be wearing the costume, it helps to keep this in mind when designing it so that it works out well for that particular person. Here are some things you can do to make that mascot costume be as comfortable as possible.
1. The Design
When designing a mascot costume, pay attention to the head and how this will affect the person who will wear it. You want to make sure that the person inside can see properly and not have their vision impaired in any way. Try to position the eyes, the nose or the mouth in such a way so that it aligns with the wearer’s eyes to give the best vision possible.
2. Air Flow/Venting
As the mascot may be performing, you need to allow heat to escape especially from the head. One way to do this is to use a mesh in various parts of the costume. This will allow for much better air flow. The top of the head, the mouth and the nose are good places, but while air flow is important, you also don’t want to overdo vent holes otherwise it could spoil the character’s look.
3. Consider A Cooling Vest
In the summer, a mascot could consider wearing a cooling vest. Cooling vests are great in keeping someone cool in situations like this. In fact, cooling vests are worn by many people in several industries. In hot conditions, a cooling vest can bring down your core temperature and keep you safe. It can also extend the amount of time you can wear the costume. These vests are worn over your clothes and under the costume. They have special pockets where you can place gel ice packs. Using a cooling vest does have mixed reviews. Some mascots prefer not to wear one because the costume is already heavy and they don’t wish to add to it. Others prefer it because it keeps them cool and comfortable. This really comes down to individual tastes. Ask the mascot themselves if they have a preference.
4. Fan
There are also little battery-powered fans that can be placed within the costume. It can be placed somewhere in the head to keep the head cool and breezy in the summer. You can also use the fan to exhaust the warm air out of your costume.
5. The Body Structure
The inner body of the costume should generally be made with a breathable and lightweight foam. Try to avoid thick and heavy padding that will come in direct contact with the wearer since this traps heat and moisture and is not ideal.
The wearer of the costume should also wear a T-shirt and shorts or any other lightweight clothing. Never wear jeans or a sweater! The exception is during winter, of course. Stick to these basic principles and the person in the mascot costume can stay comfortable during their performance.