Discuss the specifics of the necessary research with the movie director, the costume designer if you are an assistant, and the scriptwriter when possible. In most cases the scriptwriter is not involved during the production period. This step is especially crucial if you are an assistant costume designer, as "your job is to understand the costume designer's aesthetic," says Bowers.
Understand every detail about the character, such as where he grew up, where he went to school, if he went to college, his religion, defining character traits, his psychology, his goal, etc. Bowers advises that once these questions are answered you can better research your subject.
Determine details about the movie, such as the time period, genre and setting. Does the movie take place in contemporary times? Is it a period movie? Is it a fantasy movie? Is this fiction or nonfiction? In what city are the characters? What are the current fashion trends? What are the current events happening at that time?
Open the following websites in your browser: Google, Flickr, Getty Images, Corbis and Life. It is time to conduct your research. You will collect hundreds, possibly thousands of photographs and other images. Record the list of terms you search for online so you can keep yourself organized. These websites are your initial research sites. You will visit many others depending on your subjects. As Bowers explains, "I feel like I'm creating books and that I have every photo in existence of certain things."
Reach out to all available resources. Call and/or visit museums, libraries, professionals, costume rental locations, etc. If you are researching an actual person, try to contact him or family members and friends. In Bowers' experience, "people want to help. They are excited when you're interested in them and that you're working on a movie. People like to be consulted and feel like they know everything."
Record your research both electronically and physically. Bowers organizes images online and also prints them. She then arranges them in binders. Always write down where you found an image, who is shown in the image, what year it's from, etc. The more information the better!
Synthesize your research. This can be done by drawing a costume rendering and by creating a collage of your findings. Each accessory of the costume can have its own collage. For example, if you are researching 1950s businessmen, one collage could contain hats, one shoes, one vests and so on. Organizing your research in this way is very helpful since the large volume of accumulated information could overwhelm some directors and costume designers.
Present your research to the movie director and the costume designer if you are an assistant. According to Bowers, "the purpose of costume design is to tell a story. The purpose is not to be 100% accurate. You're designing a character for someone to play. Clothes don't have the same effect on others. You have to change the clothes to fit the characters."