Recently I volunteered in the costume shop of our local semi-professional theatre. I have sewn for many years and the shop manager seemed glad to have my help. I did get to finish a lot of beautiful costumes and everyone seemed pleased with my skills. However, I was not pleased with the atmosphere of the shop.

There was an air of licentiousness that pervaded the room at all times: lots of dirty talk and rude jokes, cell phone calls of intimate personal natures blurted out in front of everyone, and performers dressing and undressing in the middle of the shop with no privacy screens.

The head designer loved it all and seemed to foster it. He would make "funny" comments during the fittings and used that time to be the "star" of the room. Sometimes the people being fitted seemed uncomfortable, but they never said anything.

My question is, are all costume shops like this? I will not go back to this one, but there are others in town that I could try to work with.

It's nice that you had a good stitching experience, but unfortunate that the atmosphere killed your enjoyment and enthusiasm. Part of the "pay" of working in a costume studio is learning techniques the other stitchers are using as well as practicing your own. But a continuous party atmosphere can cut down on productivity.

The tone of the shop or studio is usually set by the manager. Visit the other shops while they are busy to check out the situation. Tell the manager that you do not feel comfortable in a noisy place where people are more interested in promoting themselves than getting the work done quietly. Take along a sample of your sewing ask about taking items home to work on them. That way you have your own tools and music, without the distraction of undressed people prancing around. The head designer that you described is lucky that he has not been dragged into a sexual harassment lawsuit.

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