Murder mystery outfits: how to dress as your character

Good news: a murder mystery party does not need a real costume. Each invitation suggests an outfit made of everyday clothes. The idea is not to transform yourself, but to give everyone a detail that makes them recognisable and helps them get into their role.

An outfit, not a costume

In our kits, outfits look like what real people would wear to a real party. For The Vernier Case, for example: an elegant black dress and a pearl necklace for the wife, a checked shirt and a leather jacket for the brother. Nothing you would not find in an ordinary wardrobe.

That is what lets you play the same evening: everyone opens their wardrobe and puts their outfit together in five minutes.

The three-question method

1. What is the main colour? It often defines the character: a green dress, a dark suit, a burgundy jumper.
2. What detail sums them up? A scarf, glasses, a watch, a notebook, car keys always in hand.
3. What can they hold? A glass, a phone, a folder: a prop keeps the hands busy and gives an attitude.

With these three elements, the outfit is ready.

Careful: sometimes colour matters

In some cases, the outfit is more than decoration. In La Queimada du Pazo, the colours of the clothes play a part in the investigation: a figure glimpsed in the dark, a dress in a photo. The host's book reminds you: ask everyone to stick to their colour, even if the rest is improvised.

Quick ideas by character type

• The pillar of the community or the lady of the house: smart clothes, a discreet piece of jewellery, upright posture.
• The employee or the servant: a plain shirt, an apron or a notebook, always slightly in the background.
• The outsider or the traveller: worn clothes, a bag, a work jacket.
• The professional (doctor, journalist, accountant): an object from their job, a pen behind the ear, a badge.

What if someone really has nothing?

One accessory is enough: a hat, a tie, a shawl. The host can also prepare a small box of shared props. What matters is that everyone feels a little like someone else.

Bonus: the group photo

Take a photo of all the suspects in their outfits before the investigation starts. It is the memory everyone will want to keep. More ideas in our article on party photos.