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TERMS & CONDITIONS OF HIRE 8 Waldron Drive Loose Maidstone Kent ME15 9TG Tel: 01622 744711 email: antrix@btconnect.com Website: antrixcostumesmaidstone.co.uk Facebook: https://facebook.com/antrixcostumes / Hire charges are usually based on a four day period. (Exclusive of Sundays & Bank Holidays). Longer periods of hire are available, although additional payment may be required. (Price will be dependent on number of costumes and time-frame involved). To pre-book costumes for particular dates, a £5 (£10 for New Year's Eve) booking fee per costume is required. This is part of your eventual hire fee. The booking fee is non-refundable . For non-account organisations requiring a large quantity of costumes, a 25% deposit is usually required upon placement of the booking, with the remainder payable upon completion of the contract, or if an account customer, payable upon invoice. Payment is by cash, cheque (with Bank Card) or Credit/Debit card. Card payments cannot be taken by phone and a minimum spend of £5 is applicable. An additional *refundable security deposit (usually £50 for adult costumes; £30 for teens; £20 for Children's costumes) must accompany all hirings upon collection of the costume and/or accessories (See Terms & Cond's. 7) Hire Payment (less booking fee if applicable) and security deposit must be paid upon collection of the costume(s) and/or accessories. If paying by cheque,z two separate cheques are required, accompanied by a bank card & proof of address. If paying for security deposit by card/contactless methods, there is a £2 admin charge for this service, as the security deposit is refunded in cash. The hired costumes/accessories remain the property of Antrix at all times. However, it is the hirer's responsibility to ensure that their home, car or travel insurance will cover the potential loss of any items, whilst in the hirer's possession. The costume/items must be returned on the agreed specified date, or the refundable security deposit may be partly or fully forfeited . (The only exception is if Antrix has been contacted by phone, on or prior to the agreed return date , & another date has been accepted). Please note: If items have not been returned within 14 days of agreed date, security deposits will automatically be retained. In most circumstances, the security deposit does not cover the replacement cost of any lost costumes, and further charges may be incurred. Any loss or non-return of hired costumes or accessories must be paid for in full. Should the hirer fail to return the items loaned and fail to contact Antrix within 14 days of the agreed return date, then these goods will be treated as stolen. Action will be taken to recover our losses, such as the replacement cost of unreturned items and/or additional hire fees, through the most appropriate method. Any damage to costumes or accessories must be paid for. (Normal wear and tear is taken into account). The cost of hire (which is normally between £18-£40 for adult costumes; £10-£20 for children's costumes and £12-£25 for teens/young adults) is inclusive of cleaning and general maintenance of costumes. Should items become unduly dirty or damaged, do not under any circumstances attempt to clean or repair them , as some items will require specialist care and attention. Costumes, their accessories and prices may change through upgrades and other factors. We will do our best to advise any modifications, and also honour agreements made prior to such changes. In the event a pre-booked costume becomes unavailable through circumstances beyond our control, you will have the choice of a full refund, or the opportunity to select an alternative outfit. All Costumes & Accessories removed from the premises are treated as being hired/sold, irrespective of whether the hirer actually attend the party. NO REFUNDS are available. DATA PROTECTION/PRIVACY POLICY . Emailed information in connection with enquiries and hirings, is retained until resolution of the matter, unless a client has opted-in to further contact (see overleaf). Otherwise apart from information required to be kept for tax and legal reasons, we do not retain any personal data. Antrix - March 2024

Our Services Antrix offers the following services/facilities to those in the Maidstone/Mid-Kent area of South-East England who may wish to visit us. Costumes & Accessories Antrix has around 2000 costumes for adults and children, plus several thousand additional accessories and props. At Antrix we go beyond the limited repertoire offered by many internet sites and shops, who have to accommodate 'sell-through' stock. Our collection has been lovingly added to, well beyond our 30 years in business, to provide a unique selection of items, which can be customised to match your needs. When you are looking for the right costume, it can take time to find it. We work on an appointment basis, thus giving you time to make your choices and the freedom of coming at a time to suit you. We do not open on Sundays, but are usually available from Mondays to Saturdays, including weekday evenings. We may not have as many costumes as some, but there is such a thing as having too much choice. After all, you can only wear one costume at a time, and you will know when you have found The One! ​ Hire Fees & Deposits ​​ Adult Costumes - Hire fees average £25 . A refundable £50 per costume security deposit (cash or cheque), is required. Unfortunately putting the deposit on card incurs an additional £2 fee as the deposit is refunded in cash Ch ildren's Costumes - Hire fees average £15 with a refundable deposit of £20 per costume As above, putting the deposit on card incurs an additional £2 fee. Full Terms & Conditions of Hire can be found here Character Extras At costumed events, it usually helps if people recognise who (or what) you are - saves you having to explain! However, sometimes the character may not be immediately obvious, so, where necessary, we can also offer Character Information sheets so you can be completely at ease with your adopted identity. In many cases we are able to provide extras to the costume which might give it an added dimension - visiting cards, badges, support literature, etc., thus helping you enhance the impression you make. If your character/costume needs make-up or face/body paint, although there are plenty of YouTube etc. sites offering 'how to' videos, we can provide the relevant charts and links to help you do the make-up. In view of the recent interest in Cruella de Vil, here's a page we prepared earlier. Aside from offering costumes, custom-made invitations, badges, etc., we also have a range of reference information specifically related to theme parties and events. Although these were initially designed for costume and party retailers, manufacturers and event organisers, they have also proved useful to school teachers and individuals, seeking information on specific topics. ​ ​ ​ In addition to renting out complete outfits, if the client already has the basis of a costume, we can often hire out individual accessories. We also have a wide range of accessories and props for sale. More information on Accessories ​​​​​​​ ​ ​ ​ We have our own badge machine and can provide round 58mm badges with 'safety' fastening. There is no minimum order and we can also offer a one-off customised badge service, for when you need to get a specific message across. We also have a range of pre-printed badges for sale. ​

'Bobbed' styles became popular during the 1920s as young women cut their hair for a more andrgenous look. Coloured styles like these are most popular for fun or futuristic looks A variation on the Bob is this China Doll style This black cheerleader style is also often used for Cleopatra The slightly longer wgs below are usually known as Cheerleader styles

​ James Bond films are not what they were in terms of costuming opportunities, but here's our collection from films of the past... For those stuck with a Bond event, but not wanting to take it too seriously, you could always try depicting the name of a Bond film. Our Blog archive has some suggestions

Cartoons and animated characters have always been popular, initially due to Disney and Pixar, but the field has widened greatly. As a general rule, we do not have Manga and Anime characters, and you would be better sourcing these online from specialist firms Simpsons masks do not have costumes

April 23rd, aside from being the National Day of England, is the day on which we celebrate the gallant dragon-slaying St George (who never actually came to this country but helped inspire our lads in the crusades in the Holy Land). It is also the claimed date upon which William Shakespeare, well-known English playwright, was both born and died. Further patriotic outfits can be found using the link below

Masquerade covers a wide spectrum of costumes and ideas, from the grandiose celebrations for which Venice is famed, the grand masked balls of Georgian/Regency times and populist Carnivals, especially Mardi Gras, celebrated around the world prior to Lent. A Masquerade is predominantly about pretending to be something that you are not. Whether you do this by wearing a costume and a true mask, or alternatively a mask of make-up, the Masquerade offers an opportunity to act 'out of oneself' with a degree of anonymity (rather like fancy dress generally). We have special pages covering Venetian Carnival here and Mardi Gras here , but this page covers a few more general suggestions, plus details of the characters of the Halequinade, forerunner to the British concept of Pantomime. This is a selection of the masks currently in stock. We do not have multiples, so please check availability before travelling. The various mask types are explained below Masks 101 (Basics) Masks come in various types, some of which may not always be a practical option if you are going to a party. There are a good number of costumes that feature a mask as part of the outfit - notably superheroes/heroines (who usually use eye-masks of some sort), but in other situations such as a Masked Ball or Mardi Gras, the mask may be the central point of the disguise. For the purposes of most Masquerades, the following styles work best. NOTE: The majority of masks we stock (except for some of the full overhead type) are only available for sale. ​ Simple Domino Masks Plain eye-masks in a range of colours & styles, suitable for Superheroes/heroines, Highwaymen and Masked Balls. Venetian-style A popular and colourful choice, either based on the slightly more elaborate domino style of eye-mask, or upon replicas of the classic styles of Venice, such as the beak-like 'Doctor' or Loki mask, or the Harlequin.Purple/Black. A further consideration with Venetian-style masks is how you 'wear' them. Most traditional (but least convenient) is the lorgnette mask on a stick as you need a hand free to hold it to your face.. More practical are ribbon-ties or elastic and other masks come with headbands or are based on a spectacle frame. ​ Other Types of Mask ​ Overhead There are undoubtedly some excellent overhead masks on the market. They may be especially useful when it comes to Movie Star or Character parties, where one wants to capture a likeness. The problem is that almost all overhead masks can limit the ability to see, eat, drink and talk (perhaps even breathe comfortably) and, of course, as soon as one takes the mask off, the likeness is lost. ​ The Half-Face A compromise solution to the issues raised for full overhead masks - the mask does not have to be held, but the wearer can still use his/her lower face for the important functions of eating and speaking . ​ Celebrity & Character Face-Masks We have an ever-changing range of these popular celebrity masks available for sale. Although usually made of card, they can be surprisingly effective. Again, we have limited stocks and it is first come, first served. ​ Face-Bop Animal Masks Designed not to obstruct the eyes and mouth (and therefore suitable for children), some of these make the appropriate animal sound, when the nose is pressed! ​ Make-up as a Mask In some cases, the alternative to a mask is a mask-like make-up, especially for animal costumes, although some animals, such as horses, can be a challenge to create on a human face. This option has the advantage of allowing you to eat, drink, speak etc. without hindrance and in many cases, people may not recognise you behind the make-up anyway. At Antrix we offer a range of make-up charts, plus make-up for sale for you to do-it-yourself, although in many cases, existing cosmetic resources may be sufficient. Also, there are a wide range of online tutorials on YouTube, Tik-Tok and the like to help you get creative. The concept of Masquerade is much influences by the Italian Commedia dell'Arte tradition of the Harlequinade, a fore-runner to the British tradition of Pantomime. It features these main Characters: Clown:- The clown is still with us and nowadays uses make-up as his/her mask, usually starting with a blank white canvas in order to re-draw or exaggerate features. In the harlequinade, he derived from the comedy servant character Zanni (short-form of Giovanni and origin of the word 'zany') and usually used a mask and colourful clothes, to counterpoint the romantic adventures of Harlequin and Columbine, with comedy routines. He has a counterpart in French Pantomime tradition in Pierrot, an idealised white-face clown in a simple black or white costume. Columbine: - The name means 'dovelike' and she is the sweetheart of Harlequin. Her costume is hence simple but feminine, often mirroring the diamond-check of her beau, and often features a conical hat in addition to her mask. Devil: - Whilst not featuring directly in the Harlequinade, the word 'harlequin' has indeterminate roots, many associated with Hell (and thence the Devil): 'Hellecin' (Anglo-Saxon - 'Infernal race'), Erl-Konig (Scandanavian .- King of Elves) and Dante calls Alichino a devil of Hell. In addition, elements of the fight between Good and Evil were often present in the stories and hence the devil features in Masquerade as being the villain, a master of deceit and disguise (besides which, it's a popular costume!). (Also the black horned mask, often worn, is a bit of a giveaway). Fairy Godmother: - In counterpoint, the Fairy Godmother-cum-Guardian Angel did feature as the Good Fairy who made everything right when all seemed lost (a direct derivation from the 'Deus ex Machina' of Greek & Roman theatre). In her later incarnation in Pantomime, she is not above disguising herself as a beggar or old woman to test the worthiness of her potential beneficiaries. Harlequin- Hero of the Harlequinade (but note the comments on the Harlequin as Devil). He wears a simple costume, featuring diamond-pattern one-piece bodysuit (multi-coloured to reflect the colours of spring, or two-colour, as available), black bicorne hat, plus the traditional black mask. Pantaloon :- Dressed in loose top, namesake baggy trousers and slippers (plus maskl), a foolish 16C Venetian character, father of Columbine and portrayed in the Harlequinade as the butt of the Clown's jokes - the original fall-guy!

Merlin A/C 0492 Michael Myers (Friday 13th) A/C 1585 Millennium Warrior (Valkyrie) A/C 0479 Midnight Priestess A/C 0890 Minister of Death A/C 0981 Mistress of Darkness A/C 0019 Mistress of the Night A/C 1331 Midnight Fairy A/C 1199 & A/C 1200 Mistress of the Web A/C 0503 Monk A/C 0052 Monk A/C 0048 Mummy (Male) A/C 1737 Mummy (Egyptian Queen) A/C 1468 Morticia (Lycra) A/C 0020 Morticia (Light) A/C 0611 Mummy (Egyptian Queen) A/C 0696 Morticia (Velvet) A/C 0021

1920s - Post First World War, and the era of the Flapper, the Gangster and The Great Gatsby. Other Eras of the the 20th Century Edwardians 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s

'Black Tie' or the wider 'Black & White' crops up as a regular New Year's Eve theme. Here are a few suggestions from our Black and White costume collection (though not all for formal occasions).

Antrix offers a wide range of hire costumes on a diverse selection of themes. Here are a few examples for some popular themes.. The front/Home page of this site offers a link to a full A-Z of other popular themes (and others), but in case you missed the link, here it is in a different form. It may sometimes seem cheaper to buy than to hire, but usually the quality of a purchased costume is not as high as a hire outfit, and you may find you have to accessorise the basic outfit to get the required look. Hiring from us, you usually get everything you need. We offer a friendly, knowledgeable service in a non-shop environment. Payment is preferably by cash or cheques so we can keep costs down and continue to hire quality costumes at a good price. We can take debit and credit cards but their use for the refundable deposit incurs a £2.00 fee..