Accentuate Your Costume With Murder Mystery Accessories:
If you want to be a hit at your next murder mystery game, accentuate your costume with murder mystery accessories. Accessorizing for your part can be one of the most entertaining components of creating a character for any murder mystery game. Now, if you’re playing a bloodthirsty pirate that strings up the entrails of his enemies on the mast to strike fear into anyone who would dare oppose him, I wouldn’t recommend accessorizing with a pink purse. A vicious-looking blunderbuss would be a much more apt choice, and can really make your portrayal come to life. Maybe throw in a blood-caked rapier at your side and an eye patch that’s as dark as the night. You know, the kind of eyepatch that covers an eye that has seen the unspeakable atrocities committed at your hands. Accessorizing for any murder mystery character is one of the best ways to get into your part. As to how said items will manifest, that is entirely up to you. Items can be the first step in shaping your portrayal. Maybe this scurvy pirate is more than they appear on the surface.
A flask and shades can make an instant hardboiled detective.
Maybe aforementioned bloodthirsty pirate isn’t what he seems on the surface. Maybe they were forced into a life of piracy when their fancy tailor shop burnt down. Perhaps their terrifying visage is simply a cover? They always have the finest hand-knitted kerchiefs on their neck and are always wearing elegant silk longjohns under their rugged tattered overcoat. They might be a brute on the outside and a sexy, well-dressed buccaneer underneath. Just make sure not to bloody your fine filigree when you’re decorating the bow of your ship with entrails.
Small accessories that may seem silly sometimes can help individuals get into their character more than they ever thought. If you’re playing a mentally unstable engineer, why not find yourself a drafting compass? What if you’re portraying a doctor trying to stop the world’s next great pandemic in Pandemic Murder Mystery? Find a little stethoscope to hang around your neck and — pow, instant doctor! Not only will these small accessories that you’ve gathered along the way add flavor to your part, but they can help craft ambiance for other players as well and help everyone get more into the game.
Personal Accessories:
So far I’ve only been talking about accoutrements that you carry around with you, but I’d also like to mention personal accessories that can go a long way to increasing the ambiance of your character. Something as silly as a fake mustache can make you feel the part. Beyond adding things like fake facial hair, if you grow your own facial hair why not try a new style specifically for your part? Maybe bling out your character’s aesthetic with a little bit of makeup. Maybe when you’re playing Celebrity Mixer Party, you decide to affix a stylish mole on the side of your cheek as a beauty mark. If you’re playing a character that’s older than you are, why not put a dash of white in your hair? If you have light hair, throwing some mascara on your eyebrows can drastically alter your appearance with minimal effort. If you want to go even further with cosmetics, you could even delve into the realm of adding in fake tattoos or working with henna. Using different jewelry as well can add a bunch of personality to your character. Even if you don’t have pierced ears you can easily find clip-on or magnetic earrings that will change your aesthetic. Necklaces, rings, and bracelets are all excellent choices if they feel appropriate for your character.
Ski goggles and a scarf can make an quick ski bum.
Wig It Up:
After you have your first few murder mysteries under your belt you might find out very quickly that one of the best ways to change your character is to wig it up. Maybe as a mostly bald man I’m slightly biased, but I enjoy wearing wigs. Not only does it make me feel like I have hair again, but it is an amazing way to feel like your character. Wigs can change your appearance more than almost anything else. Pretty much regardless of which character you’re playing, putting on a wig is an excellent idea to shake things up. From a more tactical perspective, putting on a wig can sometimes throw your friends off and get them to potentially divulge secrets that they normally wouldn’t. You sneaky bastard! The best part about wigs is that you can get them for relatively cheap anymore as long as you’re not looking for real human hair or some kind of crazy high-quality wig. If you’re fine settling with a run-of-the-mill plastic drape on your head, get yourself online or to the local party store and find a wig right away! You won’t regret it. If you are going the wig route, do yourself a favor. If you do have hair, unlike me, make sure to purchase a wig cap to keep your actual hair under wraps.
Where to Get Murder Mystery Accessories:
One of the best stops you can make for murder mystery accessories is at your local thrift store. Not only will you save some money on your accessorizing, but I’ve found in the past that you can find truly high-quality items at thrift stores. Thrift stores provide an especially bountiful selection of antiquated props and accessories. If you prefer to do your shopping comfortably seated in your home, you can always resort to online retailers. While I won’t go supporting anyone specifically, I would be remiss as to not mention a certain company named after a certain river in South America that happens to provide some of the cheapest and best murder mystery accoutrements I’ve ever seen. As far as specific companies or providers for wigs or facial hair, I can’t really recommend any particular brands. Since all of my murder mysteries have been online over the last year, I haven’t been looking for the highest quality fake hair pieces since I know my webcam isn’t going to do them justice anyway. There’s absolutely no shame in snagging super cheap dollar store fake facial hair and slapping it on your face right before the murder mystery starts. Procuring some cheap dollar jewelry and plastic doodads can quickly make you look like a “wealthy” celebrity. I mean who’s gonna know those pearls are fake when they’re just seeing them over a computer screen?
When all else fails, make your own costume and accessories!
Liquid Accoutrements:
As I’ve mentioned before in previous articles and as is mentioned in many of our games, liquid accoutrements are one of the best accessories that any character or player can ever have. I’ll start with the typical caveat: do not imbibe alcoholic beverages if you are underage and it is illegal for you to do so in your location of residence. That being said, if you are of legal drinking age, get yourself some booze to go along with your character. If you’re playing the aforementioned bloodthirsty pirate, get yourself a bottle of rum! If you’re playing a scientist trying to cure the world of the next pandemic, grab yourself a sparkling alcoholic seltzer (you’ve got to stay somewhat lucid in order to save the world). If you’re a deranged architect trying to murder people in death houses, get yourself some grappa. Everyone knows that insane architects drink grappa, duh. Whichever Dastardly Deeds Murder Mysteries game you’re playing, there is a beverage that is appropriate for your character. Heck, Celebrity Mixer Party comes with a suggested beverage in every character sheet! Just make sure you don’t drink so much that you can’t portray your character. Check out our article on How Much Should You Drink During a Murder Mystery if you’re wondering how much is too much. Even if you are not of legal drinking age, a non-alcoholic beverage is an absolute must to wet your whistle while you play the game.
I am only scratching the surface of the potential accessories you can add to bring your murder mystery characters to life. You have the opportunity to make every single Dastardly Deeds Murder Mysteries character your own. Feel free to embellish yourself in whatever way you see is fitting with your backstory. Whether you need face tattoos, way too much blush, or maybe even a fake beard, the accessory choices are up to you. You have the tools and you have the knowledge now get out there and murder the competition. Not literally, please.
