You've made your character. You've read up on what to expect. You know the rules. Now you're staring at your closet the night before your first game and wondering: what do I actually wear to this thing?
The good news is that Vampire LARP costuming doesn't require a trip to a costume shop or a degree in fashion design. The bad news is that "just wear whatever" is advice that will leave you feeling out of place in a room full of people who look like they belong in a gothic nightclub. Let's find the middle ground.
The Golden Rule: Dress Like Your Character, Not Like a Costume
The biggest mistake new LARPers make with costuming is treating it like Halloween. They show up in a full cape, plastic fangs, and a velvet vest they bought at a party store. It reads as a costume, not a character.
Vampire: the Masquerade characters are people who exist in the modern world. They go to bars. They attend business meetings. They walk through city streets without drawing attention. The Masquerade exists because vampires need to blend in. Your wardrobe should reflect that.
Think of it this way: what would your character actually wear on a night out? That's your costume.
Start With What You Own
You probably already have most of what you need. Vampire LARP costuming leans heavily on real-world fashion pushed slightly toward the dramatic. Here's how different character archetypes tend to dress:
The political operator. Dark suits, dress shirts, fitted blazers. Think "someone who shows up to a city council meeting looking like they own the building." You don't need an expensive suit. A dark blazer over a button-down with dark pants goes a long way. Thrift stores are your best friend here.
The street-level Anarch. Leather jackets, band shirts, boots, jeans. Punk and biker aesthetics work well. Layer things up. A worn jacket with patches or pins tells a story about your character without you saying a word.
The old-world elder. More formal, slightly anachronistic. Think classic tailoring with small touches that feel out of time. A waistcoat, a pocket watch, an antique brooch. You're not wearing a Renaissance fair outfit, you're wearing modern clothes with details that suggest someone who learned to dress in a different century.
The predator. Sleek, attractive, deliberate. Whatever your character uses to draw in prey. This could be club wear, high fashion, or the kind of effortless cool that makes people look twice. Dress the way your character hunts.
The scholar or occultist. Layers, earth tones, interesting textures. Scarves, long coats, rings and pendants. The aesthetic of someone who spends more time in libraries and ritual chambers than in nightclubs.
The nobody. Some characters are deliberately unremarkable. A forgettable face in plain clothes is its own kind of costume. If your Nosferatu or your low-profile information broker is supposed to fade into the background, dress like someone no one would remember seeing.
The Basics That Always Work
If you're not sure where to start, these fundamentals will get you through any Vampire LARP looking like you belong:
Wear dark colors. Black is the obvious choice, but deep reds, charcoal grays, dark blues, and burgundy all work. Vampires are creatures of the night. Your wardrobe should reflect that without making you look like you're attending a funeral.
Layer up. A jacket, vest, or coat over your base outfit instantly adds depth. It also gives you something to take off or put on during the session if the venue temperature changes, which it will when you pack a room full of people.
Pick one signature piece. A distinctive ring. A specific jacket. A necklace. An interesting hat. One item that becomes associated with your character. When people think of your character, they should picture that piece. It anchors your look and makes your character visually memorable without requiring a full costume.
Wear comfortable shoes. You're going to be on your feet for hours. Standing, walking, crossing the room for whispered conversations. Do not sacrifice comfort for style. Dark boots, dress shoes you've broken in, or anything that looks good and won't have you limping by hour two. This is the most practical advice in this entire post.
Clan-Specific Inspiration
Your clan says something about your character's origins and culture. It doesn't dictate your wardrobe, but it can inspire it:
Brujah: Punk, activist, biker, or working-class aesthetics. Leather, denim, combat boots.
Gangrel: Rugged and practical. Think someone who spends time outdoors and doesn't care about fashion trends. Functional layers, earth tones, weathered textures.
Malkavian: Anything that feels slightly off. Maybe the outfit is perfectly assembled except for one jarring element. Maybe it's completely mismatched but somehow intentional. Let your character's fractured perception show in small details.
Nosferatu: If you're playing a Nosferatu who hides among mortals, dress to be forgettable. Hoodies, plain clothes, things that help you disappear. If your chronicle uses makeup or prosthetics for the Nosferatu curse, talk to your Storyteller about what's expected.
Toreador: Fashion-forward. Whatever the current trend is, a Toreador is wearing it or has already moved past it. This is the clan where you can go all out on style.
Tremere: Academic, precise, deliberate. Structured clothing, clean lines, dark jewel tones. The aesthetic of someone who treats their appearance as carefully as their research.
Ventrue: Power dressing. The best suit in the room. Expensive-looking accessories (they don't have to actually be expensive). Everything tailored, everything intentional. A Ventrue looks like money even when they're dressed casually.
Lasombra: Similar to Ventrue in polish, but with a darker, more predatory edge. Think corporate raider meets cathedral shadow.
Ministry (Followers of Set): Warm colors, gold jewelry, flowing fabrics. An aesthetic that's inviting and slightly exotic. They want you to come closer.
Hecata: Formal with a funereal undertone. Dark suits, mourning jewelry, antique pieces. The family that treats death as a business.
Banu Haqim: Clean, functional, understated. Nothing flashy, nothing wasted. The clothing of someone who values purpose over appearance.
Ravnos: Eclectic, traveled, layered with pieces from different places and eras. The wardrobe of someone who's been everywhere and kept a souvenir from each stop.
Salubri: Understated and gentle. Soft colors amid the sea of black. A Salubri might be the only person in the room who doesn't look like they're trying to intimidate someone.
Thin-Bloods: Whatever they wore when they were alive. Thin-Bloods are often recent, accidental Embraces. They might not even know there's a dress code. Everyday street clothes are perfectly appropriate.
Caitiff: Like Thin-Bloods, Caitiff don't have a clan culture to draw from. Their wardrobe is purely personal. Dress based on who your character is, not what clan they belong to, because they don't have one.
Costuming on a Budget
You don't need to spend a lot of money to look good at a LARP. Most veteran LARPers built their wardrobes over time, one thrift store find at a time.
Thrift stores and secondhand shops. This is where most LARP costuming comes from. You can find blazers, dress shirts, interesting jewelry, leather jackets, and boots for a fraction of retail price. Hit a few different stores because inventory varies wildly.
Your friends' closets. Borrow before you buy. Someone in your play group probably has a jacket or shirt that would work for your character. LARP communities tend to be generous with wardrobe loans, especially for new players.
Accessories over outfits. A $5 ring from a thrift store and a $10 scarf can transform a plain outfit into a character. You don't need a new wardrobe. You need a few deliberate additions to the clothes you already own.
Build over time. Your first game outfit doesn't need to be your final form. Start with what you have, add one or two pieces, and build your character's look over the course of several sessions. Your wardrobe will grow with your character.
What Not to Wear
A few things to avoid:
Actual weapons or weapon-like accessories. Most LARP communities, including Cities of Darkness, prohibit real weapons and realistic weapon props at events. Leave the decorative sword at home. Check your chronicle's specific policies on prop weapons before bringing anything.
Anything that restricts your movement. If you can't sit down, walk comfortably, or gesture freely, it's going to be a long night. LARP is an active hobby. You need to move.
Full theatrical makeup (unless your chronicle expects it). Some chronicles use makeup for certain clans like Nosferatu. Most don't require it for general play. If you're unsure, ask your Storyteller before spending an hour on prosthetics.
Anything you'd be devastated to damage. LARP venues can be unpredictable. Drinks get spilled, chairs snag fabric, and you might end up sitting on a dusty floor for an intense scene. Wear things you like, not things you'd cry over staining.
Costuming Is Character Development
Here's the thing that experienced LARPers understand: your costume isn't decoration. It's characterization. The way your character dresses tells other players who they are before you say a single word in-character. A player in a sharp suit and gold cufflinks is going to be treated differently than a player in a battered leather jacket and boots, and both of them are going to be treated differently than someone in a plain hoodie trying not to be noticed.
Your wardrobe is your character's first impression. Make it intentional, even if it's simple.
As you get more comfortable, you'll find yourself shopping with your character in mind. "My character would wear this" becomes a real thought you have in a store, and that's when you know the hobby has you.
Ready to Play?
If you're building a character for the Cities of Darkness network, you can start at citiesofdarkness.com. Our character creation tools walk you through the process, and if you need help figuring out what your character would wear, the community Discord is full of players who love talking about costuming. Check out our guide on how to make a Vampire: the Masquerade LARP character to get started with the mechanical side, then come back here for the wardrobe.
Cities of Darkness is a fan-run chronicle network using Laws of the Night V5 by By Night Studios.
Cities of Darkness material is not official World of Darkness material. Portions of the materials are the copyrights and trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB, and are used with permission. All rights reserved. For more information please visit worldofdarkness.com.