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Costume Advice

TRACK AND TRACE ROLES

(Detectives, Investigators, Bounty Hunters, Private Eyes, Crime Scene Specialists, and yes—Assassins moonlighting as “problem solvers”)

The Track & Trace crew doesn’t miss a clue. Whether licensed, rogue, or just dangerously curious, these characters ask questions no one wants to answer and have access to files no one should read. Expect trench coats, notebooks, and the strong possibility that someone knows too much.

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EXAMPLE LOOKS OF TRACK AND TRACE COSTUMES.

TYPES OF MURDER MYSTERY PARTY CHARACTERS

Who Falls into the Track and Trace Crowd?

  • Classic Detective (Hardboiled or Noir) – Wears their trench coat like a second skin. Drinks coffee like it’s an alibi.

  • Private Investigator (PI) – Works alone. Talks in metaphors. Keeps a flask in one pocket and a loaded question in the other.

  • Police Detective / Homicide Specialist – Badge, bullet journal, and chronic eye bags.

  • Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) – Lab coat, gloves, and an obsession with luminol. Possibly unsettling.

  • Bounty Hunter – Rough around the edges. Always chasing someone, usually unpaid. May or may not follow the law.

  • Freelance Assassin “with principles” – Efficient, subtle, and far too calm about bloodstains. This assassin wants to blend in, so it often looks like a spy/detective. 

  • Interrogator / Profiler – Can read your backstory from your shoes. Disarmingly polite. Dangerous smile.

Classic Aesthetic

What You Might Have in Your Closet

Classic Detective Look:

  • Long trench coat or pea coat

  • Button-up shirt or turtleneck

  • Trousers or slacks, preferably a little wrinkled

  • Scuffed dress shoes or oxfords

  • Fedora or wide-brimmed hat (bonus points for dramatic tipping)

Modern PI or Bounty Hunter Look:

  • Leather or bomber jacket

  • Dark jeans or tactical pants

  • Henley shirt or hoodie under a coat

  • Combat boots or work boots

  • Fingerless gloves, heavy belt, maybe a bandolier of gadgets

CSI / Forensic Expert Look:

  • Lab coat or windbreaker labeled “Forensics Unit”

  • Blue latex gloves tucked in pocket

  • Cargo pants and sensible shoes

  • Fake evidence bags (snack bags work!)

  • UV flashlight or camera

Assassin (undercover type):

  • Sleek black outfit, tailored jacket, polished shoes

  • Minimalist—clean lines, neutral colors, no logos

  • Gloves and a watch with a mysterious blinking light

  • If you dress as an “assassin pretending to be a detective,” carry an obviously fake badge and zero credentials

Hair and Makeup

Go subtle but specific.
Detectives: under-eye circles, five o'clock shadow, maybe a bandage or scar.
Forensics: neat ponytail or bun, glasses, surgical precision.
Bounty hunters: messy hair, dust, scrapes—like you just got dragged through a warehouse and still won.
Assassins: flawless. Or flawlessly forgettable.

Add dirt, bruises, or a stitched-up look with makeup to sell the “I’ve been through things” energy.

Accessories

  • Notebooks with scribbled observations: “Nervous. Lied about the timeline. Must check fingerprints.”

  • Fake badge, magnifying glass, or fingerprint brush

  • Rolled-up blueprints, crime scene photos, or red-string diagrams

  • Recorder or fake mic to "record statements" mid-party

  • A manila envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL (bonus: stuff it with ominous clues from your last investigation/target or ridiculous doodles)

  • A walkie-talkie or headset that you whisper into randomly

  • Fake case file from long ago: include party guest names, suspicious traits, and “prior offenses” like stealing a deviled egg at 7:42 PM

Character and Roleplaying Tips

Voice & Speech:

  • Classic detective? Use noir narration. “The dame walked in like a riddle with legs and bad intentions.”

  • PI? Gruff, short sentences, snide remarks.

  • CSI? Clinical precision. Long words. Unsettling metaphors.

  • Profiler? Calm, slow, and unsettlingly accurate.

  • Assassin? Brief. Polite. Terrifyingly indifferent.

Behavioral Quirks:

  • Constantly take notes, then scribble them out.

  • Interview people uncomfortably close. “Where were you during the hors d’oeuvres?”

  • Smell the air and say, “Smells like guilt. And shrimp.”

  • Narrate your actions aloud for no reason: “Subject’s hands shaking. Avoids eye contact. Hiding something… probably the olives.”

  • Pretend to be casually taking fingerprints off wine glasses.

Bonus Touches

  • Drop cryptic one-liners like:
    “The truth always leaks—usually in red.”
    “They said it was an accident. They always say that.”
    “You think this is my first crime scene? This isn’t even my first one today.”

  • Carry a small evidence bag labeled “Clue A: Broken Trust” and dramatically pull it out whenever someone lies.

  • Have an old mug labeled “#1 Snitch” or “World’s Okayest Sleuth”

  • Show people a blurry Polaroid and ask, “Do you recognize this person?” even if it's just a cat in a trench coat. Say it's another case/target you're tracking.

The Track & Trace collective brings suspense, dry wit, and just enough mystery to make everyone paranoid. You could solve the crime... or you might be the one who set it all in motion. Either way, people will be watching you—closely. Just the way you like it.

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© 2006. My Mystery Party, LLC. All rights reserved. Games created by Dr. Bon Blossman.

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