How to Make a Mad Hatter Costume

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Last Updated: June 29, 2021

The Mad Hatter is an incredibly compelling character for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is his remarkable attire. If you're thinking about dressing up as the Mad Hatter for a costume party, for Halloween, or just for fun, it's easy enough to make a costume on your own. The Mad Hatter's attire is really just formal wear gone awry.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Your Mad Hatter Hat

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1
Gather your supplies. You'll need construction paper, a large foam block, some funky fabric, stiff wire, sewing tools, scissors, and glue.
- Funky fabric should be some sort of fabric with an interesting or psychedelic design. Vintage pillow cases or drapes are good options here. You will only need about two square feet of fabric to cover your hat. ^{[1]
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- Try to buy an old piece of fabric that has pinstripes or strange colors. This would match the Mad Hatter's look. You can even cut up an old shirt you find at a thrift store, or a curtain.
2
Measure the circumference of your head. You need to know this in order to make a hat that will actually fit you. ^{[2]
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- Use a cloth tape measure to measure your head. You may need someone to help you.
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3
Cut a piece of thick paper. The paper should be ten inches in height and the width should be the same as the circumference of your head. Now securely tape the two ends of the piece of paper together to form a large cylinder.
- You can use multiple pieces of paper if one piece isn't large enough to cover your whole head.
The radius is the distance from a center of a circle to its outer edge. It doesn't have to be exact, just try to draw the best circle that you can. Cut it out with your scissors or a utility knife. It shouldn't be more than one or two inches thick.
The foam circle should be slightly larger than your paper cylinder, which will help to give the hat a Mad Hatter look. Try to center the cylinder in the middle of the foam circle. The foam circle will form the top of the hat. Cut off any excess foam.
6
Cover the cylinder and foam circle with your fabric. ^{[3]
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Research source} You should cut the fabric into smaller pieces to make it more workable. Try to stretch the fabric tight to the hat and fold it inside the cylinder to give the hat a more realistic look. Glue the fabric in place. Make sure to cover all the white on the paper and the foam.
- Attach some lace to the brim of the hat if you want to add some depth.
The radius of your wire circle should be two to three inches larger than the radius of your cylinder. Now cut another large piece of fabric using your cylinder as an outline. Cut the cloth about three inches wider so that you are able to wrap it all the way around the wire circle.
Glue the fabric so that so that the majority of the cloth is hanging out the bottom in a circle.
You can also use pins to connect the wire circle to the paper cylinder, but it will be much less steady. Sewing is the best option. Once the wire is connected to the cylinder you'll have finished the brim of your hat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Your Mad Hatter Pants and Jacket

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Buy pinstripes if you can. You can choose a different color too, but make sure they look old and strange. The Mad Hatter's clothes were antiquated and interesting - that is part of the appeal. The more out of date your clothes look the better. Just don't buy anything that you aren't willing to damage.
If you couldn't find a pair of pants with pinstripes, use thin painter's tape to make your own pinstripes. ^{[4]
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Research source} Tear off long pieces of tape that run down the length of the pants or jacket and tape them on. This isn't a permanent solution but for a one night event it will do the trick.
3
Spray fabric spray paint in random areas on your clothing. If you bought purple pants and jacket, use a green spray-paint. Try to stick to dark colors. Black and white probably aren't the best bet for this costume. You want the spray paint to look slightly psychedelic and otherworldly. You can buy fabric spray paint online or at your local crafts store.
- Spray circles and color in larger portions of the jacket and pants using the fabric spray paint. This will give the impression that your clothing isn't sure what color it is. The spray paint is a major addition to your costume.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making Your Mad Hatter Spool Sash

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1
Buy ten or twelve colored spools of thread. You can buy these at a local craft store for relatively little money. Try to buy different colors for each spool. That will make the belt look cooler.
- Take the labels off your spools. The Mad Hatter wasn't buying his spools from a grocery store, so don't make it look like you did.
There are holes in the top and bottom of each spool, so run a piece of yarn throughout the spools. If you enter it through the bottom of one spool enter through the top of the next spool.
You can find old belts for little money at any thrift store. Now make four holes in a square right next to where you made the cut on both pieces of the belt. You need eight holes in total. You can use a hole puncher or a utility knife. Be careful.
Thread one end through four of the holes and the other end through the other four holes. You should run the thread through all four of the holes in such a way that you end up with a 'X' pattern. Once you've done that, tie the thread off and cut off any extra. The spools should be secured to the belt and you're ready to wear it.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Accessorizing Your Costume

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Try adding a ribbon and feathers to the top hat, or buttons, or really anything. Anything you can balance on that hat is fair game. ^{[5]
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You can use some red lipstick in a messy way to add more zany flavor to the costume. You could also use white face make up from a costume store to make your face paler. Consider using some blue, green, or purple mascara too. ^{[6]
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Thin riding or driving gloves are a good option, but remember the stranger the better.
An older wooden cane is another component of the Mad Hatter costume. You can order a plastic cane online or find one at a costume store, but you also might be able to find a more legitimate looking wooden cane at a thrift store.
Try to write in old antiqued font. Burning the edges is a good idea too. Glue this final accessory to your hat and you'll be done. ^{[7]
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How do I make the bow tie?

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I would recommend reading through wikiHow's article on making a bow tie for advice.

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Tips

Make sure you plan ahead of time. You'll need a chance to search through some thrift stores to find the correct clothing.

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