How to Make a Circus-Themed Costume
The circus provides endless inspiration for costumes of all kinds. If you're hosting a Halloween or costume party, consider making it a circus-themed event. Decorate in the red and white colors of the tent and serve circus-themed foods, such as peanuts, hot dogs and cotton candy. Party guests can costume themselves as the many characters that make up a circus, from the ringmaster to strong men and clowns. With a little imagination and creative shopping, anyone can quickly put together a classic circus costume. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tuxedo jacket with tails
- White dress shirt
- Colorful satin scarf
- Black pants and knee high boots
- Top hat and whip
- Long-sleeved T-shirt
- Bag of pillow stuffing
- Wrestling unitard
- Over-sized suit
- Long tie or bow tie
- Clown shoes
- Old hat
- White pancake makeup
- Cosmetic application sponge
- Colored grease pencils
Instructions
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Ringmaster
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1
Purchase a tuxedo jacket with tails in a secondhand clothing store. Black is acceptable, but a bright color such as red is preferable.
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2
Wear a white dress shirt beneath the tuxedo jacket. Leave the top button of the shirt undone and tie the satin scarf around the neck to create the ringmaster's ascot. Tuck the ends into the shirt and fasten the final button.
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3
Tuck the white dress shirt into black dress pants. Pull the black, knee-high boots on and tuck the legs of the pants down into the boots. Don the top hat and carry the whip to finish off the ringmaster look.
Strong Man
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4
Dress in a long-sleeved T-shirt fitted snugly to the body, such as a cotton undershirt. Pick a shirt as close to your natural skin tone as possible.
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5
Pull handfuls of pillow stuffing out of the bag and wad them into the shapes of large muscles. Place the stuffing inside the shirt on the shoulders, on the upper arms and on the chest. Make the stuffing muscles as comically large as possible.
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6
Put on the wrestling unitard. Slide the two straps up over the shirt, taking care not to disturb the stuffing. The straps will help hold the shirt and stuffing in place.
Clown
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7
Find an old suit at home or in a thrift store -- the more beat up and oversized, the better. Feel free to mix and match suit pieces, and wear striped pants with a plaid jacket. Wear a button-down shirt underneath the suit.
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8
Wear an oversized tie or a bow tie in a colorful pattern, such as polka dots. Pair the look with men's dress shoes that are a few sizes too big, or purchase plastic clown shoes at a costume shop. Top off the look with a beat-up hat.
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9
Apply white pancake makeup all over the face, stopping along the jawline and chin. Use a cosmetic sponge to apply a thin, even coat. Draw clown features with greasepaint pencils -- smear red around the mouth, or black triangles around the eyes.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Anyone applying clown makeup for the first time may want to practice a couple times before the actual event.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
