How to Make a St. Patrick's Day Suit

There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but nothing shows how much you enjoy the day like wearing your own custom-made suit. Unless you thought about the holiday well in advance and bought something, chances are you will need to make your own outfit.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Black pants with wide legs
• Extra-large green jacket
• Construction paper
• Large green bandana
• Felt (for craft projects or sewing kits)
• Large buttons
• White socks

1. Find a pair of black pants that are loose on you. Something two sizes bigger than you regularly wear should do the trick. Wear a belt to keep the pants from falling down, but let them hang as loose as possible. At the ankles, pin down the pants around the seam so they taper and become pencil thin.

2. Wear a jacket (the brighter, the better) that fits very loosely. The jacket should be long enough to hide the belt and should reach mid-thigh, if possible. You can wear a black belt over the jacket or simply sew a few extra-large buttons on the front for a nice effect.

3. Combine green socks with regular shoes. Use the construction paper or felt to make Leprechaun shoes by using pins to secure the paper or felt around your real shoes. You can also find special patterns online to sew your own St. Patrick's Day shoes, although this requires more skill and time commitment.

4. Tie a bandana around your neck and let it hang on the front like a tie. If the jacket is too open, you can wear a white shirt or a green vest underneath. Always contrast the color of the shirt with the bandana so you can see the difference.

5. Make your own green shamrock hat with construction paper or buy a plastic one at a party supply store, and then decorate it to match your St. Patrick's Day costume. Simply drawing a shamrock on it with permanent marker can make a world of difference.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget accessories. Add a wig or special make-up to make the whole setup even more impressive. Don't overdo it, though, especially if you are taking to the streets.
• If you have a hard time making your own shoes, simply wear classic black ones.
• You can replace long black pants for short (to the knee) green ones, especially if they are made of felt or another soft, thick material. Wear short pants with suspenders for a stronger suit effect.