How to Make a Mad Hatter Costume

Thanks to the enduring power of idiomatic phrases (and Lewis Carroll), many of us still know what "mad as a hatter" means. The Mad Hatter in "Alice in Wonderland" can provide the inspiration for an easy costume to make.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Get the hat. The Hatter's haberdashery is often drawn as being oversized in relation to the diminutive figure of the Hatter; he's almost lost in his hat. A good costume would include a frayed, oversized top-hat.

2. Add a 3x5 card to the hat band. The Mad Hatter had a paper stuck into his hat with the cryptic slogan "10/6." It's not some secret code: the numbers refer to the cost of a hat in contemporary London.

3. Get novelty teeth. The Hatter is commonly drawn has a big overbite. You can get this effect with a rubber plate on your upper teeth.

4. Get loud clothes. The Hatter's clothes are mismatched and brightly colored to reflect his eccentricity. Pants with loud checks and a purple jacket are good mismatches.

5. Don't forget the tie. The Mad Hatter is often shown wearing a BIG colored bow-tie and a BIG white collar. These accessories will authenticate your costume.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a look at the Mad Hatter's famous "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat" monologue in "Alice in Wonderland" to get an idea of how the character speaks. Also take a shot at a funny British accent.

Resources

• Illustration: the Mad Hatter holding forth.
• Alice and History.