How to Dress Like Charlie Chaplin in the Tramp
Charles Chaplin is one of the most well-known comedic stars in cinematic history. Born Charles Chaplin in London, England, he had been performing since he was a child, doing acrobatics and physical comedy. When Chaplin came to America, he became the poster child for the silent film era. He acted, directed and produced the majority of his films. His most prominent character was the “Tramp.” In 1915, Chaplin starred in the film of the same name. The Tramp was a unlucky street dweller, who dressed as a man of dignity.
- Difficulty:
- Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Suit jacket
- Baggy trousers
- Floppy dress shoes
- Bamboo cane
- Foundation make up
- Eyeliner
- Powder
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1
Makeup
Start in black and white. Chaplin had to wear a good amount of makeup to get the face of the Tramp right. Start with a matte foundation on your face. Use a translucent powder and brush it all over your face. Take a black eyeliner pencil and draw in your eyebrows so that they are thick and black. Also use the pencil to line the bottom and top lid of your eyes. Last but not least, you need the press-on mustache. It looks like a push broom or the bristles of a toothbrush.
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2
Get the top hat. The kind of hat the Tramp wore was called a bowler hat, or derby. A black bowler hat can be found at any men’s suit or department store. Check the thrift stores, too.
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3
Find a jacket that's too small. The suit jacket the Tramp wore was a size or two too small. That’s why the buttons always looked as if they were going to pop at any minute. The suit jacket is black, dusty and ragged. It sits at the waist and buttons in the center.
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4
Baggy pants are the way to go. The pants worn by Chaplin were dark, loose trousers and they were a good contrast to the jacket because instead of being too small, they were too big. When looking for these pants, note that they should be baggy in the waist and hips. Don’t attempt to use a belt to compensate. Use suspenders, which can be hidden underneath the jacket.
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5
Find floppy shoes and perfect the awkward stance. The Tramp wore shoes that were too big for his feet. They were old dress shoes that were beat up and floppy. These can be found at any thrift store. Just make sure you scuff them up nicely before wearing them.
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6
Bamboo cane
Add a gentleman’s touch. Finish off your outfit with one more item of irony--a cane. To be more specific Chaplin used a bamboo cane to walk with as the Tramp. The height of the cane should come up to the thigh, not the waist. This helped with accentuating the awkward walk the Tramp was known for.
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