How to Create a Mad Scientist Costume

Costume parties are a lot of fun regardless of what age you are. Sometimes, however, inspiration doesn't hit and you can't think of anything fun to wear. A mad scientist outfit is a classic that will never grow old. The emphasis is on mad in this outfit. Think Flubber mixed with Einstein crossed with Dr. Strangelove and you'll know what you will look like when you're fitted.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fake Rats
• Eyeglasses
• Laboratory Coats
• Wigs
• Hot Glue Sticks
• Rubber Chickens
• Frankenstein Masks

1. Go for the bald cap from the costume shop. Yes, girls too. Another option is an inexpensive crazy scientist wig; make your own by purchasing a bathing cap and gluing on wild fabric hair.

2. Find old eyeglasses at the thrift store and pop out the lenses - heavy black frames or cat-eye frames are especially fun. Try gluing bottle caps, Band-Aids, rhinestones or little plastic thingamajigs onto the frame.

3. Affix a patch of fur for a mustache or pointy beard.

4. Get a white lab coat. Thrift stores, especially hospitals' thrift shops, often have them. If not, a big white dress shirt worn backward will do fine. Decorate it with food spills, equations, rips, scorch marks, funny pins and/or toxic spill labels.

5. Complete the look with business bottoms (who knows what a scientist wears under her lab coat?). Chinos, dark pants or a long skirt is fine, accompanied by any kind of funny shoes.

6. Deck out your scientist costume with pocket protectors or a million pens stuck right into the lab coat pockets. Pin notes, food and crazy rubber lizards to sleeves, back and shoulders.

Tips & Warnings

• The overall feeling here is eccentric, messy, funny and wild. Think pencils lost in the crazy hair, oversize glasses, big burn marks on the pants - that kind of thing.
• Shop only at garage sales and thrift stores so you can mess everything up. Party supply stores can help you enhance that crazed feeling with little plastic extras like feathers, oversize rubber pencils, rubber chickens and more.
• Nuttiness is addictive. Ignore all warnings.

[fantabulous]

on 9/2/2008 If you like the thick eyeglass rims idea, but wear real glasses with thin rims, here's a way to make them look like thick rims. Draw eyeglass rims on poster board or heavy cardboard (don't forget to draw the bows that extend to the ears!). Cut out the center for the lenses to show through. Make this opening as wide as you like. The smaller the hole the smaller your glasses will seem and the thicker the rims will appear to be. Color the entire fake eyeglass rims and bows black or maybe bright red. Make slits in the bows of the cardboard glasses and weave your real bows in and out of them. This way, the cardboard rims will stay in place without using glue or tape on your real glasses. /==0-0==\

[lunitessa]

on 10/24/2007 Place a piece of 1/2" wide elastic lengthwise,(from lapel to back), on the inside of the "lab coat" and sew it about every inch. Place "test tubes", (a cheap, safe way is to use those plastic inividual cigar holders.), and swirl paint around on the inside to resemble different liquids. Slip the "tubes" into the elastic "holders. On the other side of the inside of the jacket, stitch a few "strange" mechanical/industrial devices that look deadly.... "SPOOOKY"! Then splash fake blood here and there.

on 11/30/2005 Carry a beaker filled with green glow stick liquid around.

on 11/22/2005 Take a glow stick and color it red with a permanent marker it will make it look like glowing blood.

on 11/22/2005 Try bald on the top and frizzy around the edges. Girls, it will make you look even more mad.