How Can I Make a Geisha Halloween Costume?
The word "geisha" means "performance person" and describes an art form that dates back 400 years in Japan. Geisha are highly skilled in the arts of dance, singing, and the Shamisen, a type of Japanese guitar. Geisha also are skilled in conversation and the etiquette of the Japanese tea ceremony. It takes five years of training to become a geisha. Geisha wear gorgeous silk kimonos, traditional makeup, and hairstyles that can be can be copied to make a beautiful and unusual Halloween costume.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Flowered silky robe
- Solid color scarf
- Chopsticks
- White face makeup
- Black eyeliner
- Red lipstick
- White split socks
- Black flip-flop shoes
Instructions
-
-
1
Start with a beautiful, silky flowered robe. Real kimonos are very expensive and a silky robe will work just as well for Halloween. Put on the robe, then wrap the scarf around your waist, making sure to tie it in the back.
-
2
Make a pair of split socks. Put on white socks and mark the space in between the big toe and the next toe to it. Cut the socks at this mark about 1 inch deep and stitch closed to make a split in the sock. This will allow you to wear the white socks comfortably with black flip-flop shoes.
-
-
3
Pull your hair into a bun. Use hair gel to make it slick and shiny. Real geisha use a heavy waxy pomade so make sure you have no fly-away strands from your bun. If you have short hair, you can add a false bun, usually found at beauty supply stores. Place chopsticks at right angles to each other through the bun, forming an X shape.
-
4
Cover your face with white face make-up, including your lips and eyelids. Use black eyeliner to line the top lid of your eyes only. Also use the eyeliner to trace your eyebrows. Finish the geisha look with bright red lipstick, drawn to resemble a heart in the middle part of your lips. The heart should only cover about half the lip area and the bottom of the heart should be rounded instead of pointed.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Decorative paper or cloth umbrellas would be appropriate to add to your geisha costume as well as placing shiny hair ornaments on each side of your head.
Take time to practice walking in the split socks and flip-flop shoes, as it may be a little difficult at first.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
