How to Make a Greaser Costume

An inexpensive pocket comb is a key Greaser accessory.

Greasers were the bad boys of the 1950s who loved fast cars, faster women and strutting around with bad attitudes. John Travolta's performance in the movie Grease made the greaser an instantly identifiable American icon. Creating a Greaser costume for Halloween is simple and inexpensive, utilizing items you probably already have in your closet. One update to the look is using hair gel instead of the traditional lard-based hair pomades, which can be difficult and time-consuming to remove from hair. Top off your costume with a macho attitude and you just may find a swooning Sandy.

Things You'll Need

• White T-shirt
• White socks
• Blue jeans
• Black shoes
• Black jacket (optional)
• Fake tattoo (optional)
• Empty cigarette pack (optional)
• Hair gel
• Pocket comb

Instructions

1. Put on your white T-shirt. The key to the Greaser look is in the styling, so roll up your T-shirt sleeves a few times to show off biceps. Add a fake tattoo to your upper arms if desired. You can also tuck an empty cigarette pack under one shirt sleeve.

2. Put on your jeans, white socks and black shoes. Turn the bottoms of your jeans up to create a 2-inch cuff and reveal your white socks.

3. Apply a generous amount of hair gel to damp hair and comb the sides back so they are flat against your head. Comb hair on top of your head towards the center so that it has height to create the Greaser pompadour look, or if your hair is very short, simply comb it straight back.

4. Keep the comb in your back pocket and comb hair periodically to mimic the Greaser attitude.

5. Put on a black jacket if you're in a cooler climate. A simple cotton zipper jacket like the one worn by James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause works well, or opt for a black satin team jacket or black leather motorcycle jacket.

References

• Gather: Homemade Grease Costumes for Halloween
• Fashionising: Rockabilly Hair for Men: Onwards and Upwards