Homemade Beret Costumes

You may already own the pieces for a mime costume.

Beret costumes made at home are an inexpensive alternative to store-bought costumes. There are several different options for making a costume based on a beret hat accessory. Starting with a black beret, you can make a mime or beatnik costume. With some basic pieces that you may already have in your wardrobe, you can construct the mime costume by adding accessories like suspenders, gloves, facepaint, and a scarf -- or the beatnik costume, by adding a long fake cigarette and a thick black book.

Things You'll Need

• Beret
• Black or black and white striped shirt
• Black pants
• Black skirt (optional)
• Plain black shoes
• Suspenders
• Long white socks
• Short black socks
• Face paint
• Black eyeliner
• Red lipstick
• White printer paper
• Tape
• Black construction paper

Instructions

Mime

1. Dress up your beret with a black, or black-and-white-striped shirt and black pants. Add black suspenders, white gloves and a colored scarf. Roll up the cuff of the pants so that they're mid-calf, and add tall white socks and plain black shoes.

2. Paint your face with white face paint, using a makeup sponge. Make sure that you cover your eyelids but don't cover your eyebrows. Use a clean makeup sponge and water to clean the edges at your jawline, so the face paint doesn't go past the edge of your jaw.

3. Apply thick black eyeliner around your eyes. Add red lipstick to your lips and a red circle of lipstick to each cheek for a cartoon-like blush.

Beatnik

1. Add to your beret a black, or black-and-white-striped shirt, black pants or a black skirt, short black socks and plain black shoes.

2. Roll a piece of white printer paper along its length, so that it's the circumference of a cigarette or a pencil. Apply scotch tape across the length of the paper roll to keep it held together. Color one end of the paper roll red, about 1/4 inch in. It should look like an extra-long, lit cigarette.

3. Measure the height of a thick book, and the length of the book, from the top right corner of the cover all the way across the cover, around the spine and across the back cover. Cut a piece of black construction paper that's the height of the book, and as long as the length measurement, plus 4 inches. Fold the two sides of the paper 2 inches inwards to crease it, and then unfold them. Place the book on the paper and fold the short sides over the covers of the book and apply scotch tape over the top and bottom corner to hold it in place.

References

• From the Top: Mime Makeup

Resources

• Family Fun: Book covers