Greaser Costume Ideas

Greaser and his muscle car

The greasers of the 1950s were a working-class youth subculture that started in the eastern and southern United States and spread even across the ocean to the United Kingdom. Called greasers for their greased-down hairstyles and their love of working on souped-up muscle cars, they were the original rebellious teens. Popular icons of the era were James Dean and Marlon Brando. Their influence on rock 'n' roll can be seen in Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. The look made a comeback in the '70s with the movie "Grease" and the television character Arthur ("The Fonz") Fonzarelli. Greasers are still symbols of rebellion and rock 'n' roll and make for great Halloween costumes.

Boys

Boys dressing as a greaser will need straight-leg jeans worn with a thin brown or black leather belt and black or white T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up. A black leather jacket is ideal, but you can get away with denim or a letterman jacket. Hair should be slicked back with gel or mouse. For an added touch, there should be one curl in the middle of the forehead. Shoes can be saddle oxfords, high-top tennis shoes or loafers. Accessories include pencils behind the ear, tattoos and a comb for the back pocket.

Girls

Girls should wear a straight pair of jeans rolled up to just below the knees with a man's dress shirt. The tail of the shirt can be worn out or tied at the waist. A dressier look would be a straight skirt with a low-cut sweater and a scarf tied around the neck. "Pedal pushers," or mid-calf tapered pants, could be worn with the dress shirt or the sweater. Also, you might be able to get away with capris for this look. For your feet, wear bobby socks with saddle oxfords, white canvas sneaker or loafers. You could also wear stockings with loafers with the skirt. Hair can be worn in a high ponytail tied with ribbons or short and puffy like Elizabeth Taylor. For makeup, you want thin eyebrows, red lipstick and blush.

Exaggerated

For a funny, exaggerated look, go crazy with the hair, such as a huge pompadour hairdo for a guy or a really long pony tail for a girl. Accessories could be larger than life. Get the biggest comb you can find or add a few layers to the bobby socks. Girls could exaggerate the red lipstick and pencil-thin eyebrows with very dark hair for an early Priscilla Presley look.

References

• "Broadway Costumes on a Budget;" Janet Litherland and Sue McAnally; 1996
• Fifties Fashions: Hairstyles and Makeup