Tips for Making Animal Costumes

Safety First

• Safety is paramount when making any costume. For animal costumes, you will need to make sure that the material is light and does not overly limit movement. It is important to make sure that you can clearly see through your mask and that breathing is not restricted. This means leaving ample room for eyes, nose and mouth holes. When designing animal noses, leave the nostrils open wide so that air can flow into the mask. If you are making a costume to be worn at night for events like Halloween, it is best to use light or reflective colors so that you can be seen by drivers or other pedestrians.

The Main Body

• Lightweight materials such as breathable cotton and cardboard are very important to the body. For smaller creatures, you can use everyday items such as jogging suits or sweatshirts that are the color of the desired animal. If you're making a larger costume, such as a panda or horse, it is preferable to sew your own fabric so that the colors match precisely and you can make air holes exactly where they are needed. Remember that you will want to have the widest range of movement possible in your costume so that you do not trip or bump into obstacles as you move.

Tails, Feathers and Other Bits

• Tails are typically made in two ways. The first is simply dying a rope or piece of fabric the color of the desired animal. This works well for animals that do not use their tails or emphasize them such as horses or elephants. Another option is to use a long stocking or tube sock and fill it with other garments or glue it into shape. Gluing it will allow you to have your tail in any pose you wish, such as upright for dogs and cats. Feathers should be anchored to your costume with pins before being glued in. This will allow the glue to set without needing you to wait for it to dry before moving on. Take care with other bits such as ears, whiskers and claws to ensure they are firmly attached to the costume so that they will not become lost in movement. To simulate nature, ears can often be sewed to small headbands that hide in the hair.