Dressing as a scarecrow is fascinating and a great idea for halloween and fancy dress competitions. It is a timeless costume idea that never goes out of style. It is creative, easy and quick to make, and can be altered according to one’s needs.
The elements used to put this costume together are pretty easy to find, are comparatively budget-friendly and also provide many alternatives relating to its design. Besides this, a realistic scarecrow makeup pulls the whole look together. The makeup looks can also be made versatile with many options to choose from, gloryofthesnow has a perfect collection of different scarecrow makeup looks that one can easily try at home to enhance the overall look of the costume.
Although everyone wants one’s outfit to be different and stand out, there are some essential items that help complete a scarecrow look. Below is a list of 11 things that one might need for a perfect DIY scarecrow costume:
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1. A Beige-colored Jute Hat
A jute hat is an iconic part of a scarecrow costume. It completes the look of a scarecrow. If one is unable to find a jute hat, an easy way to DIY it is to take a beige or brown hat and cover it with dried grass straws or beige-colored woolen fabric to give it a similar feel. One can also sew patched fabric pieces on the hat to make it fit the costume better.
2. Fabric Patches
Fabric patches are an essential part of a scarecrow outfit. It brings about the old and rustic feel to the other clothing pieces in the costume. They can be used randomly on trousers, shirts, jumpers, rompers and even the hat. It gives the costume authenticity and sets it apart from a normal cowboy costume.
3. A Loose-Fitted Denim Jumpsuit
A loose-fitted denim jumpsuit (overalls) or romper, especially one in blue color, is the classic element of a scarecrow costume. It can be decorated by making patches using small pieces of clothes or yarn. If one does not have a jumper, one can replace it with a pair of denim pants, jacket or dress.
4. A Checkered Shirt
A checkered shirt goes well along with the denim jumpsuit in a scarecrow outfit. A full or half-sleeved cotton shirt with checkered pattern pops in the costume and gives it contrast and texture. One of the most popular choices is a long-sleeves red and black checkered shirt. One can add patches of other fabric on the shirt but it is not needed for the whole look to come together.
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5. Straw (Dried Grass)
Straw is useful in a lot of ways while putting together a scarecrow costume. It gives the costume a rustic and country feel. It can be used to decorate the hat and fill in the sleeves of the shirt. It can also be used to make a roughly designed neck-piece by cutting the straw into shorter pieces and tying one end of each piece around a neck band.
6. Brown Boots
A pair of brown cowboy boots bring the whole costume together and makes it look cohesive. One can decorate it with straws around the edges. It can also be replaced by a pair of normal shoes or other colored boots in case brown boots are not available.
7. Face Paint and/or Make Up
Face paint and make up helps one enhance the whole look of the costume. If rightly done, make up can be a great way to express what the costume is trying to convey. Similarly face paint can be used to add designs of straw pieces, stitches around the mouth, defining the nose, add random patches and stitch marks, put on additional blush, etc.
8. Flower Patches
Flower patches can be used to give the costume a lively and cuter look. They can be sewed on the corner or edge of the hat or used as a badge on the jumpsuit. This makes the costume look colourful and bright. Besides this, one can also go with fresh flowers that can be added to the costume. For this, yellow coloured flowers are mostly preferred as they add a nice pop of colour to the outfit.
Img source: pinterest
9. A Soft Beige-colored Rope
A smooth rope or a thick beige colored yarn can be used in place of straw for decorative the sleeves, boots or hat of the costume after cutting the rope into smaller strands, bunching them together and sticking or stitching them around the edges of the clothes. A soft rope can also be used as a belt to put around your waist and tie into a knot in the front. This gives the baggy jumpsuit a cinched waist and structure while also maintaining the scarecrow look.
10. A Muffler or Scarf
A warm scarf or muffler is a great addition to a scarecrow costume. One can wrap a plain scarf around one’s neck to add to the look of a scarecrow. Mufflers are cozy and thus can be a great alternative to a straw neck-piece which can be prickly. There are different ways in which a scarf can be folded, the cowl, a simple loop and a simple french twist are the best ways to tie it to fit the scarecrow look.
11. A Crow Prop
To add that extra oomph factor to one’s costume, one can choose to use a crow prop as well. These crow props can be found at toy and gift shops or in online stores. They can be an excellent augmentation to one’s scarecrow outfit. A crow prop can be placed on one’s shoulder or stuck to it to keep it intact.
At the end of the day, a scarecrow costume can be as simple or as crazy as one likes. It can be experimented with by wearing several layers of clothes, sewing random badges and patches, using straw in the outfit or doing a unique makeup look. These qualities make the costume stand out and one can choose to personalise it according to one’s requirements.
