Wonka Halloween costume pics

[mootum]

If anyone is interested, there are a few photos of my Willy Wonka costume–from the Halloween event at the children’s museum where I work–posted here:

http://mootum.blogs.friendster.com/photos/halloween_05/

Let me know what you think! Happy belated Halloween.

[Ryan Keaveney]

Great job w/ the costume. I hope the Wonka hair is a wig!!

Ryan

[Spider-Fan]

Very cool. I’d kill to have a pair of the real gloves that squeak with every movement of the hand.

[SleepyHello]

awesome job. seriously.

[mootum]

Thank you, everyone! I had so much fun making the costume… and even more fun playing with kids at the museum!

Yes, the hair (fortunately!) is a wig. As for the gloves, I wish I’d been able to get a pair more like Depp actually wore, but I could only find cheap Nitrile ones that came in a box of 40 for about 5 bucks. Though they did squeak pretty well with a little bit of effort!

[dorkman555]

You made it?! How much was made and how much was assembled? Awesome job regardless!

[mootum]

Here’s the breakdown!

-The coat was made from a regular-sized one that I found at a vintage clothing store. I extended the length, added buttons, added an inside pocket (to hold Wonka’s notecards), changed the lapels, and drew on all the stripes with Crayola “Gel FX” markers.
-The black shirt is a plain t-shirt with buttons added.
-The paisley cuffs and collar are made from fabric that’s just attached to one of my own button-down shirts (since I couldn’t find an actual paisley shirt of the right pattern). I added cufflinks.
-Though it doesn’t show up too well on the photos, I made the silver “W” on the collar out of a small piece of tagboard, silver wrapping paper, and a bent paperclip.
-I made the cane with some acrylic tubing, Rainbow Nerds (a Wonka-brand candy!), a wooden arts-and-crafts ball that I painted black and white, and a few other odds and ends (silver wrapping paper, the tip of a yarn spool, part of an “M&M Minis” tube, a piece of a Christmas ornament).
-The hat is built around a regular black hat: I used black tagboard and felt to create the top hat shape, then added magenta ribbon and some more felt and black yarn for the band.
-I used white tagboard to add the “goggles” shape to a regular pair of sunglasses.
-I used flat red string to add “W”s to a pair of black shoes.
-Plus: chains and a pocketwatch, a woman’s wig, plain black pants, purple Nitrile gloves, minimal white makeup on the face, some notecards and pen for the “Welcome” cards, and (though it’s not shown in the photos) a large keyring holding about 40 keys.

The project did set me back quite a bit, but I love Halloween and always try to save up some extra money for that time of year specifically for that purpose. Last year, my girlfriend and I created Jack and Sally costumes (including Zero, and Sally’s disembodied arm!), and before that I made an Edward Scissorhands costume.

Thanks! Have a great one!

-Matt

[Author]

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