AI-generated picture to show the idea. Yours will look handmade.

Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings

A DIY Gandalf costume comes together from a long grey robe or dressing gown, a pointed grey hat made from card, a long white-grey beard and a wooden staff. It costs about $18, takes an hour and needs no sewing, which suits fancy dress. For Gandalf the White, swap the grey for an off-white robe and skip the hat.

TIME: 60 min
COST: about $18
SKILL: Some cutting

What you need

A long grey robe, dressing gown or grey sheet with a hole cut for the head
A grey scarf or shawl, and a rope or old belt
Grey card or felt for the hat, plus tape
Cotton wool, white wool or a cheap white wig for the beard and hair
Double-sided tape or spirit gum
A long wooden stick, broom handle or garden cane for the staff
A piece of dark brown paint or tape for the staff handle, optional

How to make it

1
Put on the grey robe and tie the rope round your waist. If you use a sheet, cut a head hole in the centre and belt it.
2
Drape the grey scarf over your shoulders, pinned in front.
3
Make the hat: roll a sheet of grey card into a tall, wide-brimmed cone about 40 cm high, tape the seam, and cut a round brim 35 cm across to tape around the base. Tape a bend into the tip so it flops.
4
Fix the hat on with elastic under the back of your hair, or tape a headband inside it.
5
Make the beard from cotton wool or white wool. Stick a long strip of double-sided tape along your jaw and press the wool down in layers, so it hangs to your chest.
6
Add a long white wig or tie back your own hair and pull on a grey tuft to look older.
7
Hold the staff in one hand, lean on it, and add some grey streaks to the eyebrows with a white eyeliner pencil.

Make it better

A beard made in layers looks fuller than a single clump of wool.
For Gandalf the White, wear an off-white robe, skip the hat and wear a shorter, neater beard.
Test the hat in a doorway. Tall hats often catch on the frame.

Questions

How do I make a Gandalf costume from clothes I already own?

Wear a long grey dressing gown tied with a belt. Add a card hat, a wool beard and a long stick for a staff.

Is this an official Gandalf costume?

No. It is a homemade, unofficial costume inspired by the wizard in The Lord of the Rings. It uses no official merchandise.

What is the difference between Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White?

The Grey wears a grey robe and a pointed hat. The White wears a white robe, a neater beard, and no hat.

How do I keep the beard on all night?

Use double-sided tape or skin-safe spirit gum along the jaw, and press the wool down in layers. Take it off slowly with warm water.

Unofficial. Gandalf and the The Lord of the Rings names belong to their respective owners, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them. The names are used only to describe this homemade parody costume.

Wear it in front of your own haunted CCTV

Upload four photos of your house and Cursed Cam turns them into a night-time security monitor where something is very wrong. Put it on the TV by the door.

Make my monitor See how it works