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

Godzilla

A DIY Godzilla costume works best as a dark grey hooded top and joggers with a row of cardboard plates down the back and a stuffed tail behind you. Every film suit looked a little different, so you have plenty of room to make it your own. It costs about $15 and takes around 90 minutes, and you do not need to sew a stitch.

TIME: 90 min
COST: about $15
SKILL: Some cutting

What you need

A dark grey or charcoal hoodie and joggers
Flattened cardboard boxes for the back plates
Light grey or silver paint or a thick marker
Old tights or a long sock, plus newspaper or old pillow stuffing
Strong tape, glue and four large safety pins
White card for the teeth and claws
Old gloves for the claws
Optional: small cardboard boxes to be a city

How to make it

1
Cut seven to nine pointed, leaf-shaped plates from cardboard. Make the biggest about 25 cm tall for the middle of your back and the smaller ones for the neck and tail.
2
Colour the plates a lighter grey than the hoodie, and let them dry. Add a few darker lines for texture.
3
Fold a 3 cm tab at the base of each plate. Tape the tabs in a row down the back of the hood and hoodie, biggest in the middle, with strong tape from the inside.
4
Stuff the tights with newspaper to make a fat tail about 80 cm long. Tie off the open end and pin the other end to the back of your joggers at the waistband with two or three safety pins.
5
Tape two or three small plates down the top of the tail so the plates seem to run all the way down your back.
6
Cut a zigzag strip of white card and tape it inside the edge of the hood so rows of teeth show around your face.
7
Cut white card claw tips and tape them onto the fingers of the old gloves.
8
Pull the hood up, put on the gloves and roar. Add small cardboard buildings to carry, and you can stomp through a city.

Make it better

Test the tail before you leave. Pin it high and tight so it swings behind you instead of dragging.
Make the plates slightly different sizes. Even rows look like a cereal box.
Carry a few small cardboard buildings for people to look at and for you to knock over.

Questions

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

Wear a dark grey hoodie and joggers, then add cardboard plates down the back and a stuffed tights tail. The plates and the tail are what make it read as Godzilla.

Is this the Godzilla suit from the films?

No. It is a homemade, unofficial costume inspired by the monster. Film suits changed from movie to movie, so this one is our own simple version.

How do I stop the tail dragging or falling off?

Pin it to the waistband of your joggers with at least two large safety pins, high up on the back. Stuff it firmly so it keeps its shape.

Is this a good fancy dress costume for a party?

Yes. It is comfortable, easy to spot and made from clothes you own. Take the tail off when you want to sit down.

Unofficial. Godzilla and the Godzilla 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.

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