Shrek

A DIY Shrek costume is a very easy fancy dress choice, because the outfit is ordinary clothes: a cream shirt, a short brown vest, a belt and plaid trousers. Add green face paint and two small tube ears made from card, and you have the ogre without a big padded suit. About $15 and no sewing.

TIME

45 min

COST

about $15

SKILL

Easy

What you need

• A cream or off-white shirt
• A short brown vest, or a brown waistcoat or sleeveless jacket
• Plaid or checked trousers
• A belt and brown shoes or boots
• Green face paint, plus a sponge
• Green card or foam for the ears, and a hair band
• Optional: green gloves, and a foam onion on a string

How to make it

1. 1

   Put on the cream shirt, brown vest, belt and plaid trousers. Rough and slightly scruffy is right.

2. 2

   Make the ears: cut two small tube shapes from green card, about 8 cm long, rolled and taped at the sides with one end open.

3. 3

   Tape the ears to a hair band so they stick out from the sides of your head, then check they sit level.

4. 4

   Protect your collar with a towel, then apply the green paint to your face, neck and ears with the sponge. Add darker green under the brow and cheekbones.

5. 5

   Let the paint dry before you put your shirt collar up, so it does not mark.

6. 6

   Add green gloves, or paint the backs of your hands, so the colour carries through.

7. 7

   Finish with boots and a gruff voice.

Make it better

• A bald cap is optional and hot. A tight hair band or a swimming cap in green does the same thing.
• Do the neck and hands, not just the face, or it will look like a mask.
• Keep spare green paint for touch-ups through the night.

Questions

Unofficial. Shrek and the Shrek 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.