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Wednesday Addams: a DIY Halloween costume made from clothes you already own, worn by Wren, AI-generated model

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

Wednesday Addams

A DIY Wednesday Addams costume is mostly clothes you already have: a black long-sleeved dress, black tights and flat black shoes. Add a white or black pointed collar cut from paper, two long pigtail braids and a flat, unimpressed expression. It costs about $10, needs no sewing and takes 30 minutes.

TIME
30 min
COST
about $10
SKILL
Easy

What you need

  • A black long-sleeved dress, or a black top and skirt
  • Black tights
  • Flat black Mary Jane style shoes, or any plain black flats
  • White paper or card for a pointed collar
  • Two hair bands, plus a hair elastic for each braid
  • Optional: a black wig with long braids, for short or light hair
  • Pale foundation or powder and a dark lip colour
  • Glue stick or double-sided tape

How to make it

  1. 1

    Put on the black dress, tights and flat shoes. Keep everything plain, with no patterns or bright colours.

  2. 2

    Make the collar: cut a curved band of paper about 5 cm tall that fits round your neck, with two sharp points at the front that touch at the middle.

  3. 3

    Tape the collar closed at the back of your neck, tucking the join under your hair, or glue it to the inside edge of a dress that already has a neckline.

  4. 4

    Part your hair down the middle. Divide it in two and make each side into a tight, neat braid, tied with an elastic at the bottom.

  5. 5

    Pull each braid forward over your shoulder so it hangs long and straight.

  6. 6

    Dust your face with pale powder and add a dark lip colour. Keep other make-up minimal.

  7. 7

    Practise the look: no smile, no fuss, a very flat stare.

Make it better

  • Braid tight and from high up, near the ears. Loose braids look messy rather than severe.
  • If your dress has a round neck, a cheap shop-bought white collar from a school shirt works instead of paper.
  • Stay quiet and still. Doing less is the whole joke.

Questions

How do I make a Wednesday Addams costume at home?

Wear a black dress with black tights and flat shoes, add a pointed collar, and braid your hair into two pigtails. The look is deliberately plain, so it is hard to get wrong.

I have short hair. What can I do?

Wear a black braided wig, or clip in two braided hair pieces. A wig costs more than the rest of the outfit, so borrow one if you can.

Is this an official Wednesday Addams costume?

No. It is a homemade, unofficial costume inspired by the character. Nothing here is official merchandise.

Is this good for UK fancy dress?

Yes. Everything on the list is easy to find at a UK high street or charity shop, and the outfit is warm, which helps on a cold October night.

Unofficial. Wednesday Addams and the The Addams Family 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 monitorSee how it works

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