There are many costumes that can be worn for cosplay, but there is a costume that will have you looking like a doctor from the 1500s.
The plague doctor costume is one of the most popular and recognizable costumes because it has been featured in so many movies and TV shows. These costumes were typically worn by doctors who would visit homes to help people diagnosed with the bubonic plague.
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Even though these costumes look old-fashioned, they are still being used today because of their unique appearance. This article will focus on how to make your own Plague Doctor Costume at home using supplies from around your house or common stores such as Walmart or Target.
Steps to Make Plague Doctor Costume at Home
A Plague Doctor Costume has been a popular Halloween costume for years, but what if you want to dress up as one without paying those high prices? Here are some tips on how to make your own plague doctor costume at home:
Getting the materials
The first step is to get all the necessary materials. The most important materials are the mask and cloak.
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The Plague Doctor Mask (or half-mask) is one of the most important parts of the costume because it will make your cosplay look more realistic. You can buy a full-screen accurate plague doctor mask here for $76, or you can make your own version of it. Make sure to get black gloves too.
The next essential item is the cloak, which would be worn over your clothes when you are walking around. The Plague Doctor Cloak should be a bit big for you, but not too big. It will protect you from all weather conditions, and its dark colors will help you to blend into the shadows.
Props and other materials
Other materials that are helpful include a black ribbon for your hair, a black cane, a belt for the cloak, white face paint, and good shoes.
Creating the Costume
Once you have all of your materials together, it’s time to make your costume. You can either sew or buy all of these items.
Sewing Your Costume
If you plan on sewing everything together yourself, then go ahead and do that.
The first thing you will need to do is create the actual mask, which is quite easy. All you need is a piece of cardboard and some old rags (Don’t use new ones because it will be hard to paint them).
Once you have created the mask, make sure to cover it in black fabric and attach all your goggles, glasses, or lenses to the mask.
The next step is to create the actual cloak. Take an old sheet and cut it up until you have enough fabric for your costume (Don’t use any patterns because it will be hard to sew).
Make sure to sew glass or plastic beads onto the cloak. You can make these yourself by putting some glue onto the beads and then sprinkling glitter over the glue. Afterward, whip stitch all of your beads using black ribbon/thread.
You can attach your cloak to yourself by either putting a belt on or sewing it in. If you decide to go with the belt option, do this before attaching any beading. You will also need to make your gloves. You can either sew these or tape them together.
Lastly, you will need shoes. These are very easy to make if you have the right materials. Simply use cardboard, glue, and paint to create a pair of plague doctor shoes.
Buying Your Costume
As mentioned earlier, it is much easier just to buy a costume.
The first step is to buy a mask that can be bought from vendors. There are several different types of plague doctor masks out there, so make sure to look around for one you like best.
Afterwards, all you have to do is buy everything else! The cloak is a bit harder because many of these types of cloaks are custom made to fit the wearer, but you can find one online by searching for ” plague doctor cloak.”
The next step is to paint your face white and add black around the eyes (You may also want to put some black on your neck, so it isn’t too obvious that you’re wearing a mask).
To complete your costume, all you need to do is find a black ribbon for your hair and a black cane.
The cane should also be black and reach all the way up to your shoulder so that it gives off the impression of being very long. These canes were used by plague doctors to poke the sores of their patients, so it is essential you also purchase this.
Doing this will make your plague doctor costume look more realistic, and it won’t cost as much as a professional-made one. You can also dress up with friends or family if they want to go as another horror character such as Frankenstein or Dracula.
The Bottom Line
When putting on your costume, make sure that you dress up in dark colors to give off the impression that you are wearing black clothes underneath your outfit.
The most important thing about making sure that you choose the right materials for your outfit is that they should not be see-through.
You should also have a bag with you because the plague doctors used to carry around various medical supplies in order to treat their patients, which means that your outfit may look very realistic and scholarly at the same time.
If you follow these tips, then you will create an amazing costume for cosplay. If you are planning on dressing up as a plague doctor for Halloween, then you should be wearing dark colors because it could also help keep you warm.
It is important that you start this project early in order to ensure that everything fits right and that it looks like the real thing. Now that you know how to make your own plague doctor costume at home for cosplay, where will you wear it?
The world of cosplay is a huge and thriving community, with many people looking for help on their next project. If you need to collaborate with cosplayers, don’t hesitate in contacting SnowDragon via Instagram.