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How to Make a DIY Cleopatra Halloween Costume with Craft Supplies

by on Oct 15, 2015

Photo: Amelia Tatnall

I love Halloween costumes that involve remixing items that you already have in your closet. And I just so happen to have a white dress that works perfectly as the ‘base’ for a Cleopatra costume. So, I DIYed the accessories (exaggerated jewel collar, crown, cuffs, etc) to take this plain white dress from normal outfit to Cleopatra. Want to see how it all came together? Click through for the full tutorial.

 

Cleopatra costume simple DIY
Photo: Rachel Brewer

Materials:

 

  • soft gold leather (or heavy gold fabric)
  • flat bottom glass beads (find them in the floral department at any craft store)
  • spray paint
  • hot glue
  • elastic string (or ribbon)
  • gold foil tape
  • 2 popsicle sticks
  • white dress

How to make it:

1. Start by cutting out shapes for the large decorative collar, bracelet cuffs, belt plate, and headpiece. 

The collar is an irregular U shape, the coffee bracelets are just long rectangles that will wrap around, the belt plate is a long rectangle with slightly rounded edges, and the crown is a pentagon shape with a long rectangle strip for the headband.

See image for shape references for each accessory.

Beige colored paper has scissors on it.
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

2. Next, spray paint glass marbles in 2-3 jewel tone colors to create an interesting pattern. Once dry, arrange onto collar and in a linear pattern, being sure to leave space between the rows of jewels for the gold foil tape.

Color shiny buttons ."
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

3. Next, glue the jewels onto the collar with hot glue.

A glue gun is laying on decorative paper and items.
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

4. Add strips of gold foil tape in between the jeweled rows. Be sure to cut the tape longer on each end than necessary, so it can wrap around to the back for a cleaner look.

Colorful dots are next to colorful artwork.
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

5. Next, add gold foil tape to leather cuffs and jewels to the belt plate.

Items for putting together a Cleopatra costume.
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

6. After creating a long strip headband and pentagon shape crown, flip the diamond shape over, add popsicle sticks with glue to keep the crown stiff. Then flip it back over and attach to the headband with glue.

A woman's hand holding a blue glue gun, poised to glue popsicle sticks onto white paper.
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

7. Punch a hole on the ends of each piece (cuff bracelets, collar, headpiece, and belt) and add elastic string to each item. Tie them off in a knot and cut of excess.

A crafted crown for playing Cleopatra.
Photo: Amelia Tatnall

Add a white dress and you’re Cleopatra costume is finished!

Woman in a white halloween Cleopatra costume checking one of her bracelets.
Photo: Rachel Brewer
A lady in a white summer dress and purple shoes looks down at her shoes.
Photo: Rachel Brewer
A girl wearing a Cleopatra Halloween Costume and she touch her belt.
Photo: Rachel Brewer
Woman with Cleopatra costume standing with feet cross.
Photo: Rachel Brewer
DIY ideas for bohemian styled costume.
Photo: Rachel Brewer

What do you think of this DIY costume idea? It’s easy enough, right?

 

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1 Comments

  1. This would be a great costume for a costume party. I’m a big fan of costumes that aren’t too cumbersome and don’t involve piles of complicated makeup.