How To Make A Wearable Coffin For Your Halloween Costume!

Years ago I created some wearable coffins for a Halloween costume.  The coffins were comfortable and fun to wear! 

My daughter, my aunt, and I were the three "Stages of Death"

 One recently deceased, one decaying corpse, and one skeletal remains.

I wore the skeleton costume.

We won First Place!

I created a decaying corpse costume for my husband and

we wore the coffins for a different event.

DIY WEARABLE COFFIN:

 I used foam board three-section presentation boards.  (They cost about $9 each..you could use plain cardboard to save money.)

After cutting the top to get a coffin shape, I covered them in fabric using a stapler and hot glue gun.  The cardboard portion ran from our heads to our hips and it was just fabric the rest of the way to the floor.  

I attached very thick wire (used long stems from some fake flowers) to the back at shoulder height, shaped like a candy cane, to hook the coffin over our shoulders so we could carry them hands free.  (stem of candy cane attached to cardboard under fabric and top loop placed through slit in fabric)  They were lightweight and very comfortable to wear.

DIY FACE MAKEUP

3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 Tbsp Flour

3/4 cup Karo light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

Mix cornstarch and flour.  Gradually stir in corn syrup and water until smooth.

Divide into 4 portions.  Leave one portion untinted to use as glue.  Add 1/4 tsp food coloring to each of the remaining portions.

DIY DECOMPOSING FACE TECHNIQUE

Separate some facial tissues into single layer, and tear lengthwise into 2" wide strips.  Generously paint forehead with untinted glue mixture and place strip of tissues over area, patting firmly with fingertips.  Add more mixture as needed to cover dry spots of tissue.  Continue the rest of face, one section at a time.  Avoid eye area.  Let dry 15 minutes.  Use hair dryer to speed drying.  Build up multiple coats of tissue in some areas to look like skin is falling off.

Use red tinted face paint for blood in areas where you create wounds.  Make dark circles under the eyes with eyeshadow.

Complete with very light face powder to create a really pale complexion.

Unfortunately, after spending the winter in a storage unit our coffins were ruined.

But the skeleton costume was given new life, years later, when my daughter and her boyfriend used it as part of their  

 "Skeleton Crew" costume.

They won First Place!

We've gotten a lot of mileage from the skeleton costume.

Ashley wore it again two years ago

and plans to wear it again this year.

The skeleton bones were handpainted by my very talented uncle, Jim.

Because I was originally using it with a coffin on my back,

the backside was not painted.

This year when Ashley wears it, it will be painted on both front and back...

Thank you Uncle Jim!!!

More HOMEMADE HALLOWEEN COSTUME ideas