I have been
meaning to write a more detailed post on how I constructed Whazzat’s costume from Zoobilee Zoo.
Hopefully this may help you a bit if you decide to make this costume! I will
say, it probably cost around $100 after I purchased everything - probably more.
It was a lot of work putting it all together, but it was such a fun costume to
wear – and hopefully I’ll have more chances to wear it in the future!
WHAZZAT
KANGAROO BODY
I used
a pattern to make the basic kangaroo outfit. It is a McCall's Costume Pattern
(It says "Easy" on it, and it wasn't too hard to put together),
pattern #M6106. I got the adult size Large (for size reference, I usually wear
a US size 12/Large in most clothing, and am 5'10"), and I will say this
was WAY too big! Thankfully, I started with a muslin, and adjusted that before
cutting into the fleece (took in several inches everywhere, and added length in
the arms, torso and legs). I should have gone with a Medium, at the most. I
think the pattern is going for a looser look, so that may be part of the reason
it was so big. Whazzat's outfit is definitely more form fitting.
Tip: After stuffing the large kangaroo tail, it became quite heavy. When
I first tried on the costume, the tail was really pulling down the rest of the
body, and also creating a weird look on the back. To avoid this, I pinned a
long piece of sturdy, thick ribbon onto the inside of the body, where the top
of the tail joins the back. I tied this around my body, and that helped counter
the weight of the large tail. See photo below:
If you want an easier option, I also looked into getting adult full body pajamas. Here are a few options: Pajama Company; My Party Shirt. I decided not to go with this because of cost, and I still would have had to add a pouch, ears and tail. It would have a saved a bit of time, and if you aren't comfortable with sewing, this would be an easier option.
BIB VEST
I used
a very basic vest pattern (an old one my mom had) and altered the front piece
by curving the corner. I’m included a basic template (you’ll have to enlarge the vest front and back pieces when printing) of the vest, which also includes templates and layouts for the
tail bow and music notes. I also had to make the ruffles for the vest - and I
don't know how to do ruffles! They turned out ok, but the ruffles actually took
the longest (probably because I didn't know what I was doing!). So, I'm not
really much help there. I used Velcro to close the vest – this made it pretty
easy to get it off and on. See photo below:
MATERIALS
I purchased
most of the material at JoAnn Fabrics. One, they have a wide variety of
different materials, and two they have lots of sales! I used many 40% off
coupons to help cut costs. I know most people have a love/hate relationship
with this store, but for a Halloween costume, I can’t justify spending a lot of
money on high quality fabric and materials.
Purchases
from JoAnn's: light pink fleece for the main body; ½” wide pink satin ribbon
for the ballet shoe "laces" (I think I purchased 2 spools); teal (at
least 3 yards, maybe more), yellow (at least a yard) and pink fabric (1/4 yard)
for the vest, hair bow and tail bow (I tried to get the best color match, and
then went for the cheapest option); fake lace trim for detailing on the vest (I
think at least 2 spools); fill/stuffing for the tail; ¾” Velcro for the vest, zipper
for the main body; and the McCall's pattern.
The pink
tights were purchased on Amazon. The wig was purchased from Ebay, but you could
also check Amazon. Pink gloves were purchased in store at Walmart or Target.
And the ballet shoes I already had from taking dance in school. I used a light
pink face make-up (like from those cheap Halloween kits you find at a big-box
store) to finish the look!