How to Create a DIY Headless Costume for Halloween

Make a DIY headless costume for Halloween! Learn how with this easy to follow tutorial.

If you’re looking for a last minute costume DIY that will really turn heads (pun fully intended!) then look no further! This handmade costume is very easy to make. This headless costume can be made in lots of different styles, from gory to funny, so you can customize this idea to fit your personal style. I won the grand prize in a costume contest with this DIY Headless costume project, so you could say it’s an award winning design. Ha!

DIY Headless Costume Supplies List

• Poly-Fil Fiber Fill
• Backpack
• Hanging Mannequin Torso (here’s another option)
• Electrical or Duct Tape (Heavy Duty)
• Button Up Shirt
• Long Red Velvet Cape
• Faux Fur Fabric
• Gloves
• Renaissance Neck Ruff and Wrist Ruffle Cuffs Costume Accessories
• Fake Mustache and Beard Costume Accessory Set
• Glue Gun
• Dritz Tab Closures
• Liquid Latex + Red Craft Paint

I made a short video tutorial to illustrate just how easy it is to make a headless costume. Here is a summary of the steps shown in the video tutorial for this project:

1. Fill the backpack with Poly-Fil Fiber Fill, and set the mannequin torso on top of the Poly-Fil. Tape the top to the backpack firmly.
2. Place the top on the mannequin and button it. Fill the sleeves and Gloves with Poly-Fil. Sew the gloves onto the sleeves.
3. Hot glue the fur trim to the cape. Create openings for the sleeves and glue on more trim.
4. Set the cape on the dress form. Pull the hands through the sleeves of the cape and arrange them. Sew the hands together.

My son was able to run around and play in this with no problems at all. He wanted to look like Humphrey Bones, one of his favorite characters from the hit BBC series “Ghost”, and I think we succeeded at that! Have fun crafting and creating your own DIY headless costume for Halloween!