How to Make a Snake Costume

With the help of some realistic-looking snakeskin fabric, you can whip up a sleek and slithering snake costume. This costume consists of a hood attached to fabric that flows down your back. Vinyl snakeskin fabric does not ravel--meaning you don’t have to finish the edges--so a minimal amount of sewing is required. Because a snake’s body is very long and skinny, this costume looks best on someone who is tall and lean. The costume also calls for wearing tights and a leotard, so you have to be comfortable being seen in something formfitting.

Fold the snakeskin fabric in half lengthwise so it is doubled. Lay the hood of a sweatshirt on the fabric close to the top edge of the fabric. Cut around the outline of the hood, through both layers of fabric. When you reach the bottom of the hood, fold back the sweatshirt hood to avoid cutting it and then cut a straight line across the fabric, following the horizontal line made by folding back the hood. Unfold the fabric so it is no longer doubled.

With the right sides of the fabric together, sew the two hood pieces along the curved edge. Turn the pieces right side out.

Cut a strip of snakeskin fabric as wide as the bottom of the hood and as long as needed to reach from the base of your neck to your ankles. Near the bottom of the strip, cut the fabric at an angle on each side to create a pointed tip to simulate a snake’s tail.

Sew the top edge of the snakeskin strip to the bottom edge of the hood.

Place the hood on your head and overlap the bottom corners to fit snugly around your face and neck. Sew a Velcro fastener at the base of the hood to hold it in place, or pin the hood closed with a safety pin.

Wear the snakeskin over a leotard and tights. Put novelty fangs in your mouth.