Cheap Halloween Costume Idea: The Mad Hatter

With Disney and Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland set for release in 2010, there's a good chance we'll see a few Mad Hatters, Alices, and Caterpillars on this year's Halloween. Want some ideas?

Of all the characters in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, it seems The Hatter (as he is referred to in the book) has reached the highest cult status. This might have something to do with the fact that the whole "tea party" scene is one of the most hallucinatory, nonsensical passages in classic literature. The Mad Hatter also has some frightening overtones to him, as he does appear truly mentally unbalanced in the book.

Unfortunately, many younger folks today know Wonderland through Disney's Alice in Wonderland (1951), which while it had the same basic story and characters as the book and its sequel, gave them a childlike innocence. Disney has a reputation for doing this; just watch The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, or Snow White; they're great films, yes, but all the murder, torture, and sexual undertones are gone! Gasp!

So, for those who appreciate the darker side of Wonderland (particularly the chemically-enhanced elements), here are some concepts for your Mad Hatter costume:

The Hat

Unless you live in Victorian England, finding a top hat of the style worn by The Hatter isn't the simplest task. You might want to stop by your local costume shop/theatre store, because chances are anyplace else is going to make you about $400 poorer.

Or, if you're one of those lucky Halloween enthusiasts to be gifted in the art of sewing and/or craft-making, you can design your own. There are a number of web pages that describe, step-by-step, how to do this. The disadvantage, if you're all about the authenticity, is that your hat may come out looking, for lack of a better word, like crap.

So, there are always the options of eBay, said theatre store, and/or your friend that can whip up something in the time it takes most of us to brush our teeth.

Once you've found or made the perfect hat, you can make a little sign that says "In this Style 10/6," as The Hatter is depicted in the book and on film (if you so desire).

The Suit

Ironically, the suit should be easier to find than the hat. Many a thrift store carries outlandish, gaudy suits of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

For you Tim Burton fanatics out there, pulling off the look that he's going for in the upcoming film looks a little overly ambitious. If you have that kind of budget, of course, more power to you!

Or just find yourself a semi-formal coat that matches the color of the hat, and you should be set. No need to stress over getting every detail down from the movie.

Underneath the coat, The Hatter is usually shown wearing a vest. Here, too, is your chance to go demented with color and style. Whatever color you picked for the jacket...find something completely opposite for the vest. For example, if your jacket is dark red, go with a green or yellow-green vest to purposely throw off the outfit. In a way, the Hatter's wardrobe seems highly opium-inspired, don't you think?

Finally, around the neck, a bowtie, especially a rather psychedelic one, makes a great finishing touch. These, fortunately, shouldn't be too difficult to find!

The Pants

This part, too, shouldn't be all that difficult. In most illustrations, The Hatter's pants tend to be oversized, although not ridiculously so (this isn't a clown costume, after all).

A pair of checkered pants would look great with the rest of the costume, particularly in an outlandish color. Striped pants, too, seem to fit the overall theme. Again, if you've got mad sewing machine skills (no pun intended), you could definitely put together a pair of nutty pants, no doubt.

The Shoes

Let's make this simple: don't try making your own shoes, unless you have that much time (and material) on your hands. A pair of formal shoes will do, or if you have some crazy-looking sneakers in the back of your closet, dig those up!

Actually, an offbeat combination might be a pair of Converse All-Stars, with the rest of the costume as is.

We're All Mad Here

A costume like this one has so many possible variables, there's almost no wrong way to do it. So get stoned, and have at it!

Once you have everything together, who knows? Maybe you can even plan a "Mad Tea Party" for Halloween night.