DIY Movie Costumes: Make Your Own Pee-Wee Herman or 'The Big Lebowski' Costume

Making your own costume for Halloween or for a costume party can be a lot of fun and often the fruits of your DIY labor look more authentic than a store-bought costume. If you're planning on dressing like your favorite character from a particular movie, here are several ideas for easy DIY costumes. The key is to begin planning early and scour local thrift stores, vintage shops, or the internet to find pieces that you don't already own.

Pee-Wee Herman

Released in 1985, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" follows Pee-Wee on his wacky quest across the country to find his beloved bicycle. The movie has developed a cult following over the years and is regaining popularity with Paul Reubens' revival of the character for his live show. To make your own Pee-Wee costume, look for second hand gray suit. It's a bonus if the suit is just a little bit too small. Pair the suit with a white button-down shirt, red bow tie, white socks, and white loafers. If you have short, dark hair slick it back using hair gel. For your make-up, use pink blush on your cheeks and a bright red lip stain. You might even want to ride around on a red bike, but leave the stunts to the professionals!

The Dude" from "The Big Lebowski"

Jeff Bridges played the ultimate slacker, known as "The Dude" in 1998's hilarious cult favorite "The Big Lebowski." To put together your own "The Dude" costume, you'll need to visit a costume supply store for a light brown/gray goatee, mustache, and matching shoulder length wavy wig. If your wig is mostly brown, use some white spray paint or white-out to color a few strands. Wear a beige over-sized bathrobe over a V-neck t-shirt, plaid flannel pajama shorts, black sunglasses, and slip-on sandals. To get more into the character, carry around a highball glass with chocolate milk or White Russians (being careful to abide by local laws and rules of responsibility) or a carton of milk.

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