Elements of the Perfect Hobo Halloween Costume

Anyone who has ever watched a classic movie or two has undoubtedly seen the quintessential depiction of the American hobo living in a tent and hitching rides on empty train cars. This Halloween, anyone can embark on their own life adventure and step into the tattered clothes of a hobo for the evening with a few simple clothing choices and tips.

Hobo clothing for your Halloween ensemble is easily obtained. Either visit the family scrap bag or visit a thrift store. Many thrift stores will not have anything excessively worn for sale, but there will be a few items that slip past. If everything is in good condition, then pick something that can be rumpled easily.

When you get your clothing home, dirty it up a little with some brown shoe polish. Take some fabric scraps and sew them over the top in various high traffic places like elbows and knees to simulate patches. Use a seam ripper to open up a few key spots, including shoulder seams and the bottom hem. Don't open these up all the way. Just create gaps in the stitch work.

For hobo shoes for your Halloween costume, think rumpled dress shoes. In the era of the classic hobo, most people wore, what would be considered today, dressy shoes. Visit a thrift store and buy a well worn pair of shoes. Take them home and twist them into tight knots (if you purchased a shoe made out of soft leather for instance) several times a day to create even more creases. Scuff them and brush with dirt according to taste.

A good hobo is nothing without an exceedingly rumpled hat. If you have an old hat that has seen better days (sat on one too many times perhaps?), then this is a good base. Twist it up and wrap a rubber band around it for a couple of weeks. If you don't have an old hat lying around then make a prop hat out of a piece of cardboard (measured to fit around your head with a folded-up bill in front) with a round coffee can (painted black) adjusted to fit the top. Paint the coffee can and cardboard with black acrylic paint.

It is essential, as a hobo, to have a smudged up face. This look can be most easily obtained and easily removed by taking a mascara wand, preferably a brown one, and rubbing some mascara across the face at key points and then rubbing it in. This can also be added to the hands.

The hobo knapsack is not only an important costume prop, but can double as a trick or treat bag. Gather a long stick and a vivid piece of cloth. Fold the cloth up (around a plastic bag if it will be your candy sack as well) and tie it to the stick. Make sure your bag opening is handy, and that your stick is carried so that your candy will not fall out.

Have fun bumming around town this Halloween as a classic hobo, knapsack in hand!