Bible Character Costumes

Bible character costumes are a great idea to make or buy as they can used for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, church pageants, and more. They are wholesome, family-friendly costume choices. Take a day to make something crafty or shop online for costume pieces or complete outfits.

Biblical Character Costumes to Buy

There are plenty of places online to find a wide variety of Bible character costumes year-round. These costumes can be found at most costume shops as well. Some popular choices available online include:

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  Adam and Eve - A couple's set of costumes, including "nude" jumpsuits with large green leaves on them and two leaf crowns. These are available in one size for adults for $25. Adding props like a rubber snake or an apple can make these outfits really shine.
• David - A children's costume includes a long white toga-style robe with short sleeves and a rope belt. It comes in sizes small, medium, and extra large for $15. Add sandals and a slingshot to the boy who slayed Goliath.
• The Virgin Mary - A costume for an adult, this includes a long white robe with full sleeves, matching light blue belt and shawl, and a white veil. It comes in one size and is available for $35. Carrying a baby doll in swadling clothes is an easy prop to add to this outfit.
• Jesus - An adult-sized costume that includes a full-length white long-sleeved robe and long red sash that is worn across the body and over one shoulder. This one size costume, which fits a chest up to 46", is $35. Complete the outfit with bare feet or sandals and an optional wig and beard.

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  Shepherd - This children's costume includes a long green robe and a contrastin belt and head scarf. It comes in children's sizes small (4-6), medium (8-10) and large (10-12) sizes for $60. Add a shepherd's crook to complete the ensemble.
• Moses - This adult-sized costume includes a long-sleeved cream-colored gown, a short-sleeved robe in a contrasting ornage color, and a rope belt. It comes in one adult size for $23. It does not include sandals, the tablet props, or the optional wig and beard.

A wide variety of Old Testament costumes, including Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Moses, apostles, and more, can be ordered from Garb the World. These options are all custom-made and will require some measurements to be taken and color choices to be made at the time the order is placed.

Homemade Character Costumes

Many of these costumes can be made at home by sewing simple garments or purchasing and altering some pieces at home. Bible-inspired costumes have a very simple look, which makes them very easy to create at home. If sewing, try the Robe Costume Template pattern from McCall's which has many of the staple pieces needed to create most Biblical costumes.

Given that the era had a scarcity of materials there is very little variation in the looks of some of the costumes worn by Biblical characters. Most of the men wore long-sleeved tunics with shoulder sashes. Likewise female Bible characters wore long tunics with coordinating head coverings. Many of the basic pieces that make up these costumes can be interchangable between characters, so one costume can serve many purposes with the right props.

Mary

Pair a long-sleeved white, flowing dress with a contrasting head covering and/or shoulder sash made from a sheet or scarf. Mary traditionally wears light blue, so that is recommended. To go as a young Virgin Mary, carry a baby doll that is dressed in swaddling clothes or wrapped in a small sheet or pillowase.

Jesus

If dressing up as a crucified Jesus, for Easter, then strip down to a simple white wrap around the waist and add a plastic or latex crown of thorns on the head. For added effect, use special effects make-up and fake blood to create open wounds on the ribs and body.

For those who want to wear a more traditional outfit, dress in a plain white robe or full-length long-sleeved white tunic with a solid colored sash draped over one shoulder. Jesus's sash is usually red or crimson in color. Next, add a long, dark wig and beard. Footwear options can be sandals or bare feet.

Adam and Eve

Wear flesh toned jumpsuits (one for the woman and one for the man) and attach large fake leaves, which can be found at most craft stores, in the correct spots with a needle and thread or with hot glue. If you dare to go "bare" without the jumpsuit, sew or glue fake leaves onto your underwear or swimsuits.

Optionally, add a headpiece made of leaves or flowers, hang a plastic snake from Eve's shoulder, and carry an apple.

Moses

Dress in a tan or brown long-sleeved robe or tunic with a rope belt. Wigs and fake gray beards are an option for people who are younger. Next, cut out two plaques for the Ten Commandments from heavyweight cardboard or extra thick Styrofoam. Then cover it with stone-grey paint and use a thick black marker to write out the text.

Angel

Wear a long white robe or long-sleeved tunic in white and tie it with a yellow or gold cord for a belt. Purchase or make white angel wings out of cardboard, feathers, and string or elastic for the straps. Purchase or make a halo out of pipe cleaners or wire and a headband.

Shepherd

Wear a long brown or tan tunic with a plain rope belt. Find a large stick or branch for a staff or make one out of cardboard. Add a few stuffed sheep to go with this costume. Optionally, for a group costume, have other group members dress as sheep, donkeys or camels.

Uses for Biblical Costumes

Bible-inspired costumes are traditionally seen on stage during church, school, and other religious productions. However, these days the conservative costumes are also very popular among children who forgo scary Halloween parties for Christian Halloween events such as trunk-or-treat. The costumes can also be used for Bible Character Night at church or as a part of a dress-up event for children's liturgies.

Costumes for Church and Events

Bible costumes can be fun and easy to make at home or can be purchsed to save time. They're wonderful for families to work on and wear together for different holidays or church events. Perfect for adults and children alike, Biblical character costumes present many choices of people to dress up as and emulate.