One of the more beloved elephants in children's literature has just had his big-screen debut, and that means that a Horton costume, which has certainly been seen in years past, will probably be more popular among kids this Halloween. Couple him with a few denizens of Whoville and you'll have a super group Halloween costume.
Buying a Horton Costume
As animal costumes go, elephants are not the easiest. They're unwieldy, to say the least. So the bulk of the official Horton costumes you'll find for sale at most online shops consist simply of his distinctive, pricked-up ears. For example, there is an inexpensive ears headpiece available at Amazon. The ears are blue, of course, and plush, so that they are comfortable and lightweight. They also include his little tuft of hair.
Another easy way to be a great Horton is to buy a Horton hat. You can find it at Find Cool Toys, among other shops. It's made of terry cotton and the eyes and mouth are embroidered. The ears are lined with light blue tricot. Of course, there is a nice tuft of fur on his head and he holds a pink fur clover in the tip of his trunk. Add a dust speck, if you like!
While you're at Find Cool Toys, you can also get a Whoville pink clover flower to wear on your head. It curls very adorably.
The Rest of Your Horton Costume
With a perfect hat or ears and flower, it's clear who you are, but what to do with the rest of you? Well, ideally, you wear a blue sweat suit about the same color as the ears. You can pick up blue yarn or even a fabric remnant at a craft shop and devise a little tail to pin to your bottom.
If you want to go the more elaborate route and have a full-body Horton costume, look for shops that cater to Broadway rentals. They should have the wherewithal for Seussical! costumes, which, though it was poorly received, was still elaborately costumed and included a nice part for Horton.
If you're looking online, you can try Akron Design, although it seems as though they are geared toward costuming a whole show, rather than one individual. You might, however, look at the costumes for overall inspiration. The Horton costume on offer is essentially just a basic, unwieldy elephant costume. Only the clover gives a clue as to the particular pachyderm you are. However, if you want to really look the part, a full elephant costume will do it.
Making Your Horton Costume
If buying ears or a hat seems too easy and generic, it doesn't take a lot of craft skills to make a Horton costume. You can make your own ears using felt and batting, cardboard or even just construction paper. Keep a copy of the book open in front of you and use a pencil to draw the ears to your liking. You can pick up a cheap headband in the drugstore and attach the ears to it using Krazy Glue. A few ends of yarn or snipped felt will make a nice little tuft.
For a trunk, you can certainly use paper, but you're better off using fabric as it will last longer and breathe better. You can even use a blue sock and attach it to your face with invisible thread that ties behind your head. It may drag, however. Practice a few trunk strategies to find the one that best works for you.
You can also just paint on a trunk with makeup. Makeup can also give you Horton's wide eyes and expressive eyebrows, as well as a nice smile. Ultimately, so long as you have the big ears so good for hearing tiny voices, you are set.
