Turkey Costumes

There's nothing quite as funny as a turkey costume, whether you're dressing up for Thanksgiving or simply need a goofy look for a fun event. You can make or buy a turkey outfit to fit just about anyone, so get ready to outfit the entire flock.

Making Your Own Turkey Costume

With a little time, some creativity, and a few supplies, you can make your own turkey ensemble to fit kids or adults. Expect to spend about two hours on this fun project.

Things You'll Need

• 1 pair of tan women's tights
• 1 pair of brown women's tights
• 1 pair of red women's tights
• 2 large sheets of white foam core board
• 1 piece of wood, about 1/2 inch thick, 8 inches tall, and 3 inches wide
• Staple gun
• Clear nail polish
• 1 brown knit hat with side ties
• Craft felt rectangles in white, black, yellow, orange, red, and green
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• 2 yards dark brown webbing

What to Do

1. Use the craft knife to cut the foam core board into six elongated paddle shapes, each about 8 inches wide and about 24 inches long. The ends should be tapered. If you're making this costume for an adult, make the paddle shapes a bit longer -- about 30-36 inches.
2. Cut the legs off of each pair of tights.
3. Slip one of the legs over one of the paddles. When you reach the bottom of the paddle, twist the excess fabric and tie it in a knot. Add a bit of hot glue to the knot to secure it. Repeat with the remaining five paddles and the rest of the legs.
4. Place the piece of wood on a work surface with one of the short ends facing you. Arrange the paddles in a fan shape and adjust until you like how they look. Then carefully use the staple gun to staple each paddle to the wood and to each other. Add hot glue between the paddles to help them adhere. Paint clear nail polish over the staples to keep the tights from running. Allow the glue to dry. You now have a turkey tail.
5. When the glue is dry, flip the tail over. Make sure everything is sturdy and reinforce with more hot glue and staples as needed.
6. Cut the brown webbing into two equal pieces. Staple each piece to the inside top of the rectangle of wood on the tail. Use at least two staples for each piece. Hold the tail up to the person who will be wearing it and adjust the webbing to the appropriate length so the person can wear the tail like a low backpack. Staple the other end of each piece of webbing to wood at the length you desire. Trim off any excess webbing. Now you can wear the turkey tail.
7. Cut two 1-inch diameter black circles from the craft felt. Cut two slightly larger ovals from the white felt. Hot glue the black circles to the middle of the white ovals, and then hot glue the ovals to the front of the hat for the turkey's eyes.
8. Cut a smaller diamond shape out of red felt and glue this to the center of the hat, just beneath the eyes. It will be the turkey's beak.
9. Cut several more diamond shapes in a similar size from red, yellow, orange, and green felt. Make these into a fan shape and glue them to the top of the hat as the turkey's comb. Allow the glue to dry.
10. When you're ready to wear the costume, put on tan, orange, and brown clothing. Slip the straps of the tail over your shoulders like a backpack, ensuring the wood side is against your back. Put the hat on your head and practice your turkey strut.

Buying a Turkey Outfit

If you don't have the time or inclination to make your own turkey outfit, you can buy the perfect look. Whether you need adorable turkey attire for the littlest member of your family or need an adult-sized version guaranteed to get laughs, there are lots of great options out there. There are even turkey hats for those who need something festive for a "turkey trot" or don't want to commit to a full outfit.

Options for Babies and Kids

• Infant/Toddler Lil Gobbler Costume - Sized for babies six months through 24 months, this charming outfit makes the most of chubby little legs and cheeks. It comes with a turkey hood, a plush jumpsuit, a full tail, and turkey-foot booties and retails for about $50 from Costume Supercenter.
• Underwraps Baby Turkey Belly - For toddlers, there's this sweet plush option from Amazon.com. It comes in three sizes: 18 to 24 months, 2T to 4T, and four to six. There's a padded belly with attached turkey hood and turkey feet shoe covers. Pair it with yellow leggings to complete the look. It retails for about $25.
• Kids Turkey Costume - Available from HalloweenCostumes.com, this kid-sized turkey outfit is crafted from brown, red, orange, and yellow fabric. It comes with turkey foot shoe covers, a jumpsuit turkey body, and a turkey headpiece. Sized in small, medium, and large, it will fit kids ranging from size four through size 14. This adorable outfit retails for about $40.

Costumes for Adults

• Adult Unisex Fleece Turkey Costume - Sized to fit men's size medium and smaller and women up to a large, this fleece jumpsuit, hood, and shoe covers from Costume SuperCenter are sure to turn heads. The cozy outfit retails for about $35.
• Sparkly Turkey Costume - This deluxe outfit from HalloweenCostumes.com is a hilarious choice for adults. The standard-sized outfit is crafted from sparkly fabric and features red turkey legs, a gold and tan body, and a red attached turkey headpiece. Pair it with a long-sleeved white shirt for the best effect. It retails for about $90.
• Gobbler the Turkey Costume - Also from HalloweenCostumes.com, this headless, ready-for-the-roasting-pan version is perfect for your goofy event. The shiny gold jumpsuit includes wings, drumstick legs, and a mesh face panel. It's a standard size and retails for about $90.
• Inflatable Rider Adult Turkey Costume - This option from BuyCostumes is good for plus-sized adults or anyone else. It features pants and suspenders with an inflatable turkey body and head. The one-size outfit retails for about $40.

Turkey Hats

• Plush Gobbler Hat - You'll be the hit of the party with this funny turkey hat. The turkey's body forms the part that goes on your head, while the legs hang down on either side. It retails for about $10 on Amazon.com.
• Turkey Hat for Adults - This hat in the shape of a roasted turkey is a great addition to any celebration. An artful fringe of lettuce around the brim adds to the effect. It retails for about $15 from Party City.
• The Gobbler Hat - The fuzzy turkey hat with a striking fan-shaped tail and goofy red head is perfect for any event. It's sized to fit most adults and retails for about $30 from BuyCostumes.

Great for Kids and Adults

Whether you choose to make or buy your turkey outfit, you'll love the excitement of dressing up as this esteemed bird. Turkeys make great Thanksgiving costumes for kids and adults alike.