St. Patrick's Costume Ideas

If you're attending a St. Patrick's Day party, participating in a parade, or simply really want to get into the spirit of the holiday, there are lots of fantastic costume options out there. You can purchase your costume or make your own. Either way, your look is sure to be a hit this St. Paddy's Day.

Leprechaun Costume

As the ultimate symbol of St. Patrick's Day, a leprechaun makes a great outfit for your celebration. There are both male and female versions of this look for you to buy and make.

Looks to Buy

It's easy to find ready-made leprechaun costumes to fit any budget or style. Consider some of these options:

• Leprechaun Costume Set - This super-affordable set from Oriental Trading Company is great offer with pants, jacket and hat.

  

• Adult Parade Leprechaun Costume - With a giant leprechaun head, tunic, and hat, this is a costume that will get you noticed. You can also buy matching striped knee socks to go with it. This outfit from Amazon.com fits most men and women.
• Deluxe Leprechaun Costume - This complete outfit from CostumeSuperCenter.com is a great choice. It includes a beard, hat, green velvet jacket and knickers, padded shirt and vest, and more to give you a total look. It fits men up to 200 pounds.

Making Your Own Costume

It's easy to make your own leprechaun costume. You'll need a piece of elastic, orange curling ribbon, a top hat in any color, a green suit from the thrift store, some green spray paint, and black and yellow craft paint and brushes.

1. Start with the beard. Loosely tie the elastic so it goes across your chin and up behind your ears and stays in place. When it's knotted securely, remove it. Tie pieces of orange curling ribbon all along the elastic in the front. Use scissors to make the ribbon curl. Keep adding ribbon until you have a full beard.
2. Use the green spray paint to paint the top hat green. Allow the hat to dry and then use a paintbrush to add a black band and yellow buckle.
3. Wear the green suit with a white shirt underneath. Add the beard and top hat to complete your look.

Irish Lass Costume

Women can dress as an Irish lass or a barmaid by buying a costume or making their own. This look can be as revealing or as modest as you like, and it's a fun, feminine choice for St. Patrick's Day.

Looks to Buy

These ready-made outfits are fun and flirty. All you'll need is a pitcher or a pint of beer to complete the effect.

• Sexy Lucky Irish Lass - This cute costume from Birthday in a Box includes a green and white dress with a lace-up front and short skirt. It looks great with white knee socks, which are sold separately. This dress comes in women's sizes small through extra large.
• Premium Deluxe Irish Lass - This is a much more modest Irish lass costume from Wholesale Halloween Costumes, featuring a dress with a knee-length green skirt with sequin trim, white apron, white blouse, green lace-up vest, and green headpiece. It comes in sizes small and medium.

Making Your Own Costume

An Irish lass costume is easy to make, especially when you start with thrift store finds. Add in a little ribbon, and you'll have a beautiful holiday outfit.

1. Purchase a white poet's blouse and green skirt at your local thrift store. Also pick up a slim-fitting green jacket or shirt. You'll be modifying this item to create the waist cincher.
2. Set the skirt and blouse aside. Cut the green jacket or skirt off just below the bust line. Fold over the raw edge and hem with a sewing machine.
3. Make small slits up the front of the waist cincher. Thread ribbon through the slits and tie it in a bow near the top.
4. Add more ribbon to decorate the skirt and create a couple of hair bows.
5. Put on the blouse and skirt and layer the waist cincher over the top.

Shamrock Costume

Whether you're looking for a full outfit or just want a headpiece shaped like a shamrock, there are lots of options you can either buy or make. These fun costumes are festive and cool for St. Patrick's Day.

Looks to Buy

A shamrock costume can be as simple as a headpiece or as complicated as a full-body look. There are options available to fit anyone.

• Adult Shamrock Hat - Available from Amazon.com, this sweet shamrock hat fits any adult head. There's a place for your face to peek out, and a green shamrock surrounds the rest of your head.
• Four Leaf Clover Mascot Costume - For the ultimate look, this professional mascot costume of a shamrock is a good choice. It consists of a high quality fabric shamrock suit, available in sizes small, medium, and large. This mascot costume is from Animal Mascots.
• Adult Shamrock Costume - The 36-inch bright green shamrock is sure to please anyone looking for a lightweight, easy option. It is sold through Oriental Trading.

Making Your Own Costume

You can make your own shamrock costume with some green poster board, elastic, and staples. This project is fun and easy.

1. Purchase two sheets of green poster board. Cut both sheets into identical shamrock shapes as large as possible.
2. Hold one of the shamrock shapes against your torso and have a friend mark where the shape touches your shoulders. Also mark the shamrock under your arms.
3. Cut six pieces of elastic, each about six inches long. Staple a piece of elastic to each mark on the shamrock costume and to one spot on each side near the bottom. Staple the pieces to the corresponding locations on the other poster board piece.
4. Put on black leggings and a black turtleneck and then slip the costume on over the top.

Beer Mug Costume

At many adult parties, St. Patrick's Day involves a lot of beer. You can dress up as the beverage of the day with a beer mug costume.

Looks to Buy

Dress up as a mug of beer using one of these pre-made examples:

• Beer Mug Costume - Sized to fit most men and women, this polyester mug costume from Rasta Imposta through Amazon.com is a great option. Add a green hat or shirt to make it even more festive.
• Beer Mug Dress - Rasta Imposta sells a woman's beer mug dress, complete with ruffle fizz and handle, through Amazon.com. It should fit a woman whose size ranges between 4 and 10.
• Beer Mug Hat - If you're interested in keeping it simple, a beer mug hat paired with a green outfit is a fun option. This mug hat from HalloweenCostumes.com is adjustable and even features some inner pockets.

Making Your Own Costume

You can make your own beer mug costume out of an inflatable cooler. This is a fun and easy costume that will be the hit of the party.

1. Purchase an inflatable cooler.
2. Cut leg holes in the bottom of the cooler.
3. Use suspender clips and elastic to create shoulder straps.
4. Put on a black turtleneck and leggings and step into the cooler. Pull the straps over your shoulders.

Authentic Irish Costumes

If you're looking for something a bit more authentic, there are plenty of great Celtic costumes available. From step dancing outfits to fierce warriors in traditional dress, you can find the look you need.

The Hit of the Party

There's more to celebrating this fun holiday than donning a green shirt and singing traditional Irish songs. Putting some thought into your St. Patrick's Day costume will help ensure you're the hit of the party.