Who in the world needs a squirrel costume? You might be surprised by how popular the rodent costumes are, especially among schools with squirrel mascots and kids obsessed with the furry, nut-loving creatures. Don't go nuts looking for a squirrel costume when you can make or buy your own.
Commercial Squirrel Costumes
Whether your child wants to dress up as Hammy from Over the Hedge or you need an appropriate costume to don for your local Arbor Day parade, squirrel getups are amazingly versatile. A number of companies sell costumes that allow you to look just like the bright-eyed bushy tail foragers. Getups come in an array of shapes, shades and sizes. In addition, you can find squirrel costumes that run the gamut from elaborate to simplistic.
High-quality squirrel costumes are typically reserved for sports teams or schools looking to suit a mascot. These expensive outfits feature fine details and are made of durable materials that can withstand the elements and a lot of physical contact. These ostentatious outfits generally include:
- Full bodysuit
- Gloves
- Padded feet
- Oversize mascot head
- Faux fur tail
- Mesh look-out mouth
Other companies offer simpler squirrel suits made from generic plush material instead of velvet or faux fur. The less expensive sets also come with far fewer details, such as gloves and foot covers.
Where to Buy
Costume shops typically carry squirrel suits in the weeks preceding and following Halloween. However, by shopping online you can find a greater selection of squirrel theme costumes year-round including at these reputable sites:
How to Make Squirrel Costumes
If you are pinching pennies or you simply have a creative streak, then consider making your own costume. One of the easiest and cheapest options is to wear a plain brown sweat suit. Accessorize with matching brown gloves and shoes, then use face paint to add squirrel-like details, such as big black eyes and whiskers.
To enhance a basic brown sweat suit, cut a large oval out of tan-colored felt and sew it on or use fabric glue to adhere it to your torso. Then, make a tail by stuffing one leg from a pair of brown pantyhose with fiberfill and attach it to your lower back. Finish off the look by pulling a pair of dark brown and gray speckled socks over your shoes, if you don't have brown footwear to match your costume.
Accessorize
If you prefer to keep the body of your squirrel getup as simple as possible, but you want to add a few fun features, then concentrate on the accessories. You can make a realistic looking tail by weaving together a bunch of pipe cleaners, then covering the entire thing with faux fur. Meanwhile, squirrel ears can be made by covering a headband with brown felt, then gluing on ears cut out of brown faux fur.
Additional Tips
If you want to design an over-the-top squirrel getup, then attach random nuts to your costume with Velcro or hot glue. If you don't want to use real nuts, then draw some on paper, cut them out and attach them to your suit. Finally, if you are really watching your budget, then forgo buying face paint and simply draw on whiskers with black liquid eyeliner from your collection of cosmetics or make a squirrel mask from construction paper or paper mache.
