How to Make a Peter Pan Costume

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 20, 2022 References

Whether you are making a Halloween outfit or preparing for a staged production, a Peter Pan costume is always a hit. Because the costume itself is quite easy to make it’s also a fantastic last-minute option. Construct the costume with only a few materials and wear it with an impish attitude and a twinkle in your eye!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Tunic and the Tights

1
Buy a pair of green tights or leggings. The tights are the easiest part of the costume to plan. If you don’t already own a pair, go to a store like Walmart and H&M and buy a pair of dark green or greenish-brown leggings or tights. If you are buying nylon tights, try to purchase ones that are opaque instead of see-through.^{[1]
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- If you feel uncomfortable wearing leggings or tights, buy a pair of sweatpants or linen pants with a skinny fit. You can also wear green cut-off shorts if you don’t want to wear long pants.
2
Buy a green shirt. If you don’t already own one, buy a large shirt in a yellow-green color. Make sure that the shirt is a little large and fits like a tunic, ending midway down the thigh.^{[2]
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- Make sure that you or whoever the costume is for tries on the shirt before you purchase it. The tunic is an iconic part of the Peter Pan costume, so a short or tight shirt won’t look as good.
- You can buy a regular T-shirt or polo shirt, or a shirt made from linen or another similar material for a more earthy feel.
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3
Use a pencil to mark the shirt. Peter Pan’s tunic is known for having a zig-zag cut along the bottom and the sleeves, giving it a playful look. Try on the shirt and use a pen to draw a large zig-zag pattern near the hem of the shirt and around the sleeves.^{[3]
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- If you are happy with the size of the shirt, make the zig-zag pattern close to the edge of the fabric. If you feel the shirt is too big, draw the zig-zag higher up, so that you will be able to cut the shirt to the length that you want.
- Also draw a V along the neck of the shirt if it’s not already a V-neck.
4
Cut along the lines. Lay the shirt down flat on a table and use a sharp pair of scissors to cut along the lines you drew on the shirt. Try to cut crisply and cleanly so that the shirt doesn’t look frayed or ragged. Try the shirt on again and look in a mirror. If you notice that the zig zag looks uneven, take the shirt off again and refine the cut.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making the Cap

1
Assemble your supplies. The cap is the most work intensive aspect of the costume since you will have to construct it yourself. You will need a yard of green felt, a pair of scissors, a needle or a sewing machine, green thread, a hot glue gun and a red feather. You can buy all these supplies at Hobby Lobby, Michaels or another art supply store.^{[5]
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- If you don’t want to sew, you can do a no-sew version of the cap by simply taking a green beanie and flipping up the edges. Glue a red feather to one side of the beanie to create a perfectly good Peter Pan cap!
2
Cut out a rounded triangle. Draw a triangle with a pen onto the felt. The shape should be roughly the size of the cap as seen from the side, so make sure to make it large enough for your head or the head of the person the costume is for. Don’t draw a perfect triangle, instead make the top tip of the triangle curved as opposed to straight and off-center as opposed to directly centered.
- To estimate what size the triangle should be, hold the cloth up to your head to get a good idea. Since the hat isn't going to be fitted snugly to your head, you just need to get an approximate estimate.
3
Cut a long slanted triangle. Draw another shape that is roughly the shape of a knife blade, starting out as rectangular and ending in a pointed tip. This will be the brim of the hat. Make sure that the length of this section is about a ½ inch longer than the length of the rounded triangle you just made. Cut it out with a pair of scissors.^{[6]
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4
Make copies of the shapes. Take the rounded triangle and the slanted piece of felt and lay them down on the remaining felt. Use a pen to trace around these shapes. Cut out the shapes with scissors to create identical copies of the shapes you already made.^{[7]
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5
Sew the large triangles together. Line up the larger triangles by putting one triangle over the other. Use a needle and thread to sew using straight stitches.Sew the two pieces of fabric together along the sides of the triangle about 1 centimeter (0.4 in) from the edge, leaving the bottom open. You can also Use a Sewing Machine to sew the two pieces together.^{[8]
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- You are sewing along what will be the inside of the hat, so don't worry if your stitches aren't perfect.
6
Line up the brim pieces. After you finish sewing the body of the cap, flip the cap right-side in to hide your stitches. Then one of the long slanted pieces of felt and place it so that it’s just overlapping the bottom edge of the cap on the inside. Pin the strip where it overlaps around the bottom of the cap. Do the same on the other side for the other piece of fabric, making sure that the thick ends are next to each other and the thin ends are touching.^{[9]
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7
Sew the brim pieces to the cap. Using a needle and thread or a sewing machine, sew the brim piece along the bottom edge of the cap where you pinned it. Also sew lengthwise along the overlap where the two thick sides of each long triangle meet. After you are done sewing, remove the pins. Then flip up the pieces to make the brim! ^{[10]
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8
Glue in the feather. Take a red long feather and stick it into one side of the hat in the brim. Make sure that the feather is pointed at a jaunty, 45 degree angle. When you are satisfied with the way it looks, glue it in place using the hot glue gun.^{[11]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Accessories

1
Make or buy a belt. Though your costume is almost finished, you will need a few more accessories to pull off the classic Peter Pan look. If you have a brown belt, cinch it across your waist over the green tunic. You can also tie a length of brown fabric or a rope at your waist if you don’t want to buy a belt.^{[12]
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2
Buy a small toy dagger. Peter Pan carries a small dagger at his side in a holster attached to his belt. Buy a small toy dagger at a Halloween store or a costume shop. If it doesn’t come with a holster simply keep it at your side tucked into your belt. Since it's a toy, there’s no chance of it hurting you!^{[13]
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- Don’t use a real knife. Even if you want to pull off a great costume, it’s not worth the risk of accidentally poking yourself!
- You can also make a dagger out of cardboard and paint it to look like a knife.
3
Wear brown shoes. Wear a pair of brown or tan shoes with your costume, preferably moccasins or short boots. If you don’t have the perfect pair of shoes, don’t worry too much: people will be so impressed with your costume that they probably won’t be looking at your feet.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I be Peter Pan as a girl?

Garrett

Top Answerer

Absolutely.
Question

What should I do about my long hair?

Community Answer

I would probably put it in a bun so it can fit under your cap, or if your hair isn't long enough to put in a bun, you can put it in a ponytail and flip it forward, using hairspray to keep it looking short. That being said, your hairstyle doesn't matter too much. If you've got the costume and the cap, you will look like Peter Pan.
Question

Can I add leaves to the Peter Pan costume?

Lily Wolfe

Top Answerer

I would add fake leaves so that they don't crumble. That would be really cool, though!