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Zombie Costume: How to Make It in 30 min
- Time 30 min
- Cost mostly free
- Best for Best for old clothes
Modern zombies owe most of their look to George Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead, where the dead are slow, gray and relentless. That is good news for a last-minute costume: the look is torn clothes, a gray face and dark circles, all things you can make from a closet and a makeup bag.
What you probably already own
- Old clothes you can ruin: a button-up shirt, a sweater, jeans or a dress
- Dark eyeshadow or eyeliner, black or brown
- White or light gray face paint, or a light foundation plus a little gray eyeshadow
- Scissors for fraying and tearing
- Strong black tea or coffee, for aging the fabric
- Corn syrup, red food coloring and cocoa or chocolate syrup, for blood
Buy only if you want it
- Gray or green face paint (face-safe, not craft paint)
- A makeup sponge
- Pre-made fake blood gel, if you do not want to mix your own
Step by step
- Age the clothes first. Brew a pot of very strong black tea, soak a light shirt for 20 to 30 minutes, then wring it out and let it dry or wear it damp. It turns a clean shirt yellow-brown and dingy.
- Tear and fray. Cut a few slits at the collar, hem and cuffs, then pull the threads apart. Rub dirt, coffee grounds or dry cocoa on the knees and elbows.
- Make the face base. Dab a thin layer of white or gray over your face with a sponge. Keep it patchy; a zombie should look uneven, not painted.
- Hollow out the eyes. Smudge dark eyeshadow under the eyes and up into the sockets, then along the cheekbones and the sides of the nose. Blend the edges with a finger so there are no hard lines.
- Sink the cheeks. Tap a little gray or brown just under the cheekbones and at the temples. If you have it, add a touch of purple or green eyeshadow around the eyes.
- Mix the blood. Stir 3 tablespoons of corn syrup, a few drops of red food coloring and a pinch of cocoa until it looks dark and slightly brown. Dab it at the corner of the mouth and on a collar. Let it dry before you move around.
- Mess up your hair, and practice the slow shamble.
Wearing it seated
Mistakes to avoid
- Blood on clothes or furniture you care about. Corn syrup and food coloring stain, so wear old clothes and put down a towel.
- Heavy makeup that looks clean and even. Zombies look best a bit patchy.
- Getting blood or paint near the eyes or in the mouth. Keep them at the corners and on the cheeks.
Make it better
Give it a story: a torn name tag, a loosened tie or a fast-food uniform turns a generic zombie into a character, like the zombie office worker. Add a drawn-on bite mark or scratch on one forearm with a brown pencil and a little blood.
Good to know
Before Romero, the word zombie described a person raised by sorcery in Haitian folklore. The flesh-eating undead came later, from film.
Where to buy
Amazon links; check the product page against the notes before you order.
- Gray face paint (look for skin-safe, not craft paint)
- Fake blood (skin-safe and washable)
Safety
- Test face paint and blood on a small patch of skin first.
- Make sure you can see and breathe freely.
- Keep fabric and props clear of wheels, casters and brakes, and away from real flames.