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Vampires are the ultimate cool Halloween monster, and Count Dracula is the coolest of them all. Vampires are sexy, they get to wear capes, and they live forever. Who wouldn't want to be one? We may not be able to make you into a vampire, but we can show you how to make a Dracula costume that will be the life - or rather, death - of any Halloween party.
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Tips for Making a Dracula Costume
- A cool cape and fangs are a must.
- Good makeup is the key to a good Dracula costume.
- You can make your costume more elegant or casual by adding key elements.
- Red contacts or fake fingernails can add a special touch to your Dracula.
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How to Apply Dracula Makeup
This video shows you how to apply Dracula makeup once your costume is finished. The video demonstrates how to make the face pale using white makeup, and also how to hollow out the eyes and cheekbones using red and brown makeup. Finally, you will learn how to use black eyeliner around the eyes and how to make a widow’s peek at the forehead for the complete Dracula look.
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Putting Your Face On
- Now that you've got the right outfit, it's time to make your complexion as pale and sinister as possible. Luckily, you don't need to be a professional makeup artist, or even that much makeup, to get the job done right.Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
Getting Dressed
- To assemble a costume befitting Count Dracula's sumptuous and formal style, you can make your costume as elaborate as you wish (see the Variations and Tips section below). But to begin with, there a few basic elements common to most store-bought Dracula costumes which you probably might already have in your closet:
- White dress shirtCostume Craze: Adult Dracula Costume
- Black shoesCostume Craze: Adult Dracula Costume
- Black dress slacksBuyCostumes.com: Universal Studios Monsters Dracula Plus Adult Costume
- Dark- or light-colored formal vestBuyCostumes.com: Gothic Vampire Elite Collection Adult Costume Costume Craze: Adult Dracula Costume
- Close-fitting glovesBuyCostumes.com: Universal Studios Monsters Dracula Plus Adult Costume
- There are also a couple vital components to the Dracula costume which you are less likely to have lying around the house:
- Black cape (with red satin lining if possible)Dracula in Whitby: Dracula Halloween Costume
- Gold-colored medallion with red-ribbonCostume Craze: Adult Dracula Costume
- Despite his ghoulish nature, on the outside Count Dracula was a normal (if elegant) guy. So, although you have the option of sewing together the different pieces of clothing, wearing them normally is just fine.Dracula in Whitby: Dracula Halloween Costume
Gathering Supplies
- Without the right makeup, you're just a guy in fancy clothes. To get that classy, undead Dracula look are as follows, you'll need a few things:
- Greasepaint in various ashen shades, including white, black, gray, and even green!Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- Black eyebrow pencilMake Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- Light-colored face powderHalloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
- Fake blood (or if you're in a pinch, red lipstick)LoveToKnow: Halloween Vampire Makeup
Face Makeup
- The goal here is to make your face look pale and shadowy. The following general techniques will help you look sinister, but not outright monstrous.
- Apply greasepaint over your entire face to create a pale, ashen foundation.Halloween on the Web: Gruesome Makeup Tips
- Use your fingers, rather than a brush or pad, so you can blend the makeup more gently and evenly over your face.Halloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
- Start with white for the base layer has been applied, but gradually blend in other colors of greasepaint to create a more natural-looking unnatural shade.Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- Don't forget to apply your base layer to your neck and ears; they're supposed to be just as undead as the rest of you is!Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- Apply enough makeup to alter the overall hue of your face, but don't lay it on too thick.Halloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
- When you're finished, set your greasepaint makeup so it doesn't rub off on anything:Halloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
- Apply face powder onto all the areas where you've applied makeup.
- Gently dust off any excess powder with a cotton ball.Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- The powder will mix with any excess makeup, so it won't run.Halloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
Evil Eyes
- You may not be able to replicate Dracula's infamous glowing eyes. You can, however, use makeup to give your eyes a menacing, shadowy look:
- Color both your upper and lower eyelids with greasepaintHalloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
- Apply dark-colored greasepaint around the outsides of your eyes to create a dark, sunken-in look.Halloween Online Magazine: How Vampires Are Made
- Use a black eyebrow pencil to draw in small hair lines on the eyebrows.Halloween on the Web: Gruesome Makeup Tips
- Augment your eyebrows by making them thicker, and angled downwards towards the center of your face.LoveToKnow: Halloween Vampire Makeup
- - Make Magazine recommends that you use your eyebrow pencil to draw in the edges of the eyebrows in the shape of hairs, to get a more natural appearance.Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- For a step-by-step walkthrough to applying your makeup, consult Mahalo's page on How to Do Vampire Makeup.
Finishing Touches
- Now that you're dressed the part, and made up with a vampiric complexion, there are a few final details to complete your Dracula costume.
Do Your Hair
- The two most important parts of Dracula's hairstyle are the dark, slicked-back hair, and the sharp-pointed hairline called a widow's peak.Castle of Spirits: Vampires/Dracula Inkling Magazine: A Dose of Vampire's Medicine (December 18, 2006) The easiest way to get the right hairdo without mussing up yours is to pick up a wig from a costume or specialty store.Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007) But if you don't feel like shelling out extra cash, you can also style your own Dracula hair:
- Use some sort of thick hair product with a reasonable amount of hold and comb back your hair so it doesn't fall over your face.Make Digital: Halloween 2007: Macabre Makeup - The Vampire (October, 2007)
- There are a couple tricks you can use if your hair doesn't fall in a natural widow's peak:
- If your hair isn't too long, you can simply comb your hair forward into a point and let it sit on your forehead.Halloween on the Web: Gruesome Makeup Tips
- You can also use your black eyebrow pencil and draw a widow's peak into your natural hairline.About.com: What Ever Do I Wear for Halloween?
Finish with Fangs
- Don't forget to get a set of fangs! Dracula is nothing without his bite! You can purchase ready-made fangs from costume shops, specialty stores and even major online retailers like Amazon.com.VampFangs.com: Official Site Amazon.com: Products tagged with vampire fangs
- If you're feeling particularly crafty, you can even set about making your own personalized set of vampire fangs. The process is somewhat complicated, and requires extra materials including plaster, clay and alginate--a gooey substance commonly used to makes molds of body parts. The process is somewhat involved, but here are two excellent guides for the entire process:
- MAKE Blog: DIY Vampire Fangs (Video) (Time: 11:14)
- Halloween Online Magazine: Casting Fangs and Teeth
Tips and Variations
- If you are handy with a needle and thread, try sewing this elegant Dracula costume.Dracula in Whitby: Dracula Halloween Costume
- This website features step-by-step instructions on how to make a high-quality cape with a collar perfect for a Dracula costume.Fabric Link: Basic Cape with Collar
- Scroll down on this site to view detailed instructions for applying facial makeup for vampires, including using a prosthesis and spirit gum.Halloween Online Magazine: Make Up
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