The Hatter, more commonly known as the Mad Hatter, made his appearance in Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865 and was given an eccentric personality by John Tenniel in drawing illustrations for the book.
The Mad Hatter is a favorite character to choose as a Halloween costume for children, tweens, teens and adults, boys and girls, men and women.
There are three main versions of the Mad Hatter costume to choose from: the traditional John Tenniel, Alice in Wonderland circa 1951 and the new Johnny Depp inspired hatter. These Mad Hatter costume ideas do not include the generally more PG-rated female versions that can be found in costume stores.
Putting the Mad Hatter costume together involves reusing and revising old clothes, so much of the costume can be found by looking for the items needed in closets, attics and thrift stores.
The Mad Hatter Hat
The Mad Hatter hat may be the one item that needs to be created, found, altered or purchased. Alternatively with a bit of work and hat pattern one could try being a real hatter and make a hat to go with a costume store costume.
The Mad Hatter's Hat is an exaggerated Wellington style top-hat with concave sides (sides that curve inward). Mad Hatter Hat's are available online from different stores. Patterns are also available for making a very traditional Mad Hatter Wellington hat from Lynn McMasters and a more Disney-styled version from Simplicity Pattern #4015.
Traditional Tenniel's Mad Hatter Costume
John Tenniel's illustrations are the ones most associated with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking-Glass. To create a traditional Tenniel's Mad Hatter Costume look at Tenniel's illustrations for inspiration.
- Start with an over-sized black Mad Hatter Hat.
- Make and add the card that states "In this style 10/6" – the price of the hat in shillings and pence.
- Add a long top coat or tails.
- Put on a checkered top.
- Tie on a spotted scarf or tie.
- Pull on checkered pants.
- Wear striped socks and black shoes.
- Carry an empty cup of tea.
- Wear wild, wind-blown hair.
For the Tenniel's Mad Hatter consider doing the costume all in black and white, like the illustration.
Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Costume
This Alice in Wonderland character was brought to life in the 1951 Disney version of Alice in Wonderland. The cartoon version was voiced by character actor Ed Wynn, who most people remember as Uncle Albert from Mary Poppins.
To create an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter costume take a look at a picture of the 1951 Mad Hatter from the Disney cartoon version or from pictures of the Mad Hatter character taken from a Disney-themed park.
- Start with a Disney-styled Mad Hatter hat.
- Make a green hat, with blue band.
- Put on a white shirt.
- Add a bright blue or green (cartoon) bow tie.
- Put on a bright blue or green (cartoon) vest.
- Make or alter a yellow (cartoon) or bright orange topcoat or tails.
- Pull on dark green pants.
- Wear bright green over-sized, clown-styled shoes.
- Finish off with white gloves.
Probably the best way to create an early Disney Mad Hatter costume is to start with an official Disneyland version of the Mad Hatter hat or a modified version. These can be purchased online or even better on a trip to Disneyland. The Disney Mad Hatter also has a white wig and enlarged W. C. Fields-style nose.
Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter Costume
The Mad Hatter is being given a new interpretation thanks to Tim Burton's new version of Alice in Wonderland, with Johnny Depp playing the new role. As with most Tim Burton's roles, Depp's Mad Hatter looks to be more than a bit crazy, slightly creepy and quite eccentric.
The Johnny Depp version of the Mad Hatter costume combines elements of Tenniel's Mad Hatter, Disney's Mad Hatter and a bit of Bozo the clown with Tim Burton's unique, peculiar style and Depp's meticulous attention to details in developing the costume for his latest character.
To create a Johnny Depp inspired Mad Hatter costume Google for an image of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter to start as a model.
- Start with a green Wellington hat, made out of green brocade fabric.
- Embellish the hat with a burnt orange hat band.
- Carefully add in some old-styled hat pins in the hat band. Omit for younger children.
- Tuck the 10/6 tag into the hat band.
- Find an old orange clown's wig to wear.
- Cut off some of the wig (from the underside) to apply as eyebrows.
- Put on white make up with dark pink eyeshadow around the eyes.
- Add a touch of blush to the hollows of the cheeks.
- Wear white mascara and blue-green eyeshadow.
- Find an old brown topcoat or tails and distress it with patches. (An old tuxedo could be used).
- Put on a pink shirt.
- Tie on a large spotted scarf.
- Tuck a lace handkerchief into the shirt cuffs.
- Pull on short 3/4-length pants.
- Add red socks.
- Wear an old pair of army boots.
- Distress your hands, add some fake blood and bandages so they appear to have been injured by hat pins or making hats.
- Add a thimble.
- Carry an old, empty tea cup.
The Johnny Depp inspired Mad Hatter costume requires a lot more work to put together, but this version may also allow for more of a person's creativity to be expressed in developing a version of the Mad Hatter.
With the release of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland in March 2010 and the fact that Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking-Glass continue to be popular books, it is likely that the Mad Hatter will continue to be a favorite Halloween costume for years to come.
Kirsti A. Dyer - Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, health educator, professor, author and lecturer.
