Easy Shakespearean Halloween Costume Ideas for Men

Shakespearean characters make great costume ideas for Halloween. Most Shakespearean characters are easily recognizable and are quick to make, requiring few special props.

If you are invited to a Shakespeare themed Halloween party this year, are a fan of Shakespeare or just want an interesting and unique costume here are two easy to make Shakespearean character costumes for men.

Hamlet

Hamlet is one of the most famous Shakespearean characters and also one of the easiest costumes to put together. As a Halloween costume, Hamlet works well because traditional Hamlet costumes are dark and morbid. To create a basic Hamlet costume dress all in black, tighter fitting black pants paired with a looser fitting black top fit the part best. For an even more authentic looking Hamlet costume pair a white collared shirt with a looser black tunic.

The second part of the costume, and what really makes the character, consists of props. The most important prop for hamlet is a human skull that you can carry around, and talk to occasionally of course. Some Hamlet costumes include a hat that was common for the period of the play, but you can also wear a simple gold or silver crown band which is easy to make from stiff cardboard covered with wrapping paper. Additional props to include in your costume include a wide, loose fitting belt with accompanying fake dagger. Add tall boots to your feet and you are ready to go.

Antony

Antony and Cleopatra is another famous Shakespeare play, and Antony as a character is a good choice for Halloween. The character of Antony is a Roman soldier, in the most basic form. Shakespeare's Antony though, is a ruler who sits on the throne with Cleopatra and therefore his costume needs to be a little more elaborate.

To create a Shakespearean Antony costume start with a long white tunic that falls to your knees. Over the tunic add a red cape that is also knee length and clipped together at the shoulder with a pinned medallion of your choice. After the tunic and cape you can go one of two ways with the Antony costume, the soldier route or the ruler.