How to Make Your Own DIY Jester Costume

Class clowns and resident comedians will find their fun-loving personalities reflected in their costume when they dress up as a jester.

With the addition of embellishments like pompoms and jingle bells, jester costumes can be as outrageous or as subtle as their creator wishes. Jester costumes can be made from bright colors or darker tones and benefit from the quirkiness of color blocking.

Because there are so many variations, this DIY project is suitable for men, women and kids.

The traditional jester's tunic was typically a patterned coat, often depicted as being covered with diamond shapes. These garments were often created using bright, garish colors.

1. ​Measure and cut.​ Take a measurement starting from the mid-thigh all the way up to the top of the shoulders. Double this number. Measure across the chest. Record these figures.
2. ​Cut out the gold felt.​ Cut out a piece of gold felt using these measurements as dimensions.
3. ​Fold and cut for the head.​ Fold the felt in half at the middle of the longest side. Cut a slit large enough for a head to fit through.
4. ​Sew on the felt diamonds.​ Decorate the tunic by sewing a black, red and blue felt diamond across the chest.
5. ​Add black fringe trim.​ Sew black fringe trim around the edges of the tunic.

The jester's collar, or ruff, was a common item of clothing originating in Europe. Ruffs were popular from the mid-16th to mid-17th centuries.

Measure the circumference of the neck. Add 6 inches to the measurement and cut a piece of ribbon this length.

Fold nine felt diamonds in half at the middle of their longest side. Sew the tips of each felt diamond together to make nine felt triangles to make loops. Sew only the tips closed. Don't sew the edges of the triangles shut. Embellish by sewing a black pompom onto each tip.

Thread the ribbon through the felt triangles so the tips and pompoms are pointing outward, away from the ribbon. Smaller collars may not need all nine felt triangles.

Add the triangles as needed to fill out the collar. Loosely tie around the neck to wear.

The jester's hat, or "fool's hat," is perhaps the best-known part of the costume and featured three points, each with a jingle bell on the end, Later versions of the hat were often made using pompoms instead of bells.

Sew a pompom onto one tip of each felt triangle.

Fold the brim of the knitted winter hat up about 1 inch. Insert felt triangles under the brim so the tip with the pompom is pointed toward the top of the hat. Sew into place. Alternate the colors of the triangles.

Allow the felt triangles to fold and flop over to replicate the look of a jester's hat.

Gear up and prepare to assume your rightful role as a regular in the royal court. You're sure to bring a smile to the king's face in this jolly get-up.

1. ​Wear the jumpsuit.​ Put on a black spandex jumpsuit to serve as the base of the costume.
2. ​Layer up.​ Layer on the tunic, collar and hat.
3. ​Put on pointy toes.​ Wear a pair of pointy-toed boots or slippers to complete the look.

Your versatile jester Halloween costume can easily be adapted to convert to any number of Halloween costume ideas. Use it for a clown costume, court jester costume, circus costume or evil jester costume.