Do it yourself minion costume ideas 2024

Materials Needed

• Yellow long-sleeved shirt or sweatshirt
• Blue denim overalls or jeans
• Black gloves
• Yellow face paint or makeup
• Black shoes or boots
• Large round plastic container (for the body)
• Yellow spray paint
• Black electrical tape or black fabric paint
• Foam sheets (yellow and black)
• Clear plastic jar lids or clear plastic cups (for goggles)
• Elastic band
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors
• Black marker
• Silver spray paint (optional, for goggle rims)
• Black pipe cleaners (for hair)
• Cardboard or foam board
• Velcro strips
• Black fabric (for mouth)

Creating the Minion Body

1. Prepare the container: Start with a large, round plastic container. Remove any labels and clean it thoroughly. Cut out the bottom of the container and create arm holes on the sides.

2. Paint the body: In a well-ventilated area, spray paint the container yellow. Apply multiple thin coats for even coverage, allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next.

3. Add details: Once the paint is dry, use black electrical tape or black fabric paint to create the iconic "belt" around the middle of the container. You can also add pocket details if desired.

4. Create shoulder straps: Cut two strips of yellow fabric or use the straps from the overalls. Attach these to the inside of the container using hot glue or by sewing, ensuring they're long enough to go over your shoulders comfortably.

Making the Minion Goggles

1. Prepare the lenses: Use clear plastic jar lids or the bottom of clear plastic cups for the lenses. If using cups, carefully cut off the bottom portion to create circular lenses.

2. Create the goggle frame: Cut a strip of black foam to fit around the lenses. Hot glue this frame to the lenses, leaving a small gap at the sides for the elastic band.

3. Add the strap: Measure and cut an elastic band to fit comfortably around your head. Attach it to the sides of the goggle frame using hot glue or by sewing.

4. Optional detailing: For a more authentic look, you can spray paint the outer rim of the goggles silver to mimic the metallic appearance in the movies.

Crafting the Minion Outfit

1. Yellow top: Use a yellow long-sleeved shirt or sweatshirt as the base. If you can't find the right shade, you can dye a white shirt yellow.

2. Blue overalls: Minions typically wear blue denim overalls. You can use a pair of overalls or create a similar effect with blue jeans and suspenders. For added authenticity, you can sew or glue a "G" logo (for Gru) onto the front pocket.

3. Gloves and shoes: Complete the look with black gloves and black shoes or boots.

Adding Minion Features

1. Eyes: Cut large white circles from foam or felt and attach them to the goggles. Use black foam or a black marker to create pupils. For a one-eyed Minion, simply cover one lens with yellow fabric or foam.

2. Hair: Minions have sparse, wiry hair. Create this effect by attaching black pipe cleaners to the top of your head or the costume body. You can glue these to a beanie or directly to the body container.

3. Mouth: Cut an oval shape from black fabric and attach it to the lower part of the body container. You can create different expressions by adjusting the shape of the mouth.

4. Gru logo: Cut out a black "G" from foam or felt and attach it to the front of the overalls to represent Gru's logo.

Assembling the Costume

1. Put on the yellow shirt and blue overalls or jeans.

2. Step into the painted body container and adjust the shoulder straps for a comfortable fit.

3. Place the goggles on your head, ensuring they're secure.

4. Put on the black gloves and shoes.

5. Apply yellow face paint to any exposed skin, particularly around the eyes if your goggles don't cover that area completely.

Tips for Wearing Your Minion Costume

1. Visibility: Ensure you can see clearly through the goggles. If visibility is an issue, consider enlarging the eye holes or using mesh fabric instead of solid plastic for the lenses.

2. Comfort: The body container can get warm, so choose breathable fabrics for your underclothes. Consider adding small ventilation holes to the container if needed.

3. Movement: Practice walking and moving in your costume before the event. The cylindrical body may take some getting used to, especially when sitting or navigating tight spaces.

4. Accessories: Consider adding Minion-appropriate accessories like a banana, Gru's freeze ray, or a stuffed fluffy unicorn toy to complete the look.

Variations and Customizations

1. Different eye configurations: Minions can have one or two eyes. For a one-eyed Minion, simply cover one of the goggle lenses with yellow fabric or foam.

2. Hair styles: Some Minions are bald, while others have different hair styles. Experiment with varying lengths and styles of black pipe cleaners for different looks.

3. Clothing variations: While blue overalls are standard, some Minions wear different outfits. You could create a prison Minion with a striped outfit or a hula Minion with a grass skirt and coconut bra.

4. Group costumes: Coordinate with friends to create a group of diverse Minions. You could even have someone dress as Gru or another character from the movies to lead your Minion group.

Maintenance and Storage

1. Cleaning: Spot clean the body container with a damp cloth. For fabric elements, follow the care instructions for each item.

2. Storage: Store the body container in a cool, dry place to prevent warping. Keep the goggles in a safe place to avoid scratches on the lenses.

3. Touch-ups: Keep some yellow spray paint on hand for touch-ups on the body container if needed.