How to Make a DIY Harry Potter Costume

Bring Harry Potter to life with a DIY Harry Potter Costume! Follow the visual steps below to make a Harry Potter Costume perfect for Halloween or pretend play.  

Is your child a Harry Potter fan? The hero with magic powers – everyone wants to be like Harry (or Hermione)! Complete with a high-quality robe, realistic wand, and inexpensive accessories, this Harry Potter costume is fun to pull together. 

The best part about this costume is that you can make it work for other Harry Potter characters. The robe’s inner color, tie, and house patch could easily be swapped out to create a whole different character. Get creative and have the whole family be Harry Potter characters this Halloween.

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How to Make a Harry Potter Costume

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a DIY Harry Potter Wand, find instructions for a DIY Harry Potter Robe, learn how to draw Harry Potter’s scar, and find details on all of Harry’s accessories.

As you’ll see in the instructions, the most complex part of this costume is the robe. If you’re short on time (or if you can’t sew), consider buying the robe. Then, follow the instructions to complete the rest of the costume.

Supplies

• Robe (tutorial / purchase)
• Gryffindor House Patch
• Robe Closure (also called a Frog Clasp)
• Stick
• Hot Glue
• Black Spray Paint
• Scrap Cardboard
• White Button Down Shirt
• Black Pants
• Black Shoes
• Red Makeup Crayon
• Tie and Glasses

Tools

• Fabric Pencil
• Iron
• Needle and Black Thread
• Fabric scissors
• Pocket Knife
• Hot Glue Gun

Instructions

#1: Sew (or buy) the Robe

First, use the Gryffindor Robe tutorial from Fleece Fun to sew the robe or buy a robe online. I am a novice seamstress, but was able to follow Fleece Fun’s clear instructions.

Note: In full disclosure, I did have help from my mom (she’s a talented seamstress). While I’m confident I could have completed the robe on my own, it would have definitely taken longer.

If you choose to buy the robe, skip steps 2-4.

#2: Make your Marks

Once you’ve followed the tutorial for the robe, place it on your child. Then, mark a location on the robe with fabric pencil to note where the house patch and robe closure should be attached. 

#3: Put the Patch On

Place the Gryffindor House Patch in the right location and iron it onto the robe. 

#4: Attach the Robe Closure

Next, using a needle and thread, attach the robe closure in the spot you marked for it. 

#5: Find and Whittle a Stick

At this point, it is time to get the kids involved! Send them out into the yard to find a stick. It should be similar to the thickness of a wand and strong enough that it will not break.

Depending on the age of the child, let them whittle the stick with a pocket knife. Shave off the bark and create a wand shape by making one end of the stick thinner (or, pointier).

#6: Make the Wand’s Handle

Once the stick is shaped like a want, use hot glue to create designs on the handle (thicker) portion of the stick. Since hot glue dries quickly, hold the stick in your hand to let dry.

I used this Harry Potter Wand tutorial by Boxy Colonial as a reference for the handle design (you might also prefer her supplies, if you don’t want to use a stick). 

#7: Paint the Wand

Once the hot glue is dry, prop it up on a piece of scrap cardboard and spray paint it black.

#8: Assemble the Look

Now that the costume is ready, let’s pull it all together! Have your child dress in a white button up, black pants, and black dress shoes. Then, tie a Gryffindor house neck tie through the shirt’s collar.

#8: Add the Accessories

Finally, finish the look with glasses and a scar on Harry Potter’s head. To create the scar, draw a lightning bolt on your child’s forehead with a red makeup crayon.

Harry Potter Costume Ideas

My son and I were so pleased with how this DIY Harry Potter costume came together. It looks great and is high quality, too! The robe and wand are durable for many hours of pretend play, long after Halloween is over.

To keep this costume cost effective, shop your closet. Does your child already have a white button down shirt, black pants, or dark dress shoes? My son’s shoes were actually navy (not black like Harry’s shoes), but they worked just fine!

If you have to buy some of those pieces, skip the costume aisle. Instead, buy a quality item that can be worn for different occasions throughout the year. Finding pieces that can be used all year long helps keep costumes budget-friendly.

If you liked this DIY Halloween costume, you might also like:

• How to Make a DIY Link Costume (Zelda Breath of the Wild)
• Easy Pirate Makeup for a Halloween Costume
• How to Make a DIY Ninja Turtle Costume

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