Old Man Costume Characters

The classic old man costume is easy to make, can be homemade, and is great for adults and kids as well as men and women. Grab some old clothes, throw on some makeup, and crown the old man costume with a wig or a bald head.

If you want to really get into the role, you'll discover examples of various types of old men, wonderful old man faces and characters, examples of different old man costumes, stage make-up and accessory applications, and even videos that show you how to do make-up for old man characters and costumes. You'll even find a few performances by well-known actors who have done outstanding performances of old men characters that are available for you to study.

There are plenty of old man characters perfect for Halloween

For starters, think about the grumpy old man, the crazy old inventor, the bald old man, and the dirty old man. All are iconic old man costume characters that appear every Halloween and do their fair share of trick or treating. The beauty of the old man costume is that it can be as inexpensive as an old shirt and pants coupled with a bit of white powdered hair to a carefully crafted portrait of a realistic elderly man, complete with costume.

Why dress up like an old man?

Old men come in all shapes and sizes. The face of an old man speaks of life. Artists are drawn to the challenge of capturing that life played out on the face and in the body. Actors relish the freedom and the challenge of sinking into a character with a history and physical attributes that are so unlike their own. Why not look at a Halloween costume in the same way?

A Halloween costume challenge

Why be content to slap on a wig, slip on some old, baggy clothes and suspenders, and assume your work is done? Take that basic store bought Halloween costume or easy to make homemade costume and turn it into something special. Halloween brings out the inner actor in all who put on Halloween costumes enter into the world of pretend. Decide now: What kind of old man will you be?

Read on for more tips, suggestions and ideas to help you create your Halloween old man costume.

1. Sound like an old man. What does an old man sound like? Does your character have a particular phrase or favorite words he likes to say? Is his voice strong or does it quiver?
2. Move like an old man. Does your old man character use a prop like a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair? What else might he use?
3. Fix hair like an old man. Does he have hair or is he a bald old man? If he has hair, is long or short? Does it stick out like a wild man or does he comb his hair over a bald spot?
4. Act like an old man. What about his physical characteristics? Does your old man stoop when he walks or does he stand erect? Does he limp? Think about how an aging person might feel, the pains, the injuries and how they change the way that person walks and talks.
5. Think like an old man. What do you know about this old man? What's his story? How can you use that when you pretend you are him?

Study the faces of old men

If you plan to turn yourself into an old man for Halloween, then there are a few things to study in order to do it justice. Young people have smooth faces, the lines of time haven't been written yet. Being an old man for Halloween probably means you will wear stage makeup. Where will you apply frown lines? What about wrinkles? Are there other scars or marks? It's helpful to study the faces old men. In the following photographs, you will see they are not all the same.

You may be very surprised to discover the many faces of old men and the number of costume masks and costume accessories you can find to create your own special "old man" character. Some of the latex full-faced masks are amazing but you can also employ a few accessories like a pipe, a wig, glasses, even eyebrows to create your own old man costume. Check out the variety below and start imagining.

Here are two easy old man costumes that have everything you need for a basic old man costume. Use them complete or take these elements as the basic framework to build your own character of an old man.

1. Old man's wig
2. Suspenders and stuffed pants
3. Attached shirt and belt

The rest is up to you.

Make-up, especially stage make-up, is a great way to truly capture an old man's look. There are many ways to apply make-up to capture your desired character. Below you'll find a video and a few books on the craft that will help you pull-off an awesome costume.

You have the look you want. You've created the face. Now it's time to complete the role. Part of the fun of playing the role of an old man comes from the movement and what you put into the role.

A great way to learn all the many behaviors of old men is to watch them in real life and in movies. The great thing about movies is that you can pause and rewind. You can play a moment over and over and practice until you have it perfected. Here are a few movies that will provide you with all the material you need to create a wonderful old man.

Would you mind taking a few minutes to share what you do when you want a costume? Where you find your costumes and what type you prefer?