DIY Prisoner Costume: Two Easy Ways to Make One at Home

Pick your route: orange or stripes

Two homemade prisoner looks are recognized on sight. The orange route is the modern version: orange top, orange bottoms and a number on the chest. The striped route is the old school cartoon jailbird in bold black and white horizontal stripes. Orange is faster if you already own something orange; stripes take more work but shine in photos.

Not sure which suits you? Our orange jumpsuit vs stripes breakdown compares comfort, photos and couples matching side by side.

Method 1: the orange tee or scrubs route

This is the lowest effort route, and it looks surprisingly legit. Scrubs are the secret weapon: a matching orange scrub top and pants reads as a jumpsuit from a few feet away and is far comfier than most costume jumpsuits.

What you need

• An orange t-shirt, long sleeve tee or orange scrub top
• Orange pants, orange scrub pants, or plain white or khaki pants as a backup
• A white fabric rectangle, a plain white patch, or white felt for the number
• Black fabric paint or a permanent marker, plus safety pins

How to put it together

1. Tuck the orange top into the orange pants. A one color look is what makes it read as a jumpsuit.
2. Make a number patch: write or stencil a fake inmate number on the white rectangle in thick block digits.
3. Pin or stitch the patch over the left chest. For a bonus detail, add a second, larger number on the back.
4. Roll the sleeves once and add white sneakers or slip on shoes for that issued footwear vibe.

If your closet is orange free, a plain orange tee is an easy pickup, and a scrubs set gets you the full jumpsuit silhouette in two pieces.

Shop orange scrubs sets

Method 2: black and white striped shirt

The striped jailbird shirt is the most fun DIY of the bunch. You can make the stripes two ways:

• Electrical tape: fastest, with no drying time. It holds for one night if pressed down well, but edges can peel with lots of movement.
• Black fabric paint: slower and needs drying time, but the stripes flex with the fabric and survive a wash. Best for active kids or a shirt you want to keep.

Aim for stripes about two inches wide, built from two or three strips of tape. Wide, even stripes read as a jailbird uniform instead of a sailor shirt.

Step by step

1. Prep the shirtWash and dry a plain white t-shirt so the fabric is smooth and free of sizing. Lay it flat and slide a piece of cardboard inside so tape or paint cannot reach the back layer.
2. Mark the stripe linesStarting at the hem, use a ruler and a pencil or tailor's chalk to mark horizontal lines about two inches apart all the way up to the armpits. Keep the lines straight across the body and repeat on the sleeves.
3. Lay the black stripesFill every other band with black. For tape, lay two or three strips of electrical tape side by side without stretching them, and press each one down firmly with your thumb. For paint, brush black fabric paint between two strips of painter's tape, then peel the tape while the paint is still wet.
4. Finish the back and sleevesOnce the front is done, flip the shirt, move the cardboard, and line up the back stripes with the front at the side seams. Wrap the sleeve stripes so they meet underneath the arm.
5. Stencil the inmate numberPrint a fake inmate number in a bold block font, trace it onto freezer paper, and cut out the digits with a craft knife. Iron the stencil shiny side down onto a white patch or the chest of the shirt, dab on black fabric paint, and peel it off when the paint is tacky.
6. Make the mugshot signOn a sheet of white cardstock or a small poster board, write a fake facility name, a made up alias, your fake inmate number and the date 10-31 in thick permanent marker. Tape it to a cardboard backer so it stays stiff for photos.
7. Add the final detailsPair the shirt with black pants or matching striped pants, add a striped hat or toy handcuffs, and let any paint dry fully before you wear it.

For bottoms, plain black pants are the easy match. If you want the full head to toe jailbird set, stripe a pair of white sweatpants the same way, running the stripes horizontally around each leg.

Shop black fabric paint

Make a mugshot sign that looks the part

The mugshot sign turns a striped shirt into a full costume in photos. Copy this printable style layout by hand or on a computer:

• Top line: a fake facility name, like "Halloween County Dept. of Treats" or "Pumpkin Patch Holding Center."
• Middle: your alias in big letters, such as "Sticky Fingers Smith."
• Number line: a fake inmate number, like 1031-BOO.
• Bottom line: the date 10-31 and a silly charge, like "Excessive Candy Possession."

Use white cardstock in landscape layout and a thick permanent marker, or print it in a bold block font. Tape it to a piece of cardboard so it stays stiff when you hold it at chest height. A small letter board works too and lets you swap charges all night.

Want a height chart backdrop for the photo? Run horizontal strips of painter's tape across a plain wall or door, a few inches apart, and label them with a marker on the tape. Peel it off after the party.

Stencil tips for a crisp inmate number

A clean number on the chest makes a homemade costume look store bought, and freezer paper (step 5 above) is the cleanest way to get it. Iron the stencil shiny side down so the wax grips the fabric and paint cannot creep under the edges. Dab the paint with a foam brush in an up and down motion instead of brushing sideways, and cut on a mat with a sharp craft knife so the digit edges stay crisp.

Short on time? Write the number on a white felt rectangle with permanent marker and pin it on. Need number ideas? The prisoner costume accessories guide has a full list of funny fake numbers and charges.

Finishing touches

Once the main piece is done, one or two props make the whole outfit click. A pair of toy handcuffs dangling from one wrist is the easiest win, and a ball and chain is perfect for photos. A striped hat suits the jailbird look, while an orange beanie suits the modern one.

For your face and hair, a smudged five o'clock shadow and a messy bun or slicked back hair go a long way. Our prisoner costume makeup guide walks through each look with skin safe products.

Shop toy handcuffs

DIY tips for different people

• Kids: use fabric paint so stripes survive a night of running, and skip anything heavy. More ideas in our kids prisoner costume guide.
• Couples: make two matching striped shirts with consecutive inmate numbers, or do one orange and one striped as cellmates from different decades. See couples prisoner costumes.
• Bigger sizes: scrubs and long tees come in a wide range of sizes, which makes the orange route easy. Our plus size prisoner costume page has fit tips.

When to skip the DIY

Short on time or dressing a whole group? A ready made set can be simpler, and many include a hat or number patch. Browse picks in our men's and women's guides, or check the last minute prisoner costume page if Halloween is close.

Skip the DIY: shop jumpsuits

Shop electrical tape