This might be my favorite costume this year. It’s so brilliant! Here is Irene again to tell you about her inspiration for this one:

“Every Halloween, I have an internal debate on whether or not I should make a subtle costume or a statement costume.  I always end up with the statement costume. I’m of the personal opinion that it’s not true to the spirit of Halloween if you don’t FULLY commit to your costume. However, I will add that I often end up cutting my All Hallows’ Eve short because I have a hard time moving around. To each his own!

This costume is definitely a costume you need to commit to. It’s not subtle and I would recommend it more for an adult or an older child, but MAN is it fun!

This costume is inspired by my favorite emoji as well as a very thoughtful present. A couple of years back, one of my best friends gave me a super simple gold ok hand pin that another friend actually designed and fabricated! It’s a great little reminder that everything is going to be just fine.

This Halloween, don’t you want to tell the world that everything’s A-OK? I know I sure do.”

Materials needed: Kraft paper, bubble wrap, packing tape, scissors, cardboard, flour, water, newspaper, paint brush, white acrylic paint, yellow spray paint, hot glue gun, x-acto knife, yellow felt, white canvas webbing

Step 1: Crumple kraft paper into five sticks at four different lengths: one 26”, 25”, 24” and two 20”. Wrap each in bubblewrap, securing the shape with tape. These will be your fingers.

Step 2: With a 20” and 24” finger, add joints, bending the fingers into the rounded okie dokie shape. You’ll want the round opening between the fingers to be approximately 8” tall. Reinforce the bends by taping long rectangles of cardboard at the joints. When in doubt, use your hand for reference!

Step 3: Tape the three remaining fingers into a row in descending height. Construct the palm and the rest of the hand shape by creating pockets with bubble wrap and stuffing them with crumpled paper. Tape the thumb and index finger to the finished palm. Fine tune the shape, using packing tape to keep things in place.

Step 4: Paper mache the form with a 1:1 mixture of flour and warm water. To have the fingers spread apart, you’ll want to papermache in segments, starting with the thumb, index finger, and inner palm. Once dry, place the hand palm down with fingers spread. Elevate the thumb and index fingers with a cardboard box, and papermache the remaining fingers. Paint white, then spray paint yellow.

Step 5: Carefully, cut an arm hole into the palm of the hand with an x-acto knife, just below the index finger using your wearer for reference. Cut a matching hole on the back of the hand, and move the contents aside until you have a tunnel.

Step 6: Reinforce the cut edges with yellow felt and glue in place. Then line the tunnel in felt.

Step 7: Cut a long piece of canvas strap and hot glue to the bottom of the palm. Cut a second piece of canvas strap and make a loop on one end. Thread first canvas strap through the loop and glue the other end to the back of the thumb to give support when the costume is worn.

Step 8: The day of, put the wearer’s arm through the arm hole and tie the strap around the wearer’s waist! You’re all set!

Under the costume, we recommend wearing solid pants/shirt in a coordinating color. For kids, Primary has great basics in a rainbow of colors!

Photography by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day
Art Directed by Irene Yu
Styled by Amy Moss
Produced by Alison Piepmeyer
Crafting by Naomi Julia Satake
Special thanks to little M for modeling!