How to Dress Up as Pikachu from Pokemon

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 17, 2022

Pikachu has been the mascot and number one Pokémon in the Pokémon franchise since the games began. Known mostly as Ash's adorable, one-worded sidekick, Pikachu's fame and popularity has moved beyond the Pokémon universe and spread worldwide - making this Pokémon an ideal costume choice. Cute, fluffy, and iconic, putting your own Pikachu outfit together is a cinch.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Piecing Together Your Outfit

1
Find and paint a yellow shirt with brown stripes, or you can cut out brown fabric strips. If you don’t have a yellow t-shirt on hand, you can either purchase one from a clothing store or dye a white t-shirt/long sleeve shirt with yellow fabric dye. You want to make sure that you find a shade that closely matches the color of Pikachu’s fur, which is a bright school bus yellow. After this, paint three brown stripes on the back.^{[1]
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- These stripes should be horizontal and 2-3 inches thick. You also want to make sure they go from one side of your back to the other in a semi-oval shape.
- If you don’t have brown paint, you can also use black.
2
Find or buy a pair of yellow pants. You can choose either jeans, leggings, or sweatpants. However, you want to make sure that you are matching the shade of yellow to the color of your shirt. If you can’t find the exact shade, just try to get it as close as you can. You also want to use a pair you don’t mind ruining with glue and paint as you’ll be attaching a tail to them later.
3
Add some shoes. Any type of shoe works, though yellow flats or slippers work best as they somewhat resemble Pikachu's feet. If you don't have yellow flats or slippers, just go for any kind of yellow shoe or sneaker. Try to avoid sandals, though - Pikachu doesn't have human toes and you shouldn't show yours off!
- Cheap tennis/canvas shoes are really easy to color yellow with markers, or dye.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Finishing Up With Extras

1
Prepare the ears. If you can’t or don’t want to buy Pikachu ears, feel free to make your own. A yellow headband and cardboard works – just color the cardboard yellow and the tips black and fold it into a cone-like shape, then glue it onto the headband.
- You can also use felt and black paint. Simply cut the felt into the shape of Pikachu’s ears, making sure you have four pieces - two for each ear. Then hot glue the sides together and stuff them with cotton or crumpled paper.^{[2]
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2
Make a tail. The simplest way to do this is with cardboard. Simply cut a large piece into a lightning bolt shape and then color most of it yellow except for the very bottom. You want the part that attaches to your pants to be brown. Once you’ve finished, you can either stick the tail in a back pocket, tape/staple it, or hot glue it on.
- Similar to the ears, you can also use felt to make the tail. For example, take a large yellow piece of felt and cut two mirror lightning bolt shapes. Then, hot glue the edges together and stuff it with cotton and crumpled paper. Since this tail will be heavier, you may want to hot glue the tail to your pants in multiple places.^{[3]
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3
Paint your face. You should be able to find a makeup or face paint kit in any craft store like JoAnn Fabrics or Michael’s. You can also find them on Amazon for around $10-$15. Once you match a yellow to the rest of your outfit, paint the entirety of your face with it - avoiding your eyes. Then, use red paint or blush to paint your cheeks. Since you want the color on your cheeks to be a perfect circle, try tracing the bottom of a glass or similar round object before you paint it in with red. Once you’ve finished your cheeks, paint the tip of your nose black.
- If you don’t feel comfortable painting your whole face, feel free to only paint your cheeks and nose.
- Whichever face paint you use, make sure you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients first.
4
Add a few extras. If you really want to push it, (say you're going to a Halloween party), get some yellow gloves and paint whatever part of your body isn't covered yellow. Or, get a long-sleeved shirt and long pants to be completely covered.

Community Q&A

Question

What do I do if I don't have the stuff to make a Pokemon costume?

Community Answer

Look in your closet for any color close to yellow or orange. It doesn't have to be exact. Thrift stores are a good place to find inexpensive clothing for costumes.
Question

Do I need to use face paint?

Community Answer

You can make a mask or use lipstick for the cheeks if you would like. You do not have to use face paint.
Question

What if people don't know what I'm supposed to be and have never heard of Pikachu, how would I explain it to them?

Hiiluvfriends

Community Answer

Just tell them that it is a popular character from a TV show and video game.