Professor Sibyll Trelawney Costume

I love Halloween. Dressing up in homemade costumes is so much fun for me and I kinda wish I had an excuse do it more often. So I usually jump at any opportunity where it's socially acceptable to get my geek on. This get-up was for a Harry Potter weekend in Chestnut Hill.  If you already own a lot of bangles, you're half-way to a decent Professor Trelawney costume!  I chose to imitate Emma Thompson's version of the character in film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. You don't have to be spot on, but there are a few must-haves to convey the look of the looney Divination teacher... or be mistaken for a new-age ceramics instructor living in Tucson*.

Grim Teacup
I think this little prop is the clincher. Who else would be clutching a teacup with a image of a dog at the bottom? I used a teacup I already had, but you could easily snap one up at a thrift store for a dollar or less. I took the quick and easy route and used a mix of red and black fine point sharpies. The image is fine unless you try to smudge it with your finger. For staying power you could use one of those porcelain markers, shown here. The image is a loose interpretation from the movie.

Head Scarf 
One of the first things you notice on Trelawney is the massive frizzy hair and the head scarf pushed up on the forehead. I made sure to find a long one with fringe (another thrifted purchase). Just frizz out your hair and get it as big as possible. (While in costume someone asked if this is my real hair...)

Bangles
It seems that any seer worth their salt has an array of bangles on the wrist and around the neck. I had a some hammered metal bracelets and large stone rings, and made a few longer chain necklaces.

A Wand
All witches have to have a wand! I made this a while ago for, ahem, another Potter related costume. We used wooden window curtain rods from Home Depot. They had neat different wooden finials that became the wand handle. We cut the dowel part in half and sanded it into a smooth - and not lethal - point.

Coke Bottle Glasses
I have larger glasses of my own to, you know, see with. But I did a quick search for fake "coke bottle glasses" and they do exist! And they're extremely difficult to see out of. I couldn't wear them for too long at once, but they do complete the look.

For the rest just remember earth tones, and a long dress or skirt, preferably natural made fabrics, and boots. Now you're ready to start making wildly inaccurate predictions about people's futures!

*I mean no offense by that, I would love to actually be a new-age ceramics instructor living in Tucson :)