A Bad Case of Stripes Costume
Bring the classic children's book character to life with vibrant rainbow stripes.
Based on David Shannon's beloved children's book, this Camilla Cream costume is a colorful favorite for teachers, students, and book character days. The look captures Camilla's sudden transformation with bold, multi-colored horizontal stripes covering her skin and clothes. It is a whimsical, eye-catching outfit that relies on vibrant face paint and matching rainbow accessories.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~60 min
- Budget
- $20–50
Try it on
See yourself as A Bad Case of Stripes
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
One render, $1. No account needed — if it fails you're not charged. Pricing.
Your photo is sent to Google's Gemini API to make the render and isn't used for training. Renders are AI-generated and labelled.
Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a A Bad Case of Stripes costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete A Bad Case of Stripes costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.
White camisole or tank top
A simple white cotton camisole worn over your striped layers, just like Camilla wears in the book's illustrations.
DIY: Use a plain white t-shirt you already own and cut off the sleeves.
Rainbow striped long-sleeve shirt
A fitted shirt featuring bright, horizontal multi-colored stripes.
DIY: Paint horizontal stripes onto an old white long-sleeve shirt using fabric markers.
Rainbow striped leggings or tights
Matching horizontal rainbow striped leggings to cover your legs completely.
DIY: Wear white leggings and draw horizontal stripes with fabric markers.
Rainbow face paint kit
Water-activated face paint in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Thermometer prop
A large toy thermometer to hold in your mouth, mimicking Camilla's temperature check.
DIY: Cut a thermometer shape out of white cardboard and draw red temperature markings on it.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made A Bad Case of Stripes costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the horizontal rainbow striped long-sleeve shirt and matching leggings.
- 2
Layer the plain white camisole or tank top directly over the striped shirt.
- 3
Pull your hair back or style it into messy pigtails to keep your face clear for makeup.
- 4
Using a damp sponge or brush, paint horizontal rainbow stripes across your face, neck, and ears, matching the order of the colors on your clothes.
- 5
Let the face paint dry completely to prevent smudging.
- 6
Carry the toy thermometer prop or hold it between your lips for photos.
Makeup & hair
Paint bright, clean horizontal stripes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple across your entire face, neck, and ears. Style your hair in messy, high pigtails or a messy bun, optionally using temporary pink hair chalk or a pink wig to match some of the book's illustrations.
A Bad Case of Stripes for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with someone dressed as a doctor in a white lab coat carrying a giant clipboard and stethoscope.
- group
- Have friends dress as other classic children's book characters like Miss Frizzle or Arthur.
- kids
- This is a highly popular school dress-up day look; use skin-safe, washable face paint crayons for easier application on children.
- Plus size
- Use a stretchy, comfortable rainbow striped unitard or matching separates layered under a roomy white tank top.
Tips
- Use a makeup setting spray over your face paint to prevent it from smudging onto your white camisole.
- If you have sensitive skin, substitute the full-face paint with rainbow striped sweatbands or a colorful mask.
- Wear comfortable white sneakers or slip-ons to keep the focus on your colorful stripes.
A Bad Case of Stripes costume FAQ
- What does the girl in A Bad Case of Stripes wear?
- Camilla Cream wears a white camisole over a body covered entirely in horizontal rainbow stripes, which is easily recreated using a striped shirt, striped leggings, and matching face paint.
- How do you do the makeup for A Bad Case of Stripes?
- Use water-activated face paint to draw clean, horizontal stripes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple across your face, neck, and any exposed skin.
- Is this costume suitable for school Book Character Day?
- Yes, it is a highly recognizable and beloved literary costume that is perfect for teachers and students alike.
Did you know? David Shannon's book 'A Bad Case of Stripes' was inspired by the pressure kids feel to fit in, represented by Camilla's fear of admitting she loves lima beans.