What kind of glasses does Arthur wear?

Arthur wears thick, round, brown-rimmed glasses. You can use cheap costume glasses or pop the lenses out of a pair of round fashion frames.

How do you make DIY Arthur ears?

Cut two large circles out of tan or light brown felt, glue smaller pink felt circles inside them, and attach them to a brown headband using hot glue.

What color is Arthur's sweater?

Arthur wears a bright, warm yellow or mustard yellow crewneck sweater over a white collared shirt.

AI-generated example

Arthur Read Costume

Channel your inner 90s PBS kid with this easy, iconic look.

Arthur Read, the beloved PBS cartoon aardvark, is a nostalgic favorite for Halloween and cosplay. This simple, recognizable costume relies on everyday wardrobe staples like a yellow sweater and blue jeans, paired with signature round glasses and aardvark ears. It is comfortable, budget-friendly, and instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up with the show.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: ~15 min
Budget: $20–50

See yourself as Arthur Read →What you need Buy the Arthur Read costume

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See yourself as Arthur Read

One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.

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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.

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Arthur Read costume — Example look · AI-generated

You as Arthur Read

Result

What you need for a Arthur Read costume

Short on time? Buy it ready-made

Spirit Halloween sells the complete Arthur Read costume — one box instead of 6 pieces.

Shop Arthur Read at Spirit ↗

Yellow crewneck sweater
A bright yellow or mustard yellow knit crewneck sweater.
DIY: Use a bright yellow crewneck sweatshirt instead.
Amazon
White collared shirt
A classic white button-down or polo shirt to wear underneath the sweater.
DIY: Wear a fake white collar insert (dickey) under the sweater.
Amazon
Blue jeans
Classic straight-leg blue denim jeans.
Amazon
Round brown glasses
Thick-rimmed, circular costume glasses in dark brown or black.
DIY: Pop the lenses out of cheap round fashion glasses.
Amazon
Aardvark ears headband
A brown headband with two round, tan ears attached.
DIY: Cut round ears out of tan felt, glue pink felt in the centers, and hot glue them to a plain brown headband.
Amazon
Red sneakers
Classic red low-top canvas sneakers with white laces.
Amazon

Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Arthur Read costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗

How to put it together

1
Put on the white collared shirt, buttoning it up to the top.
2
Layer the yellow crewneck sweater over the collared shirt.
3
Pull the white collar out and fold it neatly over the neckline of the yellow sweater.
4
Put on your blue jeans and lace up the red canvas sneakers.
5
Slide on the thick, round brown-rimmed glasses.
6
Place the aardvark ears headband on your head, positioning it securely behind your real ears.

Makeup & hair

No makeup or hair styling is required. If you have long hair, tie it back in a low ponytail or pin it flat so the headband sits comfortably.

Arthur Read for couples, groups, kids & more

couples: Pair up with Buster Baxter (turquoise sweater and bunny ears) or D.W. Read (pink jumper over a white shirt).
group: Assemble the Elwood City gang with friends dressed as Buster, Francine, Muffy, and Brain.
kids: Use a kids' yellow sweatshirt, a white polo shirt, and a handmade felt ear headband.
Plus size: Opt for a relaxed-fit yellow knit sweater or fleece sweatshirt for a comfortable, breathable fit.
pet: Dress a dog in a yellow pet sweater and a soft, lightweight elastic headband with felt ears.

Tips

If you cannot find a yellow sweater, a bright yellow crewneck sweatshirt works just as well for a casual look.
To make the ears DIY, cut two round circles out of tan felt, add smaller pink felt circles in the center, and hot glue them to a plain brown headband.
Recreate the famous 'Arthur's Fist' meme in photos by clenching your hand into a tight fist while wearing the yellow sweater.

Arthur Read costume FAQ

What kind of glasses does Arthur wear?: Arthur wears thick, round, brown-rimmed glasses. You can use cheap costume glasses or pop the lenses out of a pair of round fashion frames.
How do you make DIY Arthur ears?: Cut two large circles out of tan or light brown felt, glue smaller pink felt circles inside them, and attach them to a brown headband using hot glue.
What color is Arthur's sweater?: Arthur wears a bright, warm yellow or mustard yellow crewneck sweater over a white collared shirt.

Did you know? Arthur Read first appeared in the 1976 book 'Arthur's Nose' by Marc Brown, where he had a much longer, more realistic aardvark snout than his modern cartoon design.