Benjamin Franklin Costume
Dress as America's favorite polymath and Founding Father this Halloween.
Benjamin Franklin is a popular choice for historical events, school presentations, and Halloween. Representing one of America's most famous Founding Fathers, this look features classic 18th-century colonial attire. The costume is instantly recognizable by its long brown coat, wire spectacles, and signature balding gray hair.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~30 min
- Budget
- $40–100
Try it on
See yourself as Benjamin Franklin
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What you need for a Benjamin Franklin costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Benjamin Franklin costume — one box instead of 7 pieces.
Colonial Frock Coat
A long, collarless coat in dark brown, navy, or grey, designed to be worn open.
DIY: Use a long modern brown coat or suit jacket with the collar folded inward or removed.
Colonial Vest
A matching or contrasting button-up colonial waistcoat worn under the coat.
DIY: Use a standard button-down suit vest in brown, grey, or black.
Ruffled Shirt
A white colonial-style shirt featuring ruffles at the neck (cravat) and cuffs.
DIY: Take a plain white button-down shirt and safety-pin white lace trim to the collar and cuffs.
Breeches
Knee-length colonial knickers or quarter pants in a matching dark color.
DIY: Cut a pair of old brown trousers just below the knee and secure them with elastic or safety pins.
Balding Wig
A gray wig featuring a bald latex top pate and long, curly gray hair on the sides.
Spectacles
Small, round, wire-rimmed glasses worn low on the bridge of the nose.
DIY: Pop the lenses out of a cheap pair of round wire sunglasses.
Shoe Buckles
Gold or silver colonial-style shoe buckles that slide over standard black dress shoes.
DIY: Cut square buckle shapes out of gold cardboard and tape them to the tongues of black dress shoes.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Benjamin Franklin costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the white ruffled shirt, ensuring the neck cravat and wrist ruffles are fully visible.
- 2
Pull on the knee-length colonial breeches and secure them comfortably just below the knees.
- 3
Put on the button-up vest, followed by the long colonial frock coat over it.
- 4
Pull on long white athletic socks or opaque white tights to cover your calves completely.
- 5
Slip on black dress shoes and attach the colonial shoe buckles to the laces or straps.
- 6
Carefully position the balding wig, using a small amount of makeup or powder to blend the front edge of the bald cap with your forehead.
- 7
Slide the wire-rimmed spectacles down to rest on the bridge of your nose.
Makeup & hair
Wear the signature Benjamin Franklin wig, which features a bald latex pate on top and shoulder-length curly gray hair on the sides. Use a touch of flesh-colored makeup or powder to blend the front edge of the bald cap into your natural forehead.
Benjamin Franklin for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair with someone dressed as Betsy Ross or Martha Washington.
- group
- Gather friends to dress as other Founding Fathers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
- kids
- A popular choice for school history presentations, using a simplified felt coat and elastic-waist breeches.
- Plus size
- Look for colonial coats with generous cuts and elastic-waist breeches for a comfortable fit.
- pet
- Dress a pet in a small white ruffled collar and a tiny black tricorn hat.
Tips
- If the bald cap on the wig doesn't match your skin tone, apply a light layer of liquid foundation or setting powder to blend it.
- Wear long white athletic socks or opaque white tights to cover your calves between the breeches and shoes.
- Carry a rolled-up piece of parchment paper tied with a ribbon to represent the Declaration of Independence.
Benjamin Franklin costume FAQ
- What kind of shoes did Benjamin Franklin wear?
- He wore simple black leather shoes with large square brass or silver buckles. You can easily replicate this by sliding costume shoe buckles over your own black dress shoes.
- How do I make a DIY Benjamin Franklin costume?
- You can modify a modern brown or grey suit jacket by cutting off the collar, wearing it over a white button-down shirt with a lace trim hot-glued to the collar, and tucking long pants into white socks to look like breeches.
- What props should I carry?
- A rolled-up parchment scroll (representing the Declaration of Independence), a quill pen, or a classic key tied to a string to represent his famous lightning experiment.
Did you know? Benjamin Franklin was not only a politician but also a prolific inventor, credited with creating bifocals, the lightning rod, and the odometer.