What is Ted's Hanging Chad costume?

It is a political pun costume based on the 2000 US Presidential Election ballot design from Florida, featuring a punch-card ballot where one of the punch-holes (the 'chad') is left hanging.

How do I dress up as Robin Sparkles?

Wear a cropped acid-wash denim jacket, a bright pink tulle skirt or tutu, fishnet tights, high-top sneakers, and lots of colorful 80s plastic bangles.

What is the easiest HIMYM costume to make?

Barney Stinson is the easiest: simply wear a high-quality, well-tailored suit, a silk tie, and carry a playbook or a laser tag gun.

AI-generated example

How I Met Your Mother Costume

Suit up or dress down with these iconic sitcom-inspired looks.

Whether you want to 'suit up' like Barney Stinson, rock 80s denim like Robin Sparkles, or wear a literal ballot card like Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother offers some of the most memorable sitcom outfits of all time. These costumes are perfect for television fans who love inside jokes and easy DIY projects. This guide covers the show's most famous Halloween looks, focusing on Ted's legendary 'Hanging Chad' ballot costume.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: ~30 min
Budget: $15–50

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What you need for a How I Met Your Mother costume

Short on time? Buy it ready-made

Spirit Halloween sells the complete How I Met Your Mother costume — one box instead of 4 pieces.

Shop How I Met Your Mother at Spirit ↗

Sandwich board ballot
Two large pieces of white poster board connected by black shoulder straps, designed to look like a 2000 Florida election ballot.
DIY: Draw a ballot layout on two white poster boards using a black marker, write 'AL GORE' and 'GEORGE W. BUSH' with checkboxes, and punch a partially detached cardboard circle (the chad) next to Al Gore.
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Navy blue t-shirt
A plain, short-sleeved crewneck t-shirt in dark navy blue to wear underneath the ballot board.
DIY: Use any plain dark t-shirt from your closet.
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Classic blue jeans
Standard straight-leg denim jeans in a medium or light wash.
DIY: Any casual pair of blue jeans will work.
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Brown casual shoes
Simple brown leather or canvas sneakers or loafers.
DIY: Wear any neutral-colored sneakers or boots.
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Rather not assemble it? See ready-made How I Met Your Mother costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗

How to put it together

1
Put on the navy blue crewneck t-shirt and classic blue jeans.
2
Lace up your brown casual shoes.
3
Construct the sandwich board by attaching two pieces of white poster board together with black ribbon or straps to drape over your shoulders.
4
Draw the ballot details on the front board, ensuring the 'Hanging Chad' punch-out is clearly visible and dangling next to the Al Gore selection.
5
Slip the sandwich board over your head so it rests comfortably on your shoulders.
6
Style your hair in a messy, casual side-part to match Ted Mosby's everyday look.

Makeup & hair

Keep makeup completely natural or skipped entirely. Hair should be styled in a casual, slightly messy, gelled-up look to mimic Ted Mosby's classic early-2000s hairstyle.

How I Met Your Mother for couples, groups, kids & more

couples: Pair the Hanging Chad with the Slutty Pumpkin (a carved-out orange pumpkin dress with strategically placed cutouts).
group: Go as the full gang: Barney in a premium suit, Robin Sparkles in a denim jacket and tutu, Marshall and Lily as Salt and Pepper shakers, and Ted as the Hanging Chad.
kids: Dress a child in a mini suit with a red tie to look like a pint-sized Barney Stinson.
Plus size: The Hanging Chad sandwich board can be made wider by using larger poster boards and adjusting the shoulder strap length for a comfortable fit.
pet: Dress your dog in a small yellow raincoat to represent the iconic Yellow Umbrella.

Tips

Keep the poster boards lightweight so they don't weigh down your shoulders during a long party.
If you are traveling by car, make the shoulder straps detachable with Velcro so you can easily remove the ballot board while driving.
Carry a yellow umbrella as an extra prop to make the show reference instantly recognizable even without the ballot.

How I Met Your Mother costume FAQ

What is Ted's Hanging Chad costume?: It is a political pun costume based on the 2000 US Presidential Election ballot design from Florida, featuring a punch-card ballot where one of the punch-holes (the 'chad') is left hanging.
How do I dress up as Robin Sparkles?: Wear a cropped acid-wash denim jacket, a bright pink tulle skirt or tutu, fishnet tights, high-top sneakers, and lots of colorful 80s plastic bangles.
What is the easiest HIMYM costume to make?: Barney Stinson is the easiest: simply wear a high-quality, well-tailored suit, a silk tie, and carry a playbook or a laser tag gun.

Did you know? Ted wore the exact same Hanging Chad costume to every single Halloween party for ten years in hopes of reuniting with the 'Slutty Pumpkin' he met in 2001.