King Julien Costume
Rule the party and move it, move it as the lemur king.
King Julien XIII, the self-proclaimed king of the lemurs from DreamWorks' Madagascar, is a fan-favorite character known for his eccentric personality and love for dancing. Dressing up as King Julien is a fun, high-energy choice for Halloween or cosplay events. The look centers around a gray lemur body, a long black-and-white striped tail, and his signature tropical leaf crown.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $30–75
Try it on
See yourself as King Julien
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 King Julien costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete King Julien costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.
Gray jumpsuit or bodysuit
A solid gray long-sleeve jumpsuit or fitted bodysuit to serve as the lemur's body.
DIY: Use a gray long-sleeve shirt and matching gray sweatpants.
White felt sheet
A large sheet of white felt or fabric to create the lemur's light-colored belly patch.
DIY: Cut an oval out of an old white t-shirt.
Striped lemur tail
A long, plush tail with alternating black and white horizontal stripes.
DIY: Stuff a long white knee sock and paint black stripes on it using fabric paint.
Lemur ears headband
A headband featuring plush gray and white rounded lemur ears.
DIY: Cut ear shapes out of gray and pink felt and glue them to a plain plastic headband.
Tropical leaf crown
A crown made of large green faux tropical leaves with a bright yellow or orange flower in the center.
DIY: Hot glue faux monstera leaves and a silk hibiscus flower to a thick cardboard band.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made King Julien costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the gray jumpsuit or bodysuit as your base layer.
- 2
Cut a large oval out of the white felt and temporarily attach it to the chest and belly area of the jumpsuit using safety pins or fabric glue.
- 3
Attach the long black-and-white striped plush tail to the back of your waistband, securing it so it curves upward.
- 4
Place the lemur ears headband on your head.
- 5
Position the tropical leaf crown securely on your head, sitting just in front of or between the plush ears.
- 6
Complete the look with comfortable gray sneakers or shoes.
Makeup & hair
Paint the tip of your nose black and apply light gray or white face paint circles around your eyes to mimic a ring-tailed lemur. Keep your hair slicked back or tucked neatly under the headband.
King Julien for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with Maurice (wearing a smaller leaf hat) or Mort for a hilarious sidekick dynamic.
- group
- Assemble the whole Madagascar crew with friends dressed as Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, and Gloria the Hippo.
- kids
- Use a cozy gray fleece hooded onesie with a built-in striped tail and a soft felt crown.
- Plus size
- A loose-fitting gray fleece union suit or pajama set offers a comfortable, warm, and highly accurate fit.
- pet
- A small gray pet hoodie with a miniature striped plush tail and a tiny felt leaf crown.
Tips
- Insert a bendable wire coat hanger inside the plush tail so you can shape it to stand upright like a real lemur's tail.
- Secure the heavy leaf crown with bobby pins or a thin elastic chin strap so it stays in place while you dance.
- Wear lightweight layers underneath the gray jumpsuit to stay comfortable in changing temperatures.
King Julien costume FAQ
- What kind of animal is King Julien?
- King Julien is a ring-tailed lemur, a species native only to the island of Madagascar, known for its long, striped tail.
- How do you make King Julien's crown?
- You can easily DIY his crown by hot-gluing faux tropical green leaves (like monstera or palm leaves) and a large yellow silk flower onto a basic plastic headband.
- What are King Julien's signature accessories?
- His look is defined by his tall tropical leaf crown, plush lemur ears, and his long, upright black-and-white striped tail.
Did you know? King Julien was originally intended to be a minor character with only two lines, but voice actor Sacha Baron Cohen's hilarious ad-libbed audition led to the character being heavily expanded.