Mr. Bobinsky Costume
Step into the circus with Coraline's eccentric, blue-skinned neighbor.
Mr. Bobinsky is the towering, eccentric Russian acrobat who trains a secret jumping mouse circus in LAIKA's stop-motion film Coraline. Fans love him for his bizarre proportions, blue skin, and mysterious background. This guide helps you recreate his signature look using a decorated military jacket, baggy pants, and his iconic mustache.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $45–110
Try it on
See yourself as Mr. Bobinsky
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.
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Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Mr. Bobinsky costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Mr. Bobinsky costume — one box instead of 7 pieces.
Navy blue military jacket
A double-breasted navy blue or deep purple coat featuring gold trim, buttons, or braiding.
DIY: Use a navy blue blazer and attach gold ribbon or fabric paint along the collar and cuffs.
Baggy grey trousers
Loose-fitting grey or dark blue pants that can easily tuck into boots.
DIY: Use oversized grey sweatpants or scrub pants cinched at the waist.
Knee-high black boots
Tall, black riding boots or rain boots.
DIY: Wear black shoes with tall black socks pulled up to the knee.
Gold military medals
A set of gold and red ribbon medals to pin to the left side of the chest.
DIY: Cut medal shapes out of cardboard, paint them gold, and hang them from red and blue ribbons.
Long handlebar mustache
A thin, black, exaggerated mustache with curled ends.
DIY: Shape black felt or craft foam and attach it with skin-safe adhesive.
Round wire-rimmed glasses
Small, circular spectacles with clear lenses and thin metal frames.
DIY: Pop the lenses out of cheap circular sunglasses.
Blue face paint
A pale, dusty blue water-activated body paint.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Mr. Bobinsky costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Apply the pale blue face paint evenly over your face, neck, and hands, leaving space around the mouth for the mustache.
- 2
Use spirit gum or the self-adhesive backing to secure the long, thin handlebar mustache just above your upper lip, curling the ends upward.
- 3
Put on the round wire-rimmed glasses, resting them slightly down your nose.
- 4
Don the navy blue military jacket and button it fully.
- 5
Pin the gold and red military medals to the left breast of the jacket.
- 6
Put on the baggy grey trousers and tuck the pant legs securely into the tall black boots.
Makeup & hair
Use a light blue face paint for his signature skin tone. If you do not have dark hair to slick back, use a bald cap and attach thin patches of dark hair to the sides.
Mr. Bobinsky for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with someone dressed as Coraline in her yellow raincoat or the Other Mother.
- group
- Form a Coraline group with Coraline, Wybie, and Miss Spink and Miss Forcible.
- kids
- An adorable version using a blue sweater, felt medals, and a drawn-on mustache.
- Plus size
- Choose a stretchy navy blue track jacket and add gold fabric paint for a comfortable fit.
Tips
- Use a makeup setting spray over the blue face paint to prevent it from rubbing off on your jacket collar.
- Carry a small plush toy mouse in your pocket as a nod to his jumping mouse circus.
- Practice your best theatrical, booming Russian accent to really get into character.
Mr. Bobinsky costume FAQ
- What color is Mr. Bobinsky's skin?
- Mr. Bobinsky has a distinct pale blue skin tone, which you can easily recreate using light blue costume face paint.
- What medals does Mr. Bobinsky wear?
- He wears a collection of Soviet-style military medals, including one that closely resembles the Chernobyl liquidator medal.
- How do I make the mustache stay on all night?
- Use cosmetic-grade spirit gum or mustache wax to keep the long, thin ends of the handlebar mustache curled and secure.
Did you know? Fans of Coraline have long theorized that Mr. Bobinsky's blue skin and eccentric behavior are due to radiation exposure, as his chest medal is identical to those given to Chernobyl clean-up liquidators.