How do you make a DIY Rainbow Fish costume?

Cut U-shaped scales out of blue, green, pink, and purple felt, plus one out of silver glitter paper. Glue or pin them in an overlapping pattern onto a solid blue shirt, placing the silver scale in the center.

What does the Rainbow Fish wear?

The character is covered in shimmering scales of blue, green, and purple, with sparkling silver scales that it eventually shares with other fish.

Is this costume suitable for teachers?

Yes, it is incredibly popular for teachers and educators on Book Character Day or Read Across America week because it is highly recognizable and easy to make.

AI-generated example

The Rainbow Fish Costume

Shine bright with colorful scales and a touch of silver shimmer.

The Rainbow Fish is a beloved children's book character known for its vibrant, multi-colored scales and a single, glittering silver scale. People choose this costume for its nostalgic charm, eye-catching colors, and popularity during school Book Character Days. The look consists of a blue base outfit layered with colorful felt scales in blues, greens, pinks, and a signature metallic silver accent.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: ~45 min
Budget: $15–45

See yourself as The Rainbow Fish →What you need Buy the The Rainbow Fish costume

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The Rainbow Fish costume — Example look · AI-generated

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What you need for a The Rainbow Fish costume

Short on time? Buy it ready-made

Spirit Halloween sells the complete The Rainbow Fish costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.

Shop The Rainbow Fish at Spirit ↗

Blue base shirt or bodysuit
A solid royal blue or turquoise long-sleeve shirt, t-shirt, or bodysuit to serve as the water background.
DIY: Use any solid blue shirt you already own.
Amazon
Assorted felt sheets
Felt sheets in shades of blue, green, purple, pink, and one sheet of shiny silver glitter felt for the scales.
DIY: Cut scale shapes out of colorful construction paper or cardstock instead.
Amazon
Blue tutu or leggings
A matching royal blue tulle tutu or solid blue leggings to complete the lower half of the outfit.
DIY: Wear a pair of blue jeans or blue sweatpants.
Amazon
Fabric glue or safety pins
Used to secure the felt scales to the front of the blue shirt in an overlapping pattern.
DIY: Use double-sided tape or safety pins for a temporary, non-damaging hold.
Amazon
Silver scale accent
A single, prominent scale cut from silver glitter fabric or foil paper, placed near the center of the chest.
DIY: Wrap a piece of cardboard in aluminum foil cut into a scale shape.
Amazon

Rather not assemble it? See ready-made The Rainbow Fish costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗

How to put it together

1
Cut out dozens of semi-circle 'U' shapes from the blue, green, purple, and pink felt sheets to act as fish scales.
2
Cut one single, slightly larger scale out of the silver glitter felt or foil sheet.
3
Lay your blue shirt flat on a table and arrange the colorful felt scales starting from the bottom hem, overlapping them slightly as you move upward.
4
Glue or pin the colorful scales to the front of the shirt, leaving a prominent spot in the center for the silver scale.
5
Attach the single silver scale near the center of the chest so it stands out among the colorful scales.
6
Put on the blue leggings or blue tutu, then carefully slip on the decorated scale shirt.
7
Finish the look with optional face paint or glitter makeup to mimic shimmering ocean scales.

Makeup & hair

Apply blue and purple eyeshadow, and use face glitter or scale stencils on the cheekbones to create a shimmering fish-scale effect. Style hair in a high ponytail or bun, optionally temporary-sprayed blue or decorated with a silver hair clip.

The Rainbow Fish for couples, groups, kids & more

couples: Pair up with someone dressed as the Little Blue Fish or the Wise Octopus.
group: Have one person go as the Rainbow Fish with the silver scale, and others wear colorful fish outfits without any silver scales.
kids: Perfect for school dress-up days using a simple blue t-shirt and paper scales pinned to the front.
Plus size: Use a comfortable royal blue tunic or oversized sweatshirt as the base for attaching the felt scales.
pet: A blue pet vest decorated with lightweight felt scales glued along the back.

Tips

If using fabric glue, allow at least 2 to 3 hours for the glue to dry completely before wearing the shirt.
For a temporary costume that preserves the shirt, use safety pins or double-sided fashion tape to attach the felt scales.
Wear comfortable blue leggings or tights underneath a tutu to stay warm if wearing this outdoors for Halloween.
Bring a few spare felt scales and safety pins in your bag in case any fall off during the day.

The Rainbow Fish costume FAQ

How do you make a DIY Rainbow Fish costume?: Cut U-shaped scales out of blue, green, pink, and purple felt, plus one out of silver glitter paper. Glue or pin them in an overlapping pattern onto a solid blue shirt, placing the silver scale in the center.
What does the Rainbow Fish wear?: The character is covered in shimmering scales of blue, green, and purple, with sparkling silver scales that it eventually shares with other fish.
Is this costume suitable for teachers?: Yes, it is incredibly popular for teachers and educators on Book Character Day or Read Across America week because it is highly recognizable and easy to make.

Did you know? Written by Marcus Pfister in 1992, 'The Rainbow Fish' became a global bestseller famous for its eye-catching, holographic foil-stamped scales on every page.