The Exorcist Costume
Recreate the ultimate horror icon with a stained nightgown and terrifying makeup.
The Exorcist remains one of the most terrifying horror movies of all time, making Regan MacNeil a legendary choice for Halloween. This costume focuses on her iconic possessed look, featuring a distressed, stained nightgown and gruesome special effects makeup. It is a highly recognizable, spine-chilling outfit that relies heavily on creative distressing and face paint.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $20–60
Try it on
See yourself as The Exorcist
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 The Exorcist costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete The Exorcist costume — one box instead of 4 pieces.
Floral vintage nightgown
A light blue, pink, or white long-sleeved vintage-style nightgown, preferably with a subtle floral pattern or lace trim.
DIY: Use an old oversized light-colored nightshirt or hospital gown.
Fake vomit (green fabric paint or liquid latex)
Split pea soup-colored fabric paint, acrylic paint, or tinted liquid latex to smear across the collar and chest of the nightgown.
DIY: Mix green, yellow, and brown acrylic paint with white glue to create a crusty, wet-looking texture.
Rigid collodion or scarring liquid
A cosmetic liquid used to create realistic puckered scars and scratches on the face.
DIY: Draw scratches using red and brown lip liner pencils.
Pale face makeup and yellow teeth wax
Pale green or ash-gray cream makeup for a sickly complexion, plus yellow/brown tooth wax for a decayed look.
DIY: Mix a small amount of green eyeshadow into pale liquid foundation.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made The Exorcist costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Lay the nightgown flat and splatter the chest, collar, and shoulders with the green and yellow paint mixture to simulate projectile vomit.
- 2
Let the paint dry completely, then lightly mist the nightgown with watered-down brown paint or tea to give it a dirty, unwashed appearance.
- 3
Apply pale, sickly gray or light green cream makeup to your face, neck, and hands, blending it out to look uneven.
- 4
Use dark purple and brown eyeshadows around your eyes to create deep, sunken, sleep-deprived sockets.
- 5
Apply rigid collodion to your cheeks and forehead to create puckered, realistic cuts, then fill them in with red cream paint or fake blood.
- 6
Apply yellow or brown tooth FX wax to your teeth to mimic decay, and mess up your hair using hairspray and texturizing powder.
- 7
Put on the dry, stained nightgown to complete the terrifying possessed look.
Makeup & hair
Style your hair to look extremely messy, greasy, and tangled using texturizing spray or dry shampoo mixed with a bit of water. For makeup, use a pale, sickly base, heavy dark circles under the eyes, realistic facial scratches, and a touch of fake blood dripping from the corner of your mouth.
The Exorcist for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair Regan with Father Merrin wearing a black cassock, white clerical collar, and holding a silver crucifix and holy water.
- group
- Add Father Karras and Regan's mother, Chris MacNeil, for a full dramatic movie cast group.
- kids
- A simplified version for kids using a clean, unstained blue nightgown and light, non-scary pale makeup.
- Plus size
- Look for oversized, flowy vintage nightgowns or flannel nightshirts which offer a comfortable, screen-accurate fit.
- pet
- Dress a pet in a small green-splattered t-shirt labeled 'Split Pea Soup'.
Tips
- Keep a small towel handy if you use wet-look fake blood or paint on the nightgown so it doesn't transfer to furniture.
- Wear a nude slip or light clothing underneath the nightgown, as vintage-style nightgowns can be quite sheer under bright lights.
- Practice your best creepy, wide-eyed stare and head-tilt for photos to capture the possessed character perfectly.
The Exorcist costume FAQ
- How do you make the fake vomit look realistic on the dress?
- Mix green, yellow, and a tiny bit of brown fabric paint with mod podge or clear glue. Drip and smear it down the front collar of the nightgown and let it dry to a stiff, crusty texture.
- What kind of nightgown does Regan wear in The Exorcist?
- She wears a light blue, long-sleeved flannel or cotton nightgown with a subtle floral print and a small collar.
- Is the makeup hard to wash off?
- If you use professional water-activated face paints and cosmetic-grade scarring liquid, they will wash off easily with warm water, soap, and makeup remover.
Did you know? The 'vomit' used on set during the famous exorcism scenes was actually thick Campbell's split pea soup mixed with oatmeal.