Three Fates Halloween Costume

An Inexpensive and Easy Group Costume for Halloween

Sep 25, 2009 Marissa Carter

Dressing as the Moirae, or three fates of Greek Mythology can be a fun solution to the question of what to be for Halloween.

Throughout history, the three fates have appeared many times and in many different guises. To the Greeks they were the Moirae, to the Romans they were the Parcae. Traditionally they were viewed as crones or young women. More modern interpretations depict their appearance as a representation of past, present and future, as in this Halloween costume.

No matter what face or name they have carried, their purpose has been the same. These three sisters have always been know as the determiners of human fate. Life and death being in their hands, literally.

Recreating the three fates in this easy group costume for halloween is inexpensive, fun and will make an impression for Trick-or-Treating and Halloween parties alike. Materials for these Halloween costumes can be bought at the thrift store or found around the house.

Clotho Halloween Costume

Clotho (the child in the picture) is the representation of the past. Her visage is one of youth, beauty, purity and innocence. Her job is to comb the wool and spin the thread of life on her spindle.

Materials for Clotho Halloween Costume

1 long sleeved shirt (light colored with flowing sleeves)
1 sheer curtain or sheet
wide gold and/or white fabric ribbon
fine glitter powder or spray
safety pins

Instructions for Clotho Halloween Costume

On top of the long sleeved shirt, wrap the sheer sheet or curtain completely around the body.
Use safety pins to secure the corners of the sheet over the shoulders.
Wrap fabric ribbon high around the waist and secure with a safety pin or tie it in place.
Dust or spray entire body with glitter.

Lachesis Halloween Costume

Lachesis (the woman in the picture) is the representation of the present. Her visage is older and wiser than that of Clothos. Her job is to decides the deeds of each person and measure their life span with her measuring rod.

Materials for Lachesis Halloween Costume

1 black long sleeved shirt
1 white curtain or sheet
black rope or cord

Instructions for Lachesis Halloween Costume

On top of the long sleeved shirt, wrap the sheer sheet or curtain completely around the body.
Use safety pins to secure the corners of the sheet over the shoulders.
Wrap cord once all the way around the waist, tie to secure but do not cut.
Continue wrapping cord, taking it up diagonally across the stomach.
Wrap cord all the way around the body right below the breast line, tie to secure.
Continue wrapping the cord in a downward diagonal direction across the stomach and tie to secure to the bottom cord.
Cut away the excess.

For the Hairstyle Shown for Clotho and Lachesis

Gather all hair into a high ponytail. When looping the hair tie around the hair, only pull hair 1/4 of the way through on the last loop.
Curl the hair hanging down from the ponytail into ringlets and spray with hairspray to set curls.
Wrap ribbon or cord around the ponytail to cover the hair tie.

Atropos Halloween Costume

Atropos is the representation of the future. She is often seen as a crone, or hag. She is the most feared of the sisters because it is her job to determine the time and nature of death by cutting the thread of life with her shears.

Materials for Atropos Halloween Costume

large black cloak with a hood
baby powder or silver hair spray
brown and white make-up pencils

Instructions for Atropos Halloween Costume

The costume itself is made up of only the black cloak. Make-up and hair do the job of making the crone come alive.

The look of gray hair is achieved by dusting hair liberally with baby powder or spraying with silver hair spray.

Make-Up for Atropos Halloween Costume

While looking into a mirror, draw lines on the face where wrinkles should appear. If needed, scrunch the face into an angry expression to see where the lines should be.
Draw a white line on each side of the brown lines to create highlights and add depth to the wrinkles.
Remember that Atropos is supposed to be scary and ugly. Be as liberal with the lines and wrinkles as possible.

These costumes were made to fit any budget and most weather conditions. Sheets and curtains can be trimmed for length if necessary and anything can be warn underneath. Embellish the costumes with bits of thread, cardboard shears, a ruler and fluffy cotton to represent wool.

The copyright of the article Three Fates Halloween Costume in Crafts is owned by Marissa Carter. Permission to republish Three Fates Halloween Costume in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

The Three Fates: Clothos, Lachesis and Atropos

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