Gravity Falls is kind to costume makers. Almost every character is built from a few flat colours and one object you can't miss: Dipper's pine-tree cap, Mabel's loud knitwear, Stan's fez, Bill Cipher's yellow triangle. The show follows the Pines twins through one strange summer at the Mystery Shack, so the cast covers kids, grown-ups, couples and whole families. When I style this show, I put most of the effort into the head and chest, because that's where people look first, and keep everything else to thrifted basics and felt. Below are 30 head-to-toe looks, from the main family to the gnomes and the odder creatures, with notes on what I'd make and what I'd simply buy.
Casting the Mystery Shack Crew for a Group
This show works unusually well for groups because its characters come in natural sets, and a set reads far faster than a lone character. A single Soos at a party can pass for someone in a random graphic tee. Put him next to Wendy in her trapper hat and Stan in the fez, and people recognise all three from the doorway.
Pairings that read together
- Dipper and Mabel: the obvious twins. The Summerween peanut butter and jam jars only make sense side by side.
- Stan and Ford: one in the suit and fez, one in the tan coat and six-fingered gloves. Good for brothers, or a parent and grown child.
- Wendy and Soos: the Mystery Shack staff, easy for coworkers since both are everyday clothes.
- Mabel, Candy and Grenda: three best friends with three very different silhouettes, which helps in photos.
- Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland: a ready-made pair for two adults, built on cheap matching uniforms.
- Mabel and Waddles: a sweet fit for a parent and toddler, with the little one in the soft pig suit.
When I plan a family group, I give the youngest the softest outfit, such as Waddles, Soos or Grenda, and save the foam board, long wigs and masks for whoever will put up with them longest. Small kids pull off anything that itches or pinches, so a fleece lamb suit beats a stiff triangle for them every time.
1. Dipper Pines Costume
Dipper is the first one I'd hand a beginner. An orange-red tee under an open navy vest, gray shorts, white knee socks with red stripes and dark sneakers get you most of the way. The cap does the rest: a blue-and-white trucker cap with a blue felt pine tree on the front. I tack the felt on with a few stitches rather than gluing it, because glue goes stiff and lifts off that curved front within an evening. Leave short brown hair messy under the brim, keep makeup to a little shadow under the eyes, and carry a handmade red Journal 3 with a gold six-fingered hand on the cover, a green backpack and a small flashlight. All of it walks, sits and survives a long school day.
2. Dipper Pines Lamb Costume
Real fans will spot this one before anyone else does: Dipper's Lamby Lamby Dance outfit from “The Inconveniencing.” Build it on a white sweatshirt and joggers, then attach white fleece or sherpa to the chest, sleeves and legs. I cut the fleece in patches and leave the elbows and the backs of the knees bare, since a fully covered sweatsuit gets hot fast and bunches when you sit. Add a hood or headband with rounded ears, a cotton tail and white sneakers. Costume hooves look sweet and trip people. Rosy cheeks, tousled brown hair and a cardboard lamb or music-note sign tell everyone what they're looking at.
3. Dipper Pines Summerween Costume
This is half of a pair, and it only really lands next to Mabel's jam jar. Dipper's Summerween jar is peanut butter: an orange-brown tunic over a brown long-sleeve shirt and brown pants, with a big peanut and a simple made-up label on the front. Draw your own label rather than copying a real brand. I cut the tunic from felt backed with stiff interfacing so the label stays flat instead of rippling when he moves. Keep his pine-tree cap and brown hair, add brown sneakers, a light treat bucket and a small Journal 3, and practise the worried face.
4. Mabel Pines Shooting Star Costume
Mabel's main outfit is really about the sweater, so that's where I'd spend the time. A warm pink pullover gets a big yellow shooting star with a striped rainbow trail. On a chunky knit, felt holds best if you hand-stitch round the edges, because fabric glue only sits on top of the loops and peels. Underneath go a light pink shirt, a knee-length purple skirt, white ankle socks and black flats. Put a pink headband over long brown hair with the ends curled, add rosy blush, and use costume braces if you want the grin. A stuffed pig or a foam grappling hook gives her something to do with her hands.
5. Mabel Pines Rainbow Sweater Costume
Mabel changes sweaters constantly in the show, which is good news if you already own a purple or lavender pullover. Sew a felt rainbow, a couple of clouds and some scattered stars on the front, then add a pink skirt, white ankle socks, black flats and a matching headband. Hair goes loose with softly curled ends; makeup stays shiny and kid-friendly, just pink blush and a gloss. Removable fabric adhesive will get a last-minute version through one night, but I'd stitch the shapes if anyone plans to wash it or wear it again. A bead bracelet, a sticker sheet and the stuffed pig finish her.
6. Mabel Pines Kitten Sweater Costume
The kitten sweater is the variation I suggest to Mabel fans who want something other than the shooting star. A deep purple pullover with a pink kitten across the chest is the base, and sparkly “MEOW WOW” letters bring it closer to the animated version. I cut the letters from glitter felt, which sheds far less than loose glitter and won't leave a trail through someone's house. Wear it with a magenta skirt, white socks and black flats, a pink headband, curled tips and a small side clip. Round pink blush and a soft lip keep the face young. A stuffed kitten is the obvious prop.
7. Grunkle Stan Costume
Grunkle Stan is a suit costume with a fez on top, so start with a thrifted black suit, a white shirt and a maroon bow tie. The fez needs a gold symbol on the front and short gray hair under it. Thick black rectangular glasses, bushy gray brows and a little gray beard shading age the face without heavy makeup. Chunky light brown dress shoes give that cartoon weight at the feet. Hand him a foam eight-ball cane or a homemade Mystery Shack brochure. If you want the eyepatch, save it for photos; one covered eye all evening ruins your depth perception on stairs.
8. Grunkle Stan Casual Costume
Stan's around-the-house look usually gets more laughs than the suit, and it costs less. A plain white tank, loose blue striped shorts, soft brown slippers, a chunky fake gold chain, black rectangular glasses and the maroon fez. A short gray wig or temporary gray spray sets his age. Spray rubs off on collars and sofa cushions, so I'd go with the wig for a party. Draw thick gray brows, some five-o'clock shadow and a rosy nose. Wear fitted bike shorts under the striped pair so it stays public-friendly, and carry a TV remote or a fake stack of Mystery Shack coupons.
9. Ford Pines Costume
Ford takes more layering than his brother, and the detail that sells him is the hands. Make costume gloves with an extra fabric finger stitched onto each, stuffed lightly with fiberfill so it doesn't flop. The rest is a red turtleneck, black pants, a tan utility coat, a dark crossbody strap and brown lace-up boots. A swept-back gray wig with silver streaks, long sideburns and square glasses build the head shape. Fake the cracked lens with a removable vinyl decal instead of damaging real glasses, then add light beard shading and a cleft chin. That coat gets warm indoors, so I'd pick thin cotton over wool.
10. Wendy Corduroy Costume
Wendy is the one for anyone who hates costumes that feel like costumes. Wear an emerald plaid flannel open over a white tank, dark straight-leg jeans, striped socks and brown rain boots, with a little brown eyeshadow dusted on the toes for mud that wipes off afterwards. The tan-and-brown trapper hat goes over a long red wig, or over your own hair if it's already red. Freckles, fresh minimal makeup, small green studs and a handmade Mystery Shack name tag are all she needs. Rubber boots run cold and clammy, so wear thick socks inside them.
11. Soos Ramirez Costume
Soos is one of the most forgiving costumes on the list. Paint a large dark green question mark loosely across a jade or gray-green tee; slide a piece of cardboard inside the shirt first, or fabric paint bleeds through to the back. Add beige knee-length shorts, dark brown sneakers and a light brown cap with short brown hair showing at the sides. Rosy cheeks, a few drawn-on chin hairs and two big front teeth made from costume-safe material give you his face. “STAFF” across the back makes the Mystery Shack link clear, and a plastic screwdriver or tool pouch is the right prop.
12. Bill Cipher Costume
Bill Cipher is the costume I'd point experienced crafters toward, because the triangle is a genuine build. Dress in all black from gloves to shoes. Cut a yellow foam-board triangle for the torso, draw on brick lines, and set the single eye over breathable mesh so you can see and breathe through it. Foam board has no give at all, so I round off the bottom corners slightly and check you can sit down and get through a doorway before committing. A black bow tie near the base and a top hat on a lightweight support above finish the shape. If the board feels like too much, a yellow vest with a big eye graphic reads fine, and yellow makeup around one eye keeps the theme going once the triangle comes off.
13. Pacifica Northwest Costume
Pacifica's day outfit is all about coordination, which makes it easy to put together from real clothes. A short lavender dress under a fitted purple jacket, a pale blue belt, black opaque leggings and cream ankle boots follow her palette. The wig deserves the most care: long platinum blonde with smooth bell-shaped bangs and curled ends. Cheap platinum wigs tend to look plasticky under a camera flash, and a light dusting of dry shampoo takes the shine down. Purple eyeshadow, pink blush, lavender hoops and a small structured handbag finish her. Thrift for clean fabrics in matching shades; nothing here needs to be expensive.
14. Pacifica Northwest Party Costume
The party gown is the version for costume contests, where people expect some glamour. Find a floor-length purple gown with black puff sleeves and black trim at the hem, then add a structured purple neckpiece, sparkly drop earrings and lavender-pink heels with removable faux gems. Hem the gown to clear the floor in the shoes you'll actually wear. A dragging hem gets stepped on all night and usually tears at the seam. Style the platinum wig in polished waves with a smooth front, and use purple-pink shadow, rosy cheeks and a glossy lip. White gloves and an elegant invitation card belong in her hands.
15. Gideon Gleeful Costume
Gideon is all hair. The ice-blonde pompadour carries the costume, so buy a wig with real height, or tease a regular one up from the crown and set it with strong spray. Below it goes a baby-blue suit over a black dress shirt, a narrow white tie, a small flag-style lapel pin and polished brown shoes. Peach blush, three freckles on each cheek and defined brows give him the stage-performer face. A foam microphone, a stack of signed publicity photos or a homemade Tent of Telepathy sign explains who you are. I'd keep his props playful and leave out anything that looks ritual or occult.
16. Robbie Valentino Costume
Robbie is a dark-clothes costume where one graphic does all the identifying: the stitched heart on his charcoal zip hoodie. I'd hand-stitch it in red embroidery floss with big, uneven stitches rather than painting it, since it should look like something he sewed on himself. Wear it over a black tee with very slim black jeans, a silver pocket chain, fingerless gloves and flat black shoes with white soles. The shaggy black wig falls over one eye, which means you'll spend the night pushing it back, so trim the fringe a little first. Go easy on pale foundation, add stubble and soft gray under the eyes. Clip-on ear cuffs fake his piercings, and a black cardboard guitar is the safe prop.
17. Candy Chiu Costume
Candy's everyday outfit is neat and practical enough for a full day of school or party games. Pair a jade-green striped shirt with a brown or purple skirt, white tights, black flats and a small pink backpack. The long straight black wig reaches close to the waist, with a few strands standing up near the crown; a dab of styling wax holds those far better than hairspray. Round black glasses, black studs and circles of pink blush finish the face. Keep the costume to her clothes, hair, glasses and accessories, and never change facial features or use makeup tied to ethnicity. A compact camera or science notebook suits her.
18. Candy Chiu Peppermint Costume
Candy's Summerween peppermint is one of the simplest graphic costumes here. Cut a round white tunic from felt or thin foam and paint a big red spiral on the front and back, then gather clear or pale pink fabric at each side so it looks like a wrapped sweet. I use organza or tulle for the twists, not real cellophane, which crackles loudly and splits along the creases within an hour. Underneath go a white long-sleeve shirt, white leggings and red sneakers. Keep her black hair, round glasses, studs and pink cheek circles visible, and stop the wrapper ends above the wrists and knees so they don't snag. She wears this one trick-or-treating with Mabel and Grenda.
19. Grenda Grendinator Costume
Grenda is quick to put together, and kids tend to like that it's basically gym clothes. Put “COOL” across a bright pink tee in bold block letters. Iron-on vinyl gives crisper letters than felt, and felt letters on a polyester tee often peel at the corners. Add loose purple shorts, white crew socks and pink-and-white sneakers. Pull auburn hair or a wig into a high ponytail with a yellow barrette on the right side, then paint one small red cheek mark and keep the rest of the makeup light. Let the shirt fit loosely, add bike shorts for coverage, and give her a stuffed bear or a pile of friendship bracelets.
20. Old Man McGucket Costume
McGucket should look patched together but still be clean enough to sit on someone's sofa. Start with a cream long-sleeve shirt and loose brown overalls, wrap the ankles in soft off-white fabric and wear brown slip-ons. A floppy weathered hat goes over a bald cap or tucked-away hair. The long white beard is the key piece, and the adhesive bandage sticks onto the beard, not onto your skin. Add a rosy nose, bushy white brows and an optional gold tooth cover. For his arm, a removable sling is far kinder than a rigid fake cast that you'll want off within an hour. A cardboard banjo or a harmless little mechanical model is his prop.
21. Blendin Blandin Costume
Blendin's jumpsuit is a clean, plain shape, and the comedy is all in the details. Start with a light gray jumpsuit with cream panels, a wide utility belt, plain white boots and gray-and-cream goggles. Then pick a smooth bald cap, or short brown hair parted in the middle for his later appearance. Bald caps are hot, and the edge shows under bright light unless you blend it into your forehead with foundation, so only choose one if you're happy doing that. A large toy watch on the left wrist and a tape-measure-shaped time device on the belt are essential. Pin patches of scenery-print fabric onto the jumpsuit for his broken camouflage, and keep makeup to a flushed, nervous face.
22. Giffany Costume
Giffany is for people who enjoy wigs and fussy accessories. Wear a white sailor blouse with blue trim and a pink neck bow, a short blue pleated skirt with shorts underneath, white over-the-knee socks with two pink stripes and pink Mary Janes. The very long pink wig is the hard part. Long synthetic hair tangles at the nape where it rubs against a collar, so I brush it through with a wide-tooth comb before leaving and again halfway through the night. Tie a big striped bow from pink, yellow and blue ribbon. Rose-pink eye makeup, bright blush and tiny square highlights on the cheeks suggest a pixelated screen, and a blank game case decorated with hearts is the prop.
23. Rumble McSkirmish Costume
Rumble is an arcade fighter you can play without going shirtless or barefoot. A fitted tan muscle-print shirt goes with indigo pants torn at the edges, a wide red belt and fabric wraps around the forearms. A blonde mullet wig with a red headband across the forehead, plus an optional soft eyepatch, gives you his head. For the pixel effect, I stamp cream paint in blocks with a small square sponge along the arms and face, then press setting powder over it so it doesn't smear onto the shirt. Tan or black athletic shoes stand in for bare feet, and a retro game controller or cardboard arcade token is the prop.
24. Sheriff Blubs Costume
Sheriff Blubs is a uniform costume, so the main job is keeping it obviously fictional. A light green button-up over a white undershirt, dark green trousers, tall black boots, a black belt, yellow-and-green shoulder patches, black sunglasses and a khaki campaign hat. Make the badge a large novelty gold star with his name on it, so nobody could mistake it for a real one. A short gray wig, a matching mustache and a little rosy cheek give him his face; spirit gum holds a mustache much better than the tape that comes in most kits, and it needs its own remover. He carries a paper coffee cup or notebook, never anything that resembles real police equipment.
25. Deputy Durland Costume
Durland goes beside Blubs, and the two together read far faster than either one alone. Use a light green uniform shirt, dark green high-waisted trousers, a black belt, tall black boots and a khaki ranger hat. Cut his deputy badge from gold cardstock, big and clearly fake. His hair is a light reddish-brown buzz cut, and a close-fitting wig is easier than cutting your own. Draw a heavy unibrow with a brow pencil and add a touch of pink to the nose and ears, keeping the face friendly and cartoonish. The high trousers are what give him that lanky shape, so wear braces if they keep slipping down.
26. Manly Dan Costume
Manly Dan looks bold, and none of it needs real crafting skill. Roll the sleeves of a red plaid flannel above padded costume forearms, then add dark work pants, braces if you like, brown work gloves and sturdy boots. Brush a short bright red wig upward until it looks untidy, and add a soft detachable beard or red sideburn shading. A little padding under the shirt builds his broad cartoon shape; a thin foam vest stays cooler than a sweatshirt stuffed underneath. Carry a foam log slice or a stuffed woodland animal. Leave real axes and tools at home, even as props.
27. Gnome Jeff Costume
Jeff is a storybook garden gnome, which most people can assemble without sewing a stitch. A blue tunic over a cream long-sleeve shirt, brown cropped pants, knee socks, brown lace-ups and a wide black belt. The tall pointed red hat and fluffy white beard are what people see from across the room. A tall fabric cone flops over by mid-evening unless you stiffen it, so I line mine with a cone of thin craft foam and hold it on with elastic under the chin. Shaggy gray hair, round pink cheeks and a slightly darkened nose finish the face. A basket of fake forest flowers or a ‘Gnome Leader’ sign suits Jeff, who leads the gnomes the twins meet in their first big mystery.
28. Waddles Pig Costume
Waddles is soft clothing from top to bottom, so a child or an adult can wear him comfortably for hours. Start with a pale pink hoodie and matching joggers, then sew or pin darker pink felt spots around one eye, along the side and near the back. Rounded ears go on the hood. The curly tail is fabric-covered wire, and I bend the tip back on itself so the cut end can't poke through. Use a light pink snout mask, or pink nose makeup with tiny drawn nostrils, plus rosy cheeks. Dark gray mittens and shoe covers stand in for hooves without making walking hard. Waddles makes the most sense standing next to a Mabel; on his own, a fair-prize ribbon helps.
29. Mermando Costume
A mermaid tail and an evening of walking don't mix, so Mermando gets fins instead. Wear a fitted aqua shirt with green scale-print leggings or flared pants that fade lighter toward the ankle, and attach two flexible fabric fins to the outer calves. Add aqua shoe covers over flat green shoes. A long wavy dark brown wig and three tiny chin hairs drawn on give you his face. The red seashell necklace holding a little family picture matters most to fans, so make that properly. Blue-green shimmer around the eyes and temples and a toy guitar or message bottle round him off. People know him by the green tail, the wavy hair, the missing tooth and that necklace.
30. Summerween Trickster Costume
The Summerween Trickster is a monster, but this version is colourful rather than frightening, which makes it fine around small children. A deep purple patchwork coat goes over matching pants and a black long-sleeve shirt, with thin striped socks and soft brown shoes. Make a smiling yellow jack-o'-melon mask from lightweight foam with good airflow. Any mask narrows your side vision, so cut the eye holes larger than you think you need. Top it with a worn brown hat, then stitch felt candy corn, mint circles, wrapped sweets and licorice shapes over the coat to hint at a body made of rejected candy. Purple face paint carries the look once the mask comes off, and a bucket labeled ‘loser candy’ is the joke.
Felt, Paint and Foam for the Signature Details
Nearly every costume above depends on one small graphic or headpiece, and those are the parts that fall apart first. These are the ones that come up again and again, and how I make them last.
Stan's fez
Roll thin craft foam or poster board into a slightly tapered tube, close the top with a circle, and cover it in maroon felt. Hot glue is fine for an indoor party, but it turns brittle and lets go in cold night air, so for trick-or-treating I use fabric glue and let it cure overnight. A thin elastic hidden under the hair stops it sliding back.
Dipper's pine tree and Soos's question mark
Felt on a cap or tee holds best with a few hand stitches. Fabric paint suits the question mark, as long as there's cardboard inside the shirt and it dries flat; folding it while wet prints a ghost of the shape onto the back.
Mabel's sweater motifs
Knits stretch, and anything glued to them cracks as the fabric moves. Blanket-stitch felt shapes around their edges. Save iron-on patches for a cotton sweatshirt and keep a hot iron away from acrylic yarn, which can melt and go shiny.
Bill's triangle
Foam board dents easily, so carry it to the party flat instead of wearing it in the car. Edge it with yellow tape so the cut sides don't crumble when you brush past people in a hallway.
From Soos's Question Mark to Bill's Top Hat
Dipper, Wendy, Soos and Robbie are the ones I'd give a first-timer, because they're mostly clothes you can buy or already own. Bill Cipher, Giffany and the Summerween Trickster reward people who like building things. With any of them, get the signature colours and the silhouette right first, then add the one object people look for: the journal, the sweater graphic, the fez, the question mark, the hat. Comfortable shoes, breathable layers and light props are what let you stay in costume for a whole night. Solo, as twins or as the full Mystery Shack crew, this odd little town has a character for everyone in the family.
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