How to make a matador costume

Matadors are the bold and showy bullfighters of Spain. Their typical costume involves ornately decorated pieces and a signature cropped jacket and pant. Pair this with a brightly coloured cape tossed over the shoulder, and you have an outfit suited for any bullfighting adventure. You needn't face down dangerous horned beasts to don this flashy garb. A matador costume is a quick and easy project for any Halloween or costume party. With a few basic pieces of clothing and some craft supplies, you can make your own one-of-a-kind matador costume in a single afternoon.

Take a pair of black trousers and either roll the bottoms up to knee height, or cut the bottoms off and cinch the trousers with elastic at knee height.

Cut the bottom off of a black jacket so that it falls just below the rib cage. If desired, trim the sides of the jacket into a curved shape. Hem all raw edges.

Paint gold stripes on the outer sides of the pant legs and along the sleeves of the jacket, using fabric paint. Embellish the jacket further with gold ribbon, thread or more fabric paint. Add elaborate designs on the front and back of the jacket.

Cut a large piece of red fabric into a circle, with a smaller circle cut out of the centre for the cape. Cut a straight line from the outer edge of the circle to the centre point. Hem the edges. Gather the fabric together at the shorter edge for the neck of the cape.

Add white knee socks, black shoes, a white dress shirt and a black tie to the other costume pieces. Drape the cape over one shoulder. Include a distinctive matador hat, with two black circular shapes on either side of the head, if desired. For women with dark hair, two buns on either side of the head can create the same effect.