So you are going to have a St. Nicholas—where or how to find a costume? You will need these parts:
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• Basic garment (alb, long tunic, or cassock), may be trimmed with wide lace if not using a surplice
• Surplice (loose shorter garment worn over cassock), optional, usually trimmed with wide lace
• Stole (long, narrow scarf)
• Cape, cloak, or cope, may have optional capelet
• Miter
• Crozier (staff)
• Beard
• Gloves, ring, pectoral cross, optional
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 Click for our complete costume pattern |
Costumes can be bought, made, or borrowed. Professional costume companies are one option for complete outfits, or just specialized parts like the cope and miter. For church use, basic pieces may be borrowed from the church's basic vestment supply, such as an alb and stole. However, it is important that St. Nicholas be clearly different than a real bishop. So it isn't recommended to use real bishop's vestments. A bit of fantasy is good for St. Nicholas!
Purchase
Costume shops sometimes have costumes, or, maybe, bishop's costumes that may be modified to make a St. Nicholas.
Pattern includes:
Miter
Cloak or cape
Capelet
Alb
Stole
Complete instructions with cutting layouts
More information and PDF files
Tops to make a crozier easily are available in our shop.
Another way to make a costume is to adapt commercial costume patterns to create the basic parts of a St. Nicholas costume.
 Simplicity 5480 or 0606 includes a cape with a capelet option. |
 Simplicity 9452 has a pattern for a full cloak with or without a capelet. |
 McCall's 2339 has a basic gown or long tunic and a drape for a cape. |
 Simplicity 5368 has a pattern for a cassock. |
Vestment patterns can also be found in vestment pattern books.
Vestments for All Seasons
by Barbara Dee Baumgarten, Morehouse, 2002; This excellent book has graphed patterns and complete directions for a dalmatic/tunic (the basic garment) and stoles.
Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.ca or amazon.uk.
Link
Suggestions for How to Have a Festival
from the St. Nicholas Society in England
