COSTUME SUGGESTIONS & PATTERNS FOR ST. NICHOLAS To celebrate St. Nicholas, you need to look the part. Here is where you will either find a costume or make one. • 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 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. To Make www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/costume-pattern/ Pattern includes: Miter Cloak or cape Capelet Alb Stole Complete instructions with cutting layouts Tops to make a crozier easily are available in the shop of St. Nicholas Center. www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/shop/ Another way to make a costume is to adapt commercial costume patterns to create the basic parts of a St. Nicholas costume.