Stranger Things Eggo Waffle Box Costume

So. The third season of Stranger Things will be airing in a few weeks, and you're in need of a costume for a viewing party. Demogorgon has been done, the thrift store has been depleted of 80s wear, and you want something...different...

Sometimes you just get an idea into your head that is so awesome, so ridiculous, you just have to see it through.

This was a last-minute costume, made in a rush, with a severe lack of finesse and detail that I normally do - but it was still a lot of fun to make (and wear). So here's how I made my giant 80s Eggo Box costume, perfect for Halloween, Netflix watch parties, and maple syrup conventions. This Instructable and project is short, silly, and stupid. But I guess Stranger Things have happened.

Supplies

• (Flexible) Measuring Tape
• Dimension of You/Your Giant Box
  • The ratio of an 80ish Eggo waffle box is roughly 1w x 2l x 4h ish. You'll need to measure across your widest points (could be your shoulders, stomach, hips, etc) to figure out the minimum-starting-size point of your box. Depending on your height and width, you may end up not being able to have a full-length box; that'll be determined by you being able to walk in it or not!
• Giant Cardboard Box - or Giant Pieces of Cardboard to Make Box
  • May I suggest raiding a fridge store or recycling center. I asked if I could dive into the cardboard bin at a local parcel delivery store.
• Hot Glue
• Duct Tape
• Exacto Knife and/or Scissors
• Ruler
• Giant Eggo Box Graphics
  • You can - nay, should - go out and buy a box of Eggos, scan it/take photos of it and use those. Plus then you'll have waffles. I want waffles right now actually. Thanks Eggos. However, since this was for an 80s costume, I found pictures of 80s Eggographicsonline. Some of them were provided by Kellogs, some were by people who had uploaded pictures of their own original boxes. I ran these images through a vectorizing program to make it "a little less" pixelated when blown-up, but its still a bit jenky.

Step 1: Create the Box

Grab your cardboard. Take your measurements. And make a box. Add head-and-arm-holes, and remember to leave the bottom of the box open (no lower-flaps needed!).

...Depending on your supplies at hand, this could just mean collapsing down a pre-existing giant box and adding to/subtracting pieces from it. Or this could mean taking giant individual pieces of cardboard and gluing them together. I had a giant box that was just about the right size, that I had to add pieces on to with both hot glue and duct tape. I reinforced the inside of the box with strips of cardboard (attached with both hot glue and duct tape).

You're going to need the top of the box to be closed-off, save for a hole for your head. I took a scrap piece of cardboard, cut a hole in it, and kept trying to fit my head through it till it worked. (I'm sure you can do a much cleaner job if you take your head measurements and use some dinner plates or something).

You're also going to have to cut two holes in the sides for your arms. I put the existing box on, felt/saw/guessed where the middle of my upper arm was on the box, and cut out arm holes. (Again, you can do a much more clean, accurate job if you take some measurements, do some tests, use some dishes, etc)

Step 2: Create Box Graphics

Now that you have your box (dimensions), print off some box graphics! Using your computer software of choice scale up/down/resize the box graphics so that they fit your box. And go get them printed at your local printer. Yep, it's going to be a bit pricey - especially for something last minute - but just think of how wonderful it's going to be to wear a costume that you can't sit down it.

I recommend a thicker stock of glossy paper, for that 80s packaging feel.

Step 3: Glue Graphics to Box

...like, just, glue the graphic to the box. Hot glue. It'll save you a lot of time, and if your stock paper is thick enough, you won't even notice the bumpities the hot glue causes.

However if you have time, I'd recommend using something like Weldbond, smoothing it over the cardboard surface area, aligning and adding the graphics paper to it, putting weight on top, and letting it dry.

Or you could just use hot glue.

After gluing, cut into the paper over the arm/head holes. You can either cut out holes, or slice it and fold it into the box (and glue in place). Same for any additional graphic-parts (like the lower flaps) that you didn't use. Cut it off, or fold it up and seal it.

Step 4: Wear With Care - and Bonus: Be Eleven Underneath

Congrats, you now have a Stranger Things - Eggo Waffle Box Costume to wear!

It will be hard to walk in. I walked by either shuffling or turning my body on an angle to get extra leg/knee room so I could take actual steps.

You cannot sit in it. It is very hard to eat or drink it.

And it's not the easiest holding an umbrella. This is also not a good costume for the rain.

My best advice is to carry it (it's light!) to wherever you need to go (possibly wrapped in several garbage bags, to protect it from the elements) and then put it on right before you arrive at your event.

*bonus*

Shave your head and wear an Eleven costume underneath. There's a handful of outfits to choose from (including pink-dress-blue-jacket, punk-makeover, snow-ball-ensemble, hospital-gown and benny's-burger's-shirt). I went with her sensory-deprivation-tank suit; I tea-dyed a white unitard in the bathtub, cut off the arms and legs, used remaining fabric to do the jumpsuit trim and covered pieces of foam for the weights that I stitched to the front and the back. And if it's, say, Canada where you live and cold at night at Halloween, wear at least some flesh coloured tights to try to stay warm.