Costume Advice
LAUGHS & LOOSE CANNON COSTUMES
Chaos with a Punchline — and Maybe a Body Count
Not every suspect is smooth, suave, or suspiciously wealthy — some are just... weird. These roles are for the wild cards, class clowns, town weirdos, and characters who steal the scene just by showing up in a chicken hat. Whether you’re a wannabe stand-up comic, a conspiracy theorist with a pet ferret, or a chicken farmer with secrets buried in the coop, you’re here to bring the laughs — and maybe distract the guests while you hide the evidence. This guide will help you go big, bold, and completely ridiculous in the best way possible.
EXAMPLES OF LAUGHS & LOOSE CANNONS COSTUMES
Possible Characters in the “Laughs, Loons & Loose Cannons” Category:
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Washed-up Stand-Up Comic
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Chicken Farmer or Egg Entrepreneur
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Reality TV Star or Wannabe Influencer
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Quirky Librarian or Oddball Archivist
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Conspiracy Theorist or UFO Truther
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Hypochondriac Heiress
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Overzealous PTA President
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Failed Magician or Clumsy Illusionist
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Mascot Without a Team
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Rodeo Clown or Carnival Worker
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Oddball Neighbor or Eccentric Local Historian
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Off-the-Grid Survivalist or Doomsday Prepper
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Award-Winning Competitive Eater or Bingo Champion
What You Might Already Have in Your Closet:
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Pajama pants worn with a suit jacket (Comic vibes)
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Overalls, flannel, or any shirt with chickens on it
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Sequins, feathers, or clothes that just don’t match
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Hawaiian shirts, ill-fitting blazers, or fanny packs
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Crocs, slippers, or cowboy boots (bonus points for wearing both)
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Thick glasses, visors, or giant sunglasses
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Anything in animal print or highlighter neon
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T-shirts with bad slogans or puns
Hair & Makeup Tips:
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Go over-the-top: teased hair, uneven pigtails, fake sideburns, dramatic makeup, or bedhead
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Use makeup to create exaggerated features — red nose, drawn-on brows, beauty mark mole
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Add face paint for clowns, tinfoil hats for theorists, or fake dirt for farmers
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Overdrawn lips, mismatched eyeshadow, or way-too-much blush
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Use fake mustaches, wigs, or random hair clips that serve no purpose
Accessories & Props:
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Rubber chicken, whoopee cushion, or giant comedy mic
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A “farm fresh eggs” basket with suspicious contents
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Tinfoil hat, notebook full of conspiracies, or "classified" folder
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Magic wand that doesn't work or deck of rigged cards
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Tiny mirror for checking imaginary beauty
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Loud whistle, walkie-talkie, or banana used as a phone
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Fake trophies, pageant sash, or oversized sunglasses
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Clip-on bow tie, suspenders, or costume mustache
Behaviors, Voice, and Quirks:
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Comics: Constant one-liners or groan-worthy puns. Talk to an imaginary audience. Start every sentence with “So I walk into a bar…”
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Chicken Farmers: Talk about your chickens like they’re children. Mutter about coop security. “The hens know things.”
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Magicians: Try to do magic tricks with zero success. Whisper “abracadabra” and hope for the best.
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Conspiracy Theorists: Whisper a lot. Dart eyes around. Refer to “the incident” without explaining.
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Reality Stars: Talk in hashtags. Take fake selfies. Use phrases like “I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win.”
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Quirks: Walk in zigzags, use an invisible earpiece, giggle at serious moments, or accuse inanimate objects of sabotage
These characters may not look like prime suspects — but they’re unpredictable, unforgettable, and just strange enough to throw everyone off. Whether you’re laying down punchlines or dropping red herrings like eggs from a nervous hen, you’re the comedic chaos keeping this murder mystery party truly unhinged.
Notes:
Standup Comics: You can wear anything you wish. However, it's always best to make people laugh - even by just seeing you. So why not pick something to make others laugh? Also, don't forget to bring a selection of jokes. It's okay to write them down and bring them with you - no need to memorize them. At the party, try out your material!
Food Inspectors: You can be serious about your role and wear a solid color or dark suit to remain professional. Or, you can get laughs by dressing up as a food item.
Animal handlers: Same goes for you - dress up like your animal for laughs!