It began over a sushi dinner five days before Halloween. David jokingly suggested that Hoku be bubble tea and I laughed, pulling out my phone to show him this brilliant Oh Happy Day boba costume I had just pinned. It's probably too ambitious to make a dog version though, I told him. But over one too many sushi rolls and a bottle of sake, we were committed, a little too tipsy/proud of the final blueprint we had sketched on the paper sleeve that once housed a pair of wooden chopsticks. By the time our check arrived, an Amazon order had been placed for costume materials...along with some saved-for-later items. (Don't drink and Amazon, guys.)
Fast forward to Halloween and we've been floored by the response that Hoku's costume got on Instagram! I got several requests to share how it's made so I've outlined the materials and steps below. It's designed after our Fox & Bagel boba pin, hence my specific color choices, but you can make the straw and lid any color you like.
A final note. This costume is not appropriate for all dogs and is not designed for mobility. Hoku is a really chill pup and wore it with absolutely no issue at all. (He really only had it on for a few minutes for some quick photos.) We would never ever make him wear or do anything if he showed any sign of unease, so please just be aware of what your dog is comfortable with before starting on this project!
Materials
Bannister guard (plastic cup)
Poster board + spray paint (lid)
Gold wrapping paper (straw)
5" black balloons (tapioca/ boba)
Circle compass cutter
Scissors
Clear packing tape
Let's start with the cup. Have your pup sit and use a tape measure or piece of string to make a circle around the circumference of their body in sitting position. Then measure the height from the ground to their chest. This will give you your circumference and height. Unroll the bannister guard and cut it according to your pup's measurements. Make sure there is ample room in the circumference for them to be sitting comfortably. Use clear packing tape to attach the two ends together to form a cylinder.
Use the circumference of the cylinder to trace a circle on the poster board. This will be your lid. Then use a compass cutter to cut two holes; a larger one for your pup's head and a smaller hole for the straw. Make sure the larger hole has ample room for it to slip easily and comfortably over their head.
You can use color poster board or paint it to get a specific color. While the lid dries, start blowing up your 5" black balloons. Make sure the balloons are small and round.
After your lid is thoroughly dry, attach it to the top of the plastic cup using clear scotch tape on the inside. Leave a small section untaped for adding in the boba balloons later. Then cut a semi-circle at the lower rear of the plastic cup for your pup's tail.
Try it on your pup to make sure everything fits properly.
Carefully insert the straw and add the balloons, either from the small untaped section of the lid or from the bottom of the cup. And that's it. Have fun!
