One of the most entertaining elements of Lewis Carroll’s novels, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass, is an eccentric, playful character known as the Hatter. The character, alongside a joyous mix of residents in the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland also appeared in Disney’s 1951 animated fantasy film adaptation of the books and their latest modern-day iterations featuring Johnny Depp playing the character. Whether you like tea parties or you just want to cosplay this amusing character, here’s an in-depth guide on what you will need for a Mad Hatter costume that you can wear with your gang of fun-loving friends. 

Who is the Mad Hatter?

In Lewis Carroll’s 1865 book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its 1871 sequel Through the Looking-Glass, the Hatter is just one of the main characters that the young and well-spoken protagonist meets in Wonderland. Though he is more popularly referred to as “the Mad Hatter,” this term was actually never used by the novels’ author. The Hatter is described only as mad by the philosophy-spouting Cheshire Cat in the first book’s seventh chapter aptly titled “A Mad Tea-Party.”

In the books and the film adaptations, Alice meets the Hatter at a tea party that he always seem to be having with the March Hare. The Hatter’s quirky personality is likened to that of a child who ranges from being happy and throwing quick tantrums. In the 1951 animated film, the Hatter is seen conjuring different, fun items from his fedora hat such as delectable small cakes and cute hats.