How to Make a Vampire Collar (No Sewing)

7 min read · The Costume Rack

Here's how to make a vampire collar without sewing: cut a tall fan shape out of thin cardboard or a cereal box, cover it in black or red felt (or paint), then glue or pin it to the back neckline of a coat or cape so it stands up behind your head. That's the whole trick. The cardboard does the standing, the fabric does the looking-expensive, and the whole thing takes 30 to 45 minutes.

If you're still deciding whether you're even a vampire this year, or you're worried someone in the group chat already called it, The Costume Rack matches you to a costume from your vibe and closet and puts your whole group on one rail so nobody doubles up: Start my costume.

Quick context: our vampire build is basically "black coat, white collar," plus the stand-up collar that makes it scream Dracula instead of "guy in a coat." That collar is the single piece that makes people clock the costume from across the room. So it's worth doing right.

Materials for a DIY vampire collar

You probably have most of this already. Nothing here needs a sewing machine.

Optional: gold or silver paint pen for a trim line, and one strip of cardboard for a brace (more on that below).

Hot glue tip: use the low-temp setting if you have one, keep a bowl of water nearby, and don't press fabric down with bare fingertips. Use a pencil eraser.

Cut the collar shape (vampire collar template)

You don't need a printed vampire collar template. You need one measurement and a pencil.

Measure

1. Wrap string around the back of your neck, from one collarbone to the other. That's your bottom edge length. Most teens and adults land somewhere around 12 to 16 inches.
2. Decide how tall you want it. Subtle is 5 to 6 inches. Full Dracula is 8 to 10 inches. Anything taller and it'll poke your ears every time you turn around.

Draw the fan

Picture a slice of a paper plate, upside down:

• Draw your bottom edge as a gentle curve (like a smile).
• From each end, draw a line going up and outward at an angle.
• Connect the tops with a wider curve. The top edge should be roughly one and a half to two times the length of the bottom edge.

For a more dramatic Dracula collar, cut the top edge into two or three wide points, like bat wings. For the classic stand-up collar DIY look, keep it a smooth curve.

Test before you cut fabric

Hold the cardboard behind your neck in a mirror (or send a pic to the group chat, honestly they'll tell you). If it looks like a lampshade, trim the top. If it looks like a shirt collar, go taller.

Stiffen it so it doesn't flop

This is where most DIY vampire collars die. Felt alone is floppy. Cardboard alone looks like, well, cardboard. You want both, layered.

The layer stack

1. Cardboard core, cut to shape.
2. Fabric front, cut about half an inch bigger than the cardboard on every side.
3. Glue the fabric to the front of the board, then fold the extra over the edges and glue it down on the back.
4. Fabric back (optional), cut exactly to size and glued on to hide the messy edges. Red felt on the inside and black on the outside is peak vampire.

No felt? Other ways to finish it

• Paint: two coats of black acrylic on the cardboard, then a red line along the inner edge.
• Duct tape: black duct tape laid in overlapping strips looks weirdly like pleather. Good if you're doing a punk vampire.
• An old T-shirt: cut the back panel off and use it like felt.

Add the brace

Cut a strip of cardboard about 1 inch wide and as long as the collar is tall. Glue it vertically down the center back. That spine is what stops the collar folding in half by 10 p.m.

Attach the collar to a coat or cape

How to make a vampire cape collar work depends on what you're wearing it on. Coat, cape or hoodie, any of these work:

On a coat or blazer

• Flip up the coat's own collar first. It gives the fan something to lean on.
• Place your DIY vampire collar behind it, bottom edge tucked just inside the neckline.
• Safety pin through the fabric of the coat and the felt edge in 4 spots: both ends and two in the middle. Pin from inside the coat so pins don't show.

On a cape

• Glue or pin the bottom edge of the collar along the cape's top edge, then tie the cape as usual.
• If the cape is thin fabric, pin a strip of cardboard inside the cape's neckline too, so the whole thing doesn't sag backward.

On a hoodie (lazy but it works)

Pin the collar to the back of the hood, then tuck the hood down inside. It's the "I found out about this party two hours ago" version, and it's fine.

Not sure if a coat, a cape or a hoodie is the move? The Costume Rack breaks the vampire into pieces, shows a version made from things you already own, and gives you three put-together steps. It'll even hand you one piece to sort each day on the countdown, so the collar isn't a 9 p.m. panic. Start my costume

Make it stay up all night

A vampire collar that looks great at 7 p.m. and is lying flat on your shoulders by 11 is the worst. Here's how to keep it standing:

• Double the pins at the ends. The corners take the most pull when you turn your head.
• Add a hidden neck strap. Glue a strip of elastic or a ribbon to the back of the collar, low down, and tie it loosely around your neck under the coat. Loose, not tight. You should be able to fit two fingers under it easily.
• Lean it back a little. A collar standing straight up hits your ears. Angled back about 20 degrees, it frames your face.
• Skip hairspray on felt. It makes it sticky, not stiff. Add another cardboard layer instead.
• Pack a repair kit: 3 safety pins and a few pieces of double-sided tape in your pocket or bag.

Vampire costume DIY: finish the look

The collar carries the costume, but three more things finish it:

1. Black coat or blazer (or a long black cardigan)
2. White shirt, ideally with a high neck or a tied scarf at the throat
3. One red detail: lipstick, a red tie, a red lining, a fake "blood" dot

Want to skip fangs? You can. The collar plus slicked-back hair does the job. And if your friend group is going as a haunted house, a vampire pairs well with a skeleton in DIY bone gloves or a werewolf with claws.

Your vampire collar, sorted, and your group rail too

Now you know how to make a vampire collar. The next minute is the easy part: tell The Costume Rack your vibe, what's in your closet and how you feel about face paint, and it hands you your costume in pieces, including a no-makeup version. Send one link to your friends so they can claim their costumes on your rail, and nobody turns up as a second Dracula.

Start my costume

FAQ

How do you make a vampire collar stand up?

Use a cardboard core inside the fabric, glue a vertical cardboard brace down the center back, and pin the bottom edge to a coat or cape at four points. Angling it back slightly also helps it stay up without hitting your ears.

What can I use to make a vampire collar without felt?

A cereal box painted black works, and so does black duct tape laid in strips over cardboard. An old T-shirt glued over cardboard also looks close to felt from a few feet away.

How tall should a Dracula collar be?

Around 5 to 6 inches for a subtle look and 8 to 10 inches for full Dracula. Taller than that usually gets in the way when you turn your head or sit down.

Can I make a vampire cape collar with no sewing at all?

Yes. Everything in this guide is glue, tape and safety pins. The only "sewing" skill you need is pinning through fabric from the inside so the pins stay hidden.

Is a vampire costume good for a group?

Very. Vampires pair naturally with bats, ghosts, werewolves and skeletons, so it's easy to build a spooky squad around one. The trick is making sure two people don't both turn up as the vampire, which is exactly what a shared costume rail is for.