A fortune teller look is easy to build from 5 pieces: a long, layered skirt with a fitted top, a sash or shawl hung with coins, a head wrap, jewelry that jingles, and a prop to read from, either tarot cards or a crystal ball. Our women's fortune teller costume packs a tiered dress, a coin skirt wrap, a floral headpiece, and 5 tarot cards. For a men's, kids', or do-it-yourself look, those 5 pieces are your build list.
What do fortune tellers wear?
We build ours as a stage character: the coins jingle when you walk in, and the cards are already in your hand. Each of the 5 pieces does one job. Our women's costume covers 4 of those 5 jobs.
| Piece | What it does | In our women's costume |
|---|---|---|
| Layered skirt and top | Gives the look its movement and shape | Long dress with a tiered skirt |
| Sash or shawl with coins | Adds the shine and the jingle | Coin skirt wrap |
| Head wrap or headpiece | Signals the character from a distance | Floral printed headpiece |
| Prop | Turns the outfit into someone with a deck to read | 5 tarot cards |
| Jewelry | Bangles, rings, and hoops catch the light | Not in the pack; add your own |
Which fortune teller look do you need?
Four looks share the same 5 pieces: our women's costume, and men's, kids', and do-it-yourself builds. NRF's 2026 Halloween survey puts online searches first among costume inspiration sources, at 32%, and expects $2 billion on adult costumes and $1.5 billion on children's. Between September 16 and October 13, 2026, about 1 in 8 of the U.S. Google web-search impressions our site earned on searches containing "fortune teller" (counting only queries Google reports by name) named men, kids, do-it-yourself or how-to, or what a fortune teller wears or looks like. That is our own search footprint, not a survey of everyone, but it tells us which questions to answer here. Our fortune teller costume is the women's, so the other looks are builds:
- Women: our costume, with the pack listed below.
- Men: a shirt, a vest, a sash, a head wrap, and a prop.
- Kids: comfortable layers, a scarf wrap, and a safe prop.
- Do-it-yourself: six steps, from the skirt to the face paint.
What comes in our women's fortune teller costume?
Our Women's Mystic Fortune Teller Costume comes with four pieces:
- The dress: long, with a tiered skirt
- The coin skirt wrap, which adds the jingle with every step
- The floral printed headpiece
- 5 tarot cards to read from
The fabric is 100% polyester, with stretch running through it and an elastic waist, so the dress moves with you instead of against you. There are 5 sizes, Small to XX-Large, matched to US dress sizes: Small covers 4 to 6, Medium 8 to 10, Large 12 to 14, X-Large 16 to 18, and XX-Large 20 to 22. Sitting between two? Take your measurements and hold them against the chart in our size guide. Every costume goes through over 30 measurement checks. What the pack leaves out is jewelry and a crystal ball, so bring your own bangles and hoops.
It is hand wash only. Wash the dress, the coin wrap, and the headpiece separately to protect the coin detailing, then lay each one flat to air dry, out of direct heat and sunlight. Store it flat or loosely folded so the tiered skirt does not crease between wears.
What is a men's fortune teller costume?
Our fortune teller costume is the women's, so a men's look is a build from your own closet, with anything missing from our men's costumes. Put on the shirt and vest, then add the head wrap, the sash, and the prop; those three make it a fortune teller.
- Base: a dark or white long-sleeve shirt with the collar open, under a vest.
- Sash: a long scarf folded in half lengthwise and knotted at the hip, with a few coins or charms safety-pinned along the lower edge.
- Head wrap: a patterned scarf tied at the back or to one side.
- Layer for the entrance: a long open coat, a robe, or one of our capes.
- Prop: a deck of cards or a clear ball on a small stand.
For more men's looks, see our guide to Halloween costumes for men.
What is a kids' fortune teller costume?
Our fortune teller costume is the women's, so a kids' look is a build too, made from clothes a child can sit, run, and climb steps in. Use a long skirt or loose pants with a shirt, a scarf as a head wrap or a sash, and light plastic jewelry instead of heavy coins. For young children, skip coins, pins, and small beads. The American Academy of Pediatrics says costumes should be short enough to prevent tripping, so test the hem on a flight of stairs before the night. Its Halloween page also says hats "should not slide over eyes or block vision," so tie the head wrap above the brows and pin it.
Make the prop from paper: index cards drawn with moons and stars, carried in a small drawstring pouch, so there is nothing to drop and break. For face paint, follow the FDA's advice for a product you have never used: try a dab on the arm for a couple of days first, in case of an allergic reaction, before any of it goes on the face. For a ready-made costume, browse our kids' Halloween costumes or read our best kids Halloween costumes guide.
How do you make a fortune teller costume at home?
Work from the skirt to the face, in six steps:
- Skirt: a long skirt in a deep jewel tone, or two skirts worn together for tiers.
- Top and shawl: a fitted top, then a shawl or a square scarf folded into a triangle and tied at the hip.
- Head wrap: fold a scarf corner to corner, set the fold along the forehead, cross the ends at the back, and tie them. Pin it with bobby pins so it stays put.
- Coins and jewelry: layer necklaces at different lengths, add bangles and rings, and hang coins or charms from the sash (adults only; see the kids' build above).
- Prop: draw moons, stars, and eyes on blank cards, or set a battery tea light under a clear ball, never a real flame.
- Face: small stars or dots with eyeliner at the temples, after the arm test above (a couple of days, per the FDA).
If you would rather skip the folding and the pinning, our women's costume above is the one-box version. For other quick looks, see our last-minute Halloween costumes.
How do you keep a fortune teller costume respectful?
Dress the character from the booth: the deck, the crystal ball, the coins. Our women's costume is built that way, and these 4 checks work on any of the looks above:
- Build around the props and prints: tarot cards, a crystal ball, moons, and stars.
- Call the costume what it is: a fortune teller, a mystic, or a seer.
- Leave out any piece or label that names a real group of people or a culture.
- Keep the readings playful, with party fortunes about snacks and dance floors rather than anyone's health, money, or family.
Where do you finish the look?
Short on time? Tie the head wrap and pick up the cards first, then add the sash and the jewelry as time allows. Our Halloween costumes and women's costumes have more to browse. Torn between this and a witch? Our guide to the best witch costumes for women takes the dress-and-hat route, and our guide to the best Halloween costumes has more starting points.
Frequently asked questions
What do fortune tellers wear?
A long, layered skirt with a fitted top, a sash or shawl hung with coins, a head wrap, jingling jewelry, and a prop such as tarot cards or a crystal ball. Our women's costume packs the dress, a coin skirt wrap, a floral headpiece, and 5 tarot cards.
What comes in your fortune teller costume?
The tiered dress, the coin skirt wrap, the floral headpiece, and 5 tarot cards. Jewelry and a crystal ball are not in the pack.
Is there a men's fortune teller costume?
Our fortune teller costume is the women's, so a men's look is a build: an open-collar shirt, a vest, a sash, a head wrap, and a prop, and add a cape from our accessories if you want a long layer.
Is there a kids' fortune teller costume?
Our fortune teller costume is the women's, so a kids' look is a build: comfortable layers, a scarf wrap, and a paper prop, with a hem short enough not to trip on. Skip coins, pins, and small beads for young children, and test any new face paint on the arm before it goes on the face.
What size fortune teller costume should I get?
Match it to your US dress size: Small covers 4 to 6, Medium 8 to 10, Large 12 to 14, X-Large 16 to 18, and XX-Large 20 to 22. Between two, measure yourself against the chart in our size guide. The waist is elastic.
How do you wash a fortune teller costume?
Hand wash only; do not machine wash. Wash the dress, the coin wrap, and the headpiece separately, then let them air dry flat, out of direct heat and sunlight.
How do you keep a fortune teller costume respectful?
Build around the props and prints: a deck, a crystal ball, moons, and stars, and call the costume a fortune teller, a mystic, or a seer. Leave out any piece or label that names a real group of people or a culture.
