Close-up selfie of a person wearing custom orange overalls with hand-sewn straps and a centered chest pocket, part of a Pig-Pen costume.

Bringing Pig-Pen to the Stage

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This was my first time going on stage ever. I had so much fun with this production, both in learning the role and in bringing it to life.

The first step of this costume was making Pig-Pen’s signature overalls.

I started with pair of basic women’s overalls in the right shade of orange, then flipped them around and made the old back into the new front. I wanted the silhouette to be a little cartoonish without being slapstick, since Pig-Pen is both comic and sincere. I also knew that the tulle dust cloud would cover up much of the lower body.

After shortening the legs and added a waistband and false crotch ‘seam,’ I created new wider straps from scrap fabric, crafted a new front panel, and pulled it together with some nice big buttons I got from my sweetie.

I finished it off by getting a bunch of grey and brown tulle and wrapping it around the overalls. I paired this with chocolate/coconut oil ‘dirt’ and white shirt and socks smeared with chocolate to pull it all together.

Actors portraying the Little Red-Haired Girl and Pig-Pen from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, standing in costume on a cartoon-style set with a red brick wall backdrop.
My full costume and makeup for performance! Christy Dear as The Little Red-Haired Girl and Kevin Steele as Pig-Pen from You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Phase 1

A full view of orange overalls laid flat on a green carpet, with markings indicating planned alterations for a Pig-Pen costume.
A pair of women’s overalls I got at city thrift. I flipped them around – what is face up in this photo was once the back
A pair of brown overalls laid flat on a green carpet, showing hand-drawn chalk guidelines and visible pockets; part of a Pig-Pen costume from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
The white line is fabric pencil that represents adding a waistline and a crotch seam
A black and white cat named Bubby lies on top of rust-orange overalls laid on a bed. Two removed leg pieces are positioned nearby.
I removed a part of the legs to make them into shorts. No project is complete without a furry helper. Bubby-approved costume construction!
Rust-orange overalls laid out on a bed, viewed from the back. The pant legs are cuffed and pinned all the way across with sewing pins.
I added some elastic to the waistband. Hems are pinned and ready for the machine.
Rust-orange overalls laid flat on a bed, viewed from the back. The legs are roughly cuffed and sewn. Chalk lines and creases are visible.
First bit sewn in the cuffs.
Me standing in front of a mirror wearing altered rust-colored overalls, mid-construction for a Pig-Pen costume, with the legs cuffed and a t-shirt underneath.
Fitting of the repurposed overalls checking leg length and fit

Phase 2

A close-up of orange costume pants in progress, showing a red waistband pinned across the top.
Pinning and prepping a red waistband for attachment, made of scrap fabric
A person wears orange costume pants in progress, seen from the back, with a red waistband pinned in place and light distressing and a dirty mirror.
Pinning and prepping the red waistband, made from scrap fabric, for attachment
Close-up of the upper back of a pair of rust-colored overalls, showing cleanly sewn straps attached to what was originally the front panel, now functioning as the back in a costume redesign.
The back panel of the Pig-Pen costume overalls, with newly created wide straps
Person in front of a mirror wearing a white t-shirt and rust-orange overalls with rolled cuffs and button-secured straps.
The red waistband is now sewn in place, so I needed to check where to place the straps next
Close-up of rust-colored fabric showing the in-progress transformation of an overall’s original back panel into the new front.
Modifying the new front using scraps I got from turning the legs into shorts
Close-up selfie of a person wearing custom orange overalls with hand-sewn straps and a centered chest pocket, part of a Pig-Pen costume.
The new finished front panel, just testing the positioning of the straps before I attached the buttons

Phase 3

Person standing in front of a mirror wearing a white t-shirt and modified orange overalls with rolled cuffs, showing the final front view of the Pig-Pen costume before weathering.
I finished the front panel and have attached the buttons, just need to add dust
Person photographed from behind in a mirror, wearing altered orange overalls and a white shirt as part of a Pig-Pen costume, showing clean strap seams and cuffed shorts.
Rear view of the completed overalls for Pig-Pen costume, just missing the dust
Mirror selfie of a person wearing a white t-shirt and orange overalls, with layered brown and gray tulle wrapped around the lower body to simulate Pig-Pen’s signature dust cloud.
I added brown tulle to create the iconic swirling dust cloud effect over custom-altered overalls
The full cast of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown is captured mid-performance during the lively “Baseball Game” number, with Charlie Brown seated in front holding a notebook, while the rest of the Peanuts gang strikes energetic poses in baseball gear and cheer props.
Final costume in action during the Baseball Game number, complete with grime made of chocolate and coconut oil and a dust cloud made of tulle.
I changed the structure of my website, but I didn’t want to lose this comment from my old post that my friend, Donna Wardla, left

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