Yetti: How to Create a Mad Scientist Costume

The emphasis is on mad in this outfit. Think Flubber mixed with Einstein crossed with Dr. Strangelove.

Instructions

STEP 1: Go for the bald cap from the costume shop. Yes, girls too. Another option is an inexpensive crazy scientist wig; make your own by purchasing a bathing cap and gluing on wild fabric hair.
STEP 2: Find old eyeglasses at the thrift store and pop out the lenses - heavy black frames or cat-eye frames are especially fun. Try gluing bottle caps, Band-Aids, rhinestones or little plastic thingamajigs onto the frame.
STEP 3: Affix a patch of fur for a mustache or pointy beard.
STEP 4: Get a white lab coat. Thrift stores, especially hospitals' thrift shops, often have them. If not, a big white dress shirt worn backward will do fine. Decorate it with food spills, equations, rips, scorch marks, funny pins and/or toxic spill labels.
STEP 5: Complete the look with business bottoms (who knows what a scientist wears under her lab coat?). Chinos, dark pants or a long skirt is fine, accompanied by any kind of funny shoes.
STEP 6: Deck out your scientist costume with pocket protectors or a million pens stuck right into the lab coat pockets. Pin notes, food and crazy rubber lizards to sleeves, back and shoulders.

The overall feeling here is eccentric, messy, funny and wild. Think pencils lost in the crazy hair, oversize glasses, big burn marks on the pants - that kind of thing.
Shop only at garage sales and thrift stores so you can mess everything up. Party supply stores can help you enhance that crazed feeling with little plastic extras like feathers, oversize rubber pencils, rubber chickens and more.