Now that winter is in full swing, most people have reverted to dark coats and functional clothing to keep out the cold. With such a dreary backdrop, there’s no better time to add a little playfulness and humor to your wardrobe, while also up-cycling old stuffed animals.

For a little background, this post was inspired by my trip to Japan. Their outlandish and flamboyant winter street fashion was captivating. Mixed patterns, bizarre shoes, and animal hats were everywhere. 

Animal hats, in particular, were also a trend in Korea that spread to London and to celebrity circles.

Historically, Haut couturiers such as Isabella Blow have also been know for wearing absurd animals on their head.   

Besides, who doesn’t want an outrageous, furry stuffed animal on their head?  It certainly livens up the grey winter scenery. And, if that’s not compelling enough for you, animal hats are great for themed parties, animal hat Wednesday’s for the office, or days when you need to cover up bad hair. 

There are so many reasons to convince yourself and your friends that animal hats are a good idea, you should just try it. (They make great gag gifts, too.)

So lets get started.  First look for stuffed animals at your local Goodwill.  Snakes, giraffes, and bears are great (or you can combine several animals and make a full or partial Noah’s Ark hat).

Depending on what kind of animal you find, you might also want to find something at Goodwill with a fur collar, or other fun material that you can use to accent the rim of your hat.  (I found a fur-trimmed hoodie that was perfect.)

First, using a razor blade or seam ripper, remove the bottom portion of the animal (+ extra stuffing), and the fur collar. 

Next, place the emptied stuffed animal on your head, and fold down the extra fabric so that it fits snuggly (this part is best done with friends, who will probably laugh at you).  Sew down the fleece parts with a needle and thread or a sewing machine.

Next sew your fur or accent fabric to the bottom edge of the animal. (Make sure to pin the right sides of the animal and the fur together so that when sewn, the sewn edges will be on the inside.)

At this point, re-stuff any areas you want to accentuate, and sew in a piece of fabric (using part of an old t-shirt works well) to keep the stuffing in place. This isn’t an exact science, just try to get a sense of the size piece you will need by looking at the inside of size piece you will need by looking at the inside of your hat.  It will likely be a circle or oval about the size of your head.

I used an extra long rectangular piece of fabric to contain the remaining stuffing, so that the longer ends could act as a vintage style wrap and provide extra warmth. You could also use the legs of another stuffed animal to make ties that go under the chin, or hang down around the ears. 

After sewing in that last piece of fabric you are done. Now go parade around with your friends in your awesome, warm, new hat, and see what kind of reaction you get!