How can I create a Maya Angelou costume?

May 31, 2015 10:38 AM

My 10 year old (Caucasian) daughter wants to participate in an end-of-school-year social studies project where she has to dress up as Maya Angelou. This is part of a class presentation on famous North Carolinians (we love to claim Dr. Angelou even though she wasn't born here), and my daughter will also give a short speech.

I am completely stumped over this. I am not very crafty or creative even when the goal is more straightforward. My daughter has seen photos of Maya Angelou wearing headwraps and suggested that we incorporate something like that into a costume, but I don't want to use cultural appropriation to convey Angelou's essence. Also I lack the skill to wrap and tie hair at ALL.

I thought about maybe making a sandwich board and making a label on the front like "phenomenal woman," but that poetic reference seems too adult for 4th grade. Or I considered a leotard and sarong-style skirt to make reference to Angelou's history as a calypso dancer.

What say you, hive mind? We have a lot of love and respect for Maya Angelou and her legacy but this assignment is beyond my ability to conceptualize. Please hope us. I can buy materials and my daughter can draw but I don't own a sewing machine so clothing items would have to bought. Deadline is June 4.

posted by little mouth to Education (16 answers total)

How about a caged bird?
posted by TooFewShoes at 10:44 AM on May 31, 2015

I think a shirt/board with "phenomenal woman" is a fantastic idea for 10 year olds.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:46 AM on May 31, 2015

I don't see why a headscarf would be an expression of any kind of cultural appropriation. The point is to resemble or represent an individual person with a particular style. Also, I think the idea of using the phrase "phenomenal woman" is great; not too adult at all; it's from one of her best-known poems as well as being a beautiful concept and idea to teach young children.
posted by primate moon at 10:53 AM on May 31, 2015

We had a project similar to this when I was about 10 years old. The phenomenal woman idea you have is great, but really would not have worked for what the school was going for (at least in my case), to the extent that I might not have been allowed to participate, or would have been docked points/scolded for not having a "real" costume. If you want to go with that, run it by the teacher first to make sure your kid isn't going to get crap for thinking outside the box.

Personally I would go with a relatively simple look like this and have her wear a Presidential Medal of Freedom around her neck. Let her speech sell the personality.
posted by phunniemee at 10:54 AM on May 31, 2015

In one of the books of her autobiography, there's a great description of the 'get-ups' (her words, IIRC) in bright, clashing colours that she loved to wear when her son was little, until he one day took her on one side and told her he was embarrassed when she picked him up from school and could she maybe tone if down a bit?

You could maybe use that as some inspiration. MeMail me if you want me to try and find the excerpt and send you a pic!
posted by penguin pie at 11:02 AM on May 31, 2015

When I think of Maya Angelou, I think of her short hair, big gold earrings, long strings of pearl necklaces, and black shirts. Like this or like this. Also, this might be unnecessary to mention, but: please don't try and paint your daughter's face brown in any way or make her hair look more "African-American" by making it frizzy or something (putting it up to make it "short" is okay), because that would be a really bad idea.
posted by colfax at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2015

My daughter recently did this with Andy Warhol. We stayed away from anything too costumed like a wig but did pin up the hair. She held a paintbrush and a can of Campbell's soup. I think the caged bird, a pen and booklet of "poems" or notes that she could use to quote poetry from along with colorful clothes would be great.
posted by RoadScholar at 11:51 AM on May 31, 2015

Yes to black shirt, pearls, big earrings, fake Presidential medal, and maybe a birdcage to carry around.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:33 PM on May 31, 2015

I think it would be amazingly awesome if she focused less on the visual impact and more on the ideas and teachings of Maya Angelou. If your daughter put together a great presentation, I feel this would really answer the spirit of her project.

The visual representation is an easy way to be the character without having to represent the beliefs (think of all the people dressed up as Einstein with crazy white hair and holding a beaker but nothing to share about his great thoughts). But this assignment is meant to teach something not be a pageant. This is a fantastic opportunity for you two to delve into Angelou's works and share the most exciting parts with a classroom that knows little of her writing. If she has an opportunity to read a portion of Angelou's writing (and it will be fun to read through it all together) she can choose her favourites for presenting. It also teaches her public speaking skills. That would be sure to move listeners. As for how to look the part, maybe have you daughter look up pictures online and choose a nice outfit that matches her picture (there are many images of her dressed in business wear). There is no need to wear a costume, unless one considers classy business wear unusual!

I would like to echo prior comments that makeup or hair effects to make her look African American would be inappropriate. Also headwraps are awesome and can be trendy for anyone of any race, religion or gender. This can be incorporated in business wear as well as everyday outfits.
posted by partly squamous and partly rugose at 1:44 PM on May 31, 2015

How about if she wore a streetcar driver's uniform of sorts? Ms. Angelou was the first ever female streetcar driver in San Francisco, and she loved the uniformed aspect of the whole thing.
posted by brina at 2:12 PM on May 31, 2015

I'm presuming your daughter chose Maya Angelou. I think the learning experience works better if your daughter is the one driving it. Google up some pictures and let your daughter choose a look. Doing a head wrap is not hard, especially if you have bobby pins. In later years, Angelou had a distinctive white streak in her hair and she was awarded the Medal of Freedom, so there are 2 things. A little girl dressing as Maya Angelou in tribute is not cultural appropriation in my 60-year-old white woman view.
posted by theora55 at 2:40 PM on May 31, 2015

There are lots of super cute "turban" style head wraps available from etsy sellers that will look great and require no tying at all, if you do decide to go that route.
While I'm here I'll mention that Claire's and Icing are the place to go for inexpensive clip-on hoop earrings that are otherwise very difficult to hunt down. My ears weren't pierced until 5th grade, then I eventually let them close, so just in case this is a hurdle for you all :)!
posted by rubster at 3:07 PM on May 31, 2015

I second hal_c_on's suggestion of invoking the inauguration with the blue overcoat, AIDS ribbon and hoops but generally agree that hoops, pearls and a black sweater are sufficient. They might even be preferable, given the weather.

If your daughter has long hair, pinning it under to appear short is a good idea, if you can manage it, but otherwise fussing with the hair is likely unnecessary for the project,
posted by crush-onastick at 3:38 PM on May 31, 2015

So after reviewing all these fantastic responses, and spending a bit more time reviewing the instructions for her presentation, my daughter has asked to make a shirt bearing a (printed onto transfer paper) image of Maya Angelou, the words "phenomenal woman" and as much of her poetry as can be fit on the back of the shirt. She will construct a cage from pipe cleaners and cardboard and will bring a favorite painted toy bird that sings intermittently to sit in the cage.

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful suggestions. It's the last week of school, and my stamina for helping coordinate this kind of costume/project/materials acquisition is pretty much nil. MeFites have come to the rescue once again.
posted by little mouth at 6:21 PM on May 31, 2015

That sounds like just the way to go. I was dipping in to suggest you avoid a headscarf or anything even slightly appropriation-y, but it sounds like you've already come up with an outfit that's both respectful and so cute.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 6:52 PM on May 31, 2015

Mr. mouth here. I just went to the school event and the costume went over great. In addition to the stuff listed above she made a Medal of Freedom out of construction paper. So it was 0% trying to look like her and 100% symbols of her (the t-shirt pic helped). Thanks everyone!
posted by freecellwizard at 1:35 PM on June 4, 2015