DIY Earl Hickey Costume Guide

What You’ll Need

Earl Hickey’s everyday look reflects his life in Camden County: worn-in workwear, thrifted western shirts, and a rugged, low-maintenance aesthetic. Pulling this outfit together relies less on finding rare specialty garments and far more on getting the specific layers, colors, and iconic facial hair aligned.

Because most pieces come from standard workwear and vintage Americana, the challenge lies in avoiding an outfit that looks brand-new off a department store rack. Breaking in the fabrics and nailing the proportions turns simple thrifted pieces into a spot-on Earl Hickey costume.

The Signature Mustache and Hair

Earl’s thick, drooping chevron mustache defines his entire silhouette. If you can grow your own, trim it straight across the upper lip while letting the corners extend slightly past the mouth line. For anyone using a synthetic piece, a Fake Brown Mustache gives you the correct density right away. Spirit gum or prosthetic adhesive keeps fake facial hair firmly anchored throughout a full day of wear, especially around the mouth where talking and smiling loosen standard adhesive backings.

His dark brown hair sits at medium length, slightly wavy, and intentionally unstyled. Part it loosely down the middle or brush it back off the forehead with a dab of matte pomade to give it texture without making it look clean or shiny. Longer sideburns that reach down toward the jawline help tie the hair and mustache together.

Layering the Shirts

Earl’s torso consists of two distinct layers worn open and loose. The base layer is a simple Tan T-Shirt with a standard crew neck, worn untucked so it hangs naturally past the waistline. Muted tan, sand, or heather oatmeal tones balance well beneath the outer plaid without drawing unnecessary attention.

Over the tee goes a Brown Plaid Western Snap Shirt worn completely unbuttoned. The western styling makes a big difference here: pointed shoulder yokes, flap chest pockets, and pearl snap closures give the shirt its distinct rural working-class character. Choose a relaxed or boxy cut rather than a modern slim fit, and roll the cuffs up once or twice around your forearms.

If your shirts feel too crisp or stiff, run them through a couple of hot wash cycles with tennis balls or lightly scuff the collar edges to give them that lived-in trailer park feel.

Jeans and Work Boots

For the bottom half, Earl sticks to classic Stonewash Blue Jeans with a straight or relaxed leg. Skip skinny cuts or heavily distressed fashion denim with pre-cut knee slits; what you want is an authentic mid-wash utility jean that stacks comfortably over heavy boot tops without bunching excessively at the knees.

Down on his feet, Earl wears rugged Wheat Work Boots with padded collars and thick lugged outsoles. Classic nubuck or synthetic utility boots in light tan match the onscreen footwear. Dusting the toe caps with a little makeup powder or Fuller’s earth gives them an authentic, unpolished field look.

The Karma List Prop

Carrying Earl’s list elevates the costume from generic workwear into an unmistakably specific character build. Grab a standard yellow legal pad, crease a few pages, and tear the bottom edges slightly to make it look dog-eared and weathered. Write out several numbered bad deeds in messy ballpoint script—such as stealing a car, faking a death, or ruining someone’s chance at love—and tuck a cheap wooden pencil into your shirt pocket.