When preparing a costume for a party or for an actor in a production, some people find clever ways to save money. Costume shops sell imaginative costumes, but you can fire up your imagination and make the costumes yourself. For instance, patterns for clerical costumes exist, but even an inexperienced craftsperson can use household materials to prepare a clerical collar for a cleric's costume.

Cut out a 1-inch-high by 3-inch-wide strip of white cardboard or white poster board. Cut a 6-inch-wide elastic band strip. Staple the ends of the strip of elastic banding to the ends of the cardboard. Wrap gauze around the stapled ends to keep the ends and staples from rubbing against the wearer’s skin.

Turn the black shirt’s collar inward.

Slip the white cardboard/elastic ring under the shirt’s collar so that it encircles the neckline. The collar should flip over the white band on each side so that only the white front, which will appear under the wearer’s chin, shows.

Put a few stitches on the underside of the collar to hold the collar down and hold the cardboard/elastic securely. Allow the stitches to catch the elastic to hold the collar in place.