How to Make a Fake Monocle

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Things You'll Need

  • Cardboard

  • Compass

  • Scissors

  • Sheet of thin, transparent, plastic material

  • Paint marker or grease pencil

  • Black poster paint or permanent marker

  • 6 inches of thin black twine or leather lace

  • Strong, non toxic adhesive

Famous monocle wearers include the British politician and social reformer, Joseph Chamberlain.
Image Credit: Dmitriy Kalinin/iStock/Getty Images

Top off an aristocratic outfit or costume with a homemade monocle. Monocles are lenses designed correct defective vision in one eye. They were popular in Europe in the 18th Century, not only as a cure for bad eyesight, but also as the ultimate in sophisticated fashion statements. Use the monocle and a cane as accessories to complement a black three-piece suit and top hat. Making your own monocle is a cheaper alternative to buying a commercially produced replica.

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Step 1

Draw two circles with a diameter of 1 1/2 inches on a piece of stiff cardboard using a compass and pencil. Cut a panel from a used cereal box as an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to buying new card.

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Step 2

Shorten the distance between the compass point and pencil tip by 1/4 inch. Use it to draw two smaller circles inside the larger ones. Place the compass point in the holes made before, when drawing the larger circles to make sure the smaller circles are centered.

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Step 3

Cut around the large circle outlines using scissors.

Step 4

Trace around one of the cardboard circles on a thin sheet of clear acrylic, acetate, cellophane or other type of transparent plastic material. Use a paint marker, grease pencil or any sort of pen suitable for drawing on non-porous surfaces.

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Step 5

Cut out the circle of transparent material. Cut just inside the marked outline so that the circle is the same size, or slightly smaller, than the large cardboard circles.

Step 6

Push the narrowest scissor blade through the middle of the cardboard circles and cut to the inner circle marks. Cut around the inner markings so that you end up with two 1/4-inch-wide cardboard rings.

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Step 7

Paint, or color, the cardboard rings black with nontoxic poster paint or permanent marker. Let it dry.

Step 8

Apply a layer of strong, nontoxic glue to one side of each black cardboard ring.

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Step 9

Place the clear plastic circle on top of one ring.

Step 10

Lay 1/2 inch of the end of a 6-inch piece of thin black twine, or leather lace, around the circumference of the glued surface of the other ring, leaving the rest of the twine to hang free.

Step 11

Sandwich the two rings together tightly. Hold them in place until they are secured by the glue.

Tip

To save buying black twine or leather lace, dye ordinary string black. Dip it in ink, or paint, and leave it to dry. Alternatively, color it black with permanent marker.

Use clingfilm as a cheaper option to the transparent plastic sheet.

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