Abe Lincoln Costume

My son, who's in the second grade, has a school project:  write a report on a famous person and then present it to the class.  But here's the catch - he has to dress up like the person, and he has to do it this week. Not a lot of time to come up with a costume!

"Who did you pick?"  I asked after he announced this little assignment.

"Abraham Lincoln."

Well, at least he was somebody we could find a lot of information about, and the costume shouldn't be too tough to handle - a suit, a top hat, and a beard.  I started scrounging around the house to see what I could come up with.  I found a suit, a sparkly gold top hat, brown felt, and black spray paint.

"Okay, Bubba," I said.  "Here's the plan:  You'll wear this suit.  I'll make a beard with this felt, and you can tape it to your face.  Then I'll spray paint this hat, and that'll be your top hat."

He looked at me like I was nuts.  "Mama, I am not taping one of your felt creations to my face!  And you  had better not do anything with that gold hat!  It's my special hat!"

"Okay," I said.  "What if I just cover the the gold with black foamy stuff that can be removed?"

"Mama!"

"What?"

"Just go to the costume store and buy a top hat and beard."

The kid obviously has no confidence in my creative abilities!