If, that is, he were a 5th grader, performing in the last scene of Hamlet, and his teacher’s instructions were to find things around the house to make the costume, i.e., don’t spend any money. My original thought was an oversized t-shirt with a piece of fabric tied around it so it looks like a singlet with sash.
As far as ordinary household items, he has a sword (plastic) which I am reluctant to send to school as I think even a plastic one would get him suspended–although they are going to have to come up with something.
I think tights are out of the question. Here’s the very short list of what I haVe:[ul]
[li]old poet’s shirt (big sleeves!) that will be a bit large[/li][li]fabric “boots” from Halloween past[/li][li]that t-shirt, with that sash of fabric[/li][/ul]
I may be overlooking something just terrific but if so, I don’t know what it is. Ideas?
Old poet’s shirt, tucked into a pair of pants-that-aren’t-jeans, which are then tucked into the boots-from-Halloweens-past. Top it off with the sash, tied a la Captain Jack Sparrow (around the waist) or a la D’artagnan (across the shoulder). Blousy and too big is good when it comes to romantic and doomed characters like Laertes. If you can manage some tousled curls over his forehead, all the better.
That sounds good. Now, if only I could get him into learning his lines. (He’s got the dying bit down. He has been dying dramatically several times a day.)
I hope they are just going to mime the sword-fighting.
2 fifth-grade (i assume) boys, with plastic swords? Suuure they’ll mime 
As an addition, if you have a belt with a large metal buckle, that’d set off the pants/shirt quite nicely. Also, a waistcoat (I think you’d say “vest”?) would make a good substitute jerkin, to go with the billowy sleeves. Even an adult’s vest would do.