You can make a paper hat using a newspaper page as well as other kinds of papers of a similar size. A paper plate can be used to create a visor type of hat. For a really simple paper hat suitable for a princess costume, roll a large piece of thin cardboard into a cone shape and secure with tape. All of these types of paper hats can be painted, then decorated with any kinds of fabric scraps or craft materials you may have, such as glitter, felt shapes, pom poms, beads, pipe cleaners, sequins and feathers.
When rolling thin cardboard to form a point at the top that tapers outward into a cone shape, use a strong tape to run down the length of where the two edges meet both on the inside and outside. The larger the cardboard, the taller your princess hat will be. You may want to cover the hat with pastel paint followed by a sprinkling of glitter for a sparkly finish. A long, narrow piece of sheer fabric attached from the point can really add storybook princess glamor when you make a paper hat like this.
If you cut the center portion out of a paper plate, you can create a visor. Don't simply cut the middle out in an even circle though, but rather leave a thinner band of the plate's edge at the back and a thicker portion to create the "bill" of the visor in the front. As you make a paper visor, it's advisable to draw your cutting lines in pencil first. Felt or paper shapes as well as many different types of craft materials may be used to decorate your visor, although you may want to paint it first.
Using a page from a newspaper, you can make a paper hat with a folded brim that can be a base for many looks. For instance, if you paint the newspaper hat black and add white felt skull and cross bone detailing, you'll have a pirate look. The same newspaper hat painted dark green and affixed with a feather on one side becomes the perfect hat for a Robin Hood costume.
Start the hat by folding the newspaper page in half horizontally, then press the fold to make a crease. Next, fold what you have now in half again, but this time vertically. Once again, press the fold down to form a crease. Now open back that section to reveal the creased line down the center of the paper. You should still have the first fold in your newspaper sheet.
Take the top left corner of the newspaper page and bring it toward the center spot on your crease line. This will form a triangle; press the crease down and repeat these steps on the other side. As you make a paper hat from newspaper, you should now have a pointed triangle on the top half and a rectangle shape on the bottom. Take the top sheet of the rectangle and fold it to create a brim on one side of the triangular section which is the main part of the hat. Crease the fold and repeat the same steps on the other side before tucking in and securing the ends with tape.