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Your Costume

To keep your identity somewhat safe, you will need a costume or something you will wear as a super hero. You should visit your local fabric store and thrift store to see what is available. You can also check out what is available online. You'll find a variety of different textures and textiles, like: spandex, nylon, leather, pleather, vinyl, satin, cotton, wool, rubber, polar fleece, kevlar, chainmail, etc.

So how do you start? First, you need a design that you are comfortable with. You can CLICK HERE for a printable picture of a body or you can draw your own pictures. You shouldn't just stick to the first thing you draw. Try a few different designs. You might come up with something you like on drawing #12.

What do you want your costume to say? Not that it will actually talk. But, if you look at various super heroes in comic books, you'll find that their costumes represent who they are. Catwoman has cat ears and a black costume. Green Arrow has a green costume and he uses a bow and arrow. The Scarlet Witch wears red. Some heroes have their symbol on their costumes, like Batman and Superman. Some characters wear regular clothes, like Tank Girl, but they have their own style.

Color. Color is important. Blue and Red are strong colors. A lot of heroes use these colors. Some choose white, but white shows dirt, blood, and says 'hey, I'm innocent'. Black or grey can help hide you in the shadows. I suggest taking a look at the meaning behind colors and what colors may reflect the nature of your super hero. A blue bird wouldn't be caught dead in orange, get the picture?

Style. You can check out various clothing styles at your local library or online. Just search for fashion. You might find a certain era that seems just right for your character. Some people are into capes, while others are into armor or the 1930s detective look. Also, you might want to take a look at ethnic styles. Japanese styles differ from African, European, and South American styles. So keep an open mind. Just make sure the style you choose reflects your hero side. If your name is Tiger, you don't want a shiny snake-print cape.

Does your suit work? Will it protect you? Can you move with it on? You might want to stay away from binding outfits, like teddies or stilleto heels or a ten pound kevlar vest. On the other hand, you can purchase kevlar 129 (used for police vests) and form it into a cape or sew it into a jacket for protection. You can also use scrap metal to form knee pads or cuffs for your costume. Just be sure to line the metal and cover all exposed edges or you will cut yourself up.

Kevlar 129. How does kevlar 129 work? Well, there are different grades to protection vests, which is what the police wear. There is Level I - which is 5-15 layers of Kevlar 129 and can stop .38 at 850 feet per second (fps). Level II-A is 16-18 layers of Kevlar 129 and can stop a 9mm at 1090 fps (this is minimum for police). Level II is 22-24 layers of Kevlar 129 and can stop a 9mm at 1175 fps (this is moderate for police). Level III-A is 30-32 layers of Kevlar 129 and can stop a 9mm at 1400 fps (this has the highest safety rating). Want more information?
Bullet Proof Me

Repairs. This is something that most people don't think about until they need to think about it. How easy is your costume to repair? Can you go out and buy a unitard or will it take you a month to sew another suit? Can you easily patch up your suit or will it require a special order? If you can form a simple base for your costume and add stuff to it, that might be the best way to go. It could save you a lot of trouble if your costume gets ripped up, shot up, cut up, or if it just gets too old.

Costumes.org