Claire Bennet Heroes Halloween Costume

The TV phenomenon Heroes has won over fans worldwide, but dressing as a character from the show for Halloween can be troublesome. Most of the characters have a normal look, with one exception: indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet, portrayed by Hayden Panettiere. With a little work, you too can dress like the cheerleader, and save Halloween.

FIND A CHEERLEADER OUTFIT
A Claire costume starts, of course, with a cheerleader outfit. When looking for an outfit, you can either try going for an authentic look just like the character on TV, or go with a more generic cheerleading outfit that you can customize. There is no official "Heroes" cheerleader costume.

Many costume shops carry cheerleader costumes. Retailers like Target carry several that range in price from $25 to $40. One costume in particular named the "USA cheerleader" comes in blue or red and costs around $30 in many stores and online. Since they do not look exactly like the cheerleader outfits used on the show, you will need to do some customizing to "sell" the look as Claire from the show.

If you want to go for the "authentic" look, remember that there are actually two different cheerleader outfits for Claire. In season one, she wore a white sweater top with red sleeves and a "Trojans" logo patch on the chest. Her skirt was red with a white stripe along the bottom. In season two, she wore a navy blue outfit with a "V" top and a light blue chest. She wore white tennis shoes with each outfit.

GTMSportswear.com carries a number of cheerleading outfits, including models similar to Claire's. One outfit in particular called the "V-Neck Shell and A-Line Skirt Cheerleading Uniform," is nearly identical to the season two outfit. It can be ordered in navy blue and white and costs between $60 - $70 for a single outfit. You can also order the model in red and white and wear a red sleeves warm-up shirt underneath to resemble the season one outfit.

You might also want to try your local cheerleader supply store for an inexpensive outfit or sweater top. They sometimes have over-runs, returns, irregular or one of a kind outfits that you can purchase and customize. Online auction sites are a good way to find used outfits.

CUSTOMIZE IT FOR A HEROES LOOK
To customize any outfit, consider using varsity iron-on letters, available at Wal-Mart as well as arts and craft stores for about $5, to add words to the chest top. Of course, if your outfit already has letters, you'll have to remove them. Instead of doing a "Spartans" logo as was seen in the show, try spelling out "HEROES" or "CLAIRE" on the top. This will make it clear to everyone who you are. If you prefer, try something like "SAVE ME, SAVE THE WORLD," which should get a laugh from fans.

To show off Claire's indestructible look, grab a "zombie" makeup kit at your local Halloween or party store and give part of your face a "burned" look, as was seen in the memorable season one episode.

A blond wig will really complete the costume, and you may consider buying a "Heroes" ballcap, available in many retail outlets or comic book shops, to sell the look.

SOMETHING FOR YOUR GUY TO WEAR
If you are going as Claire to a Halloween party, and have someone going with you, consider having him go as Claire's father, Noah Bennet, otherwise known as "Horn Rimmed Glasses." The costume is simple: a dark suit, with of course, horn rimmed glasses, which can be found in just about any reading glasses display in a drug store. Carrying around a toy gun and a "buzz" type of haircut helps, and while he may not be recognizable on his own, next to "Claire," it will look great.

Sources
Cheerleader costume source: http://www.nbc.com/heroes