Designing an Indiana Jones Halloween Costume

Indiana Jones costumes can be quite simple to design, but the wrong choices will most certainly result in a negatively memorable guise. In the early 1990's, any given convention could be easily taken over by those posing as Indiana Jones. Costume design included hats of all shape and size, incorrect trench coats, and even riding crops. How did these Indiana Jones fans get it so wrong? The perfect Indiana Jones Costume can propel its wearer to Halloween Heirarchy, while an incorrect Indiana Jones Costume can push its wearer to the after-the-party chuckle conversation. You want your Indiana Jones Costume to resemble and serve as homage to the character, not a sloppy fan. From the hat to the shoes, Indiana Jones Costume choices must be precise and well considered.

The Hat: Indiana Jones Costume choices can be made or broken by the hat. Indiana Jones is best known for wearing a worn Fedora. Cheap Fedora hats can be found at virtually any discount apparel shop, but we found a really reasonable brown fedora at the Indiana Jones Shop. Of course, if you simply look for a brown felt Fedora online and omit the term "Indiana Jones" from your search, you may find other more reasonable versions. Remember, Indiana Jones isn't the only Fedora wearer in the world. Adam Savage of Mythbusters and even Linux software are both well known for their Fedoras. You may want to lightly abuse your hat to closer resemble Indy's. Your Indiana Jones Costume will not make sense without the Fedora hat, so be sure to set aside plenty of time to find the perfect one. A wonderful place to research Fedora hats is Indygear, where fans of Indiana Jones and those who love the Indiana Jones Costume have painstakingly debated the perfect Fedora.

The Jacket: Indiana Jones wore a beaten leather bomber jacket in his adventures. The proper variety should not have wool lining or a wool collar nor should it have the woven knit around the cuffs or waistband. Choose a plain brown cowhide jacket that is slightly oversized. It should not have cuffs on the sleeves. The best place to purchase a jacket for your Indiana Jones Costume is at a thrift store like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. New jackets just don't have a beat up enough look. The first Indiana Jones Costume jacket was made by Wested Leather Co. (Leather Concessionaires). Many companies claim to have mastered a replica of the Indiana Jones Costume jacket, but our favorite pick is available through U. S. Wings. Be prepared to shell out some serious cash for a replica of Indy's comfy fave, or scour Ebay for a previously used markdown.

The Pants: Your Indiana Jones Costume must have the proper pants, and for a great look, we offer first a history of the actual screenworn Indiana Jones Costume itself. According to Indygear.com, Indy's pants were based on WWII Navy officer's pants called "Pinks". "Pinks" were called this because of their slight pink color. Depending on the movie you want your Indiana Jones Costume to be based on, you will need military style pants with a button fly. Indy's pants are hemmed about 4 inches, and the hem stitches are obvious but neat. Sometimes, Indy wears a khaki color and sometimes with a more brown earthy clay hue. The choice of pants should be something comfortable and fitting well. Do not have tight pants because that can kill your Indiana Jones Costume. And what held up the pants of Indiana Jones? A WWII web belt in tan.

The Shirt: Depending on the Indiana Jones movie chosen, your Indiana Jones Costume may have a variety of shirts to accompany the rest of the ensemble. Just about any well-fitting safari-style long sleeve tan khaki shirt will work for a quick costume, and luckily about every thrift store in the US has an abundance of these shirts, once very popular in the 1980's. For a concise Indiana Jones Costume, choose one with seam lines similar to those in the films. A really nice and accurate version can be found at Todd's Costumes.

The Shoes: The Indiana Jones boot is made by Alden. Since Dr. Jones seldem shows his feet, it is not necessary to purchase exact replica shoes unless wanting to prove a point. There are many varieties of work boots that will work for your Indiana Jones costume, but you may want to make sure you choose comfortable foot attire to get you through a long day of costuming.

The Gun: When finishing your Indiana Jones costume, the subject of his gun comes to mind. It is imperative that you follow federal law when designing your Indiana Jones Costume. It is illegal to sell or buy a replica gun without a blaze orange plug. Indiana jones used several different types of handguns. Keep in mind that carrying an actual vintage handgun might not be the best idea as well. A good replica of a period Stembridge S & W or 45 left in its holster all night might be just enough to complete the costume without breaking the law. Some replicas shoot pellets and offer a realistic look, but all replicas purchased in the US will have an orange tip and should be left that way. Holsters should be of a simple military style on a loose, brown leather belt complete with specially made snap attachment for your whip. Some use snap-style dog collars and affix them. The belt should be heavily worn and beat up but not cracked.

The Whip: No Indiana Jones costume is complete without a whip, and just about every leather shop carries one that will work. Your Indiana Jones costume whip should be an 8 to 10 foot bullwhip. A kangaroo hide bullwhip like Indiana Jones' David Morgan or Terry Jacka models could cost up to $800. Cheaper replicas have been made by many companies including the Noble Collection. We found leather versions of a similarly braided / woven bullwhip on Ebay for under $80.

Stubble and other Accessories: Your Indiana Jones costume looks even better with the right amount of dirt and facial stubble. Indy also carries assorted satchels and pouches depending on what adventure he's on at the time. Props are easily acquired through purchase on online auction and costume shops to give any Indiana Jones Costume the right touch. Have fun designing your Indiana Jones costume. May it be an adventure!