Best Superman Costumes: Superman Halloween Costume Ideas

Superman Costumes

Lots of people want to wear a Superman costume on Halloween. Some of the best Superman costumes are homemade, but some terrific store-bought options are also available. Reasons for people wanting to dress as Superman are probably pretty obvious, but my guess is that being the first and most famous Superhero in the history of comic books has a lot do with it. Who wouldn't want to wear a costume that almost immediately brings to mind truth, justice and the American way? And who among us hasn't dreamed of being able to fly.

Superman Costumes - Hair

One aspect of a Superman costume you should keep in mind is that Superman has distinctive hair. Superman's hair is almost always depicted as black, and most of the time his hair includes that distinctive spit curl. A wig might be an option, or hair dye. Most people don't have naturally black hair. The spit curl is optional but probably a good idea, but keep in mind that George Reeve and Dean Cain both made great TV Supermen without a spit curl.

Back in the 1970s, when Curt Swan was still drawing Superman, his hair was highlighted with blue.

Superman Costume Blue Eyes

Superman is usually portrayed as having blue eyes. This is a small detail, and could possibly be ignored. But if your eyes are blue already, then you're all set. You could always wear blue contact lenses too, if you want to keep your Superman costume really authentic.

I spoke with my wife about the eyes and the hair, and she's convinced that if you get the other details right, then they don't matter as much. Still, I don't think you could get away with being a blonde Superman. You might if you got a shield and decided to be Super Solider, the Amalgam Captain American/Superman combo.

Superman Costumes - Blue Tights

The bulk of any Superman costume is going to consist of blue tights, but the shade of blue and the texture of the fabric can vary dramatically. I've seen versions of Superman in the comics and on television which had a very light, almost sky blue for the tights. But I've also seen versions where the blue tights were dark and/or heavily textured, like in the most recent Superman movie, Superman Returns.

If you're going the homemade Superman suit route, you could probably get away with a blue sweatshirt and blue sweatpants. But no one looks muscular in sweats, not even muscular people.

Superman Costumes - Red Capes

A Superman costume without a red cape isn't much of a Superman costume. Superman's cape has varied through the years. Often the cape on a Superman costume will include a yellow version of the famous red "S" symbol on the chest of the suit, with black outlining the various shapes inside the symbol. But some versions of Superman use a cape without the symbol. I don't have a preference between cape versions, and you should go with whichever version tickles your fancy.

The cape is SO important to your Superman suit. When I was a kid, I thought the cape gave Superman his ability to fly. Solomon Grundy agreed, because that was a plot point in one issue years ago.

The Big Red "S"

Possibly the single most distinctive aspect of the Superman costume is the big red "S" on his chest. The earliest versions of the character used a plain red S inside of a yellow triangle, but that's changed through the year to include a fancier "font" and more of a gem-shaped shield surrounding it. The "S' has tended to get bigger through the years, although the recent Brandon Routh Superman had a slightly smalled, but raised, red S. (And it almost wasn't red at all really; it was almost a burgundy color.)

If your wife is a talented seamstress like mine, she could probably make you a Superman shield pattern.

The Red Briefs on Superman's Costume

Over the blue tights, Superman always wears red briefs. These haven't changed much through the years, although some of the more modern artists use a set of red briefs that are so dark that they're almost black with red highlights. I'm not sure if this is a look that could be easily pulled off with a Superman Halloween costume, but if you can pull it off, it would probably look really cool.

If you're going the homemade sweatpants route, just a pair of red shorts worn over the sweatpants will do the trick, even though you'll look kinda retro and baggy.

Superman's Belt

Superman usually wears a yellow belt, but sometimes the belt has been a different color. Even then it usually includes a yellow oval belt buckle. Superman's belt has never included a "utility belt" like Batman's costume, but Batman's belt is almost always yellow, just like Superman's. The recent Superman Returns belt included another version of the "S" symbol. I didn't think that looked particularly good, but I guess that's a minor quibble and a personal preference.

A yellow belt might be tough to find if you're going the homemade Superman suit route.

Superman's Boots

Superman's costume always includes red boots. If you don't mind making the investment, find some really good red boots that you can wear again and again. Otherwise you're stuck using the red boot "covers", which aren't really boots at all. they just create the illusion of boots when you slip them over your shoes. Superman wears big boots by the way. Look at a picture sometime.

You can probably find some red galoshes that will work.

The Best Superman Costumes are often the most expensive

The top of the line Superman costumes available online cost around $750 or so. If Halloween is a big deal to you and your family, and if Superman is also a big deal to you and your family, then that kind of expense is well worth it. the only way to get a better Superman costume than the top of the line $250ish costume is to make your own, which is definitely a cool option too.

A topnotch homemade Superman suit won't cost as much in terms of money, but it will take time to create. My wife is a seamstress, and she'd do the work for me if I asked her to, but her time has worth too.

More affordable Superman costumes are available too

I wouldn't necessarily call these "cheap Superman costumes", but you can get a decent Superman costume for as little as $25. If you're on a tight budget, or if your costume isn't as big a deal to you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Superman costumes available in this price range.

My ideas about using sweatpants and sweatshirts for a homemade Superman costume are pretty cool still too.

Clark Kent Costumes

Reversible Clark Kent/Superman Adult The Reversible Clark Kent/Superman includes: suit jacket with attached shirt front & tie and Superman muscle chest, and glasses. Pants and belt not included. This is an officially licensed Superman™ & ©DC Comics product.

Superman Costume Variations

All kinds of Superman costume variations are possible. Some of them might require some creativity on your part, but others are just available "off the rack" so to speak.

Supergirl Costumes

Supergirl Adult Costume Comes with red/blue leotard with skirt, boot tops, belt and cape. This is an officially licensed SUPERGIRL™ ©DC Comics costume.

The Lucille Ball Superman Costume

Lucille Ball wore a version of the George Reeve Superman costume on I Love Lucy. Her version included a red helmet. This might make for an entertaining variation on the Superman costume for a Halloween costume, especially if you have a husband who might be willing to dress up as Ricky Ricardo. If your brother-in-law is willing to dress as the George Reeve Superman, then the three of you would make a great set.

The Earth-2 Superman Costume

The Earth-2 Superman was represented as having gray hair at the temples and a somewhat simpler version of the "S" shield on his chest. If multiple people want to dress as Superman at your Superman Halloween party, then the Earth-2 Superman costume variation would be great for someone older in the family.

The Superboy Costume

Just having a kid wearing a Superman costume could be considered a Superboy costume. Another option though is to go with the new Superboy costume, which consisted of a black t-shirt with the "S" shield on the chest, and blue pants. He also had a different haircut than Superman.

The All-Black Resurrected Superman Costume

One of my favorite Superman costumes is the one he wore when he returned from the dead. It was basically an all-black costume with a big white "S" shield on the chest. He carried a really big energy gun of some kind too. And his hair was long. This could make for a really cool version of the Superman costume to wear, but you'd almost certainly have to make your own.

Superman Costume Props

Props can always make a costume a little bit nicer. We've included some Superman costume prop ideas below, but you'll probably come up with more and better ideas than we thought of.

Kryptonite

The easiest way to get a cool-looking kryptonite prop is to just paint a rock green. But a more elaborate and really cool way for a Superman fan to use a kryptonite prop would be to include the display of various colors of kryptonite available in Superman's Fortress of Solitude: green kryptonite, blue kryptonite, red kryptonite, gold kyrptonite, etc.

The Bottle City of Kandor

I mention later in this article that having one of your friends dress as Brainiac would be really cool. If you go this route, then having a replica of the bottle city of Kandor would really set it off. Making one yourself couldn't be much harder than building a ship in a bottle, could it?

Superman's Fortress of Solitude

If you're having a Superman themed Halloween party, then how about decorating your house as Superman's Fortress of Solitude? You probably won't be able to hold a party in the Arctic, but you might be able to get the inside of your party location to resemble the Fortress with just a little effort. Props to include in your Fortress of Solitude might include Superman's giant diary, the bottle city of Kandor, and the Phantom Zone projector. Dress your dog as Krypto for even more authenticity.

The Daily Planet

The Daily Planet might be an easier location to duplicate for a party atmosphere than the Fortress of Solitude. You just need to make a room look like a newspaper office. Lots of typewriters and desks should do the trick. Be sure to have someone there in a Perry White costume.

Getting the rest of your family or friends involved in your Superman costume play

Superman has an entire cast of supporting characters, including allies, enemies, and friends. These costumes make it possible for your whole family to share your Superman Halloween costume experience. Here are some ideas:

Lois Lane

If you have a wife or girlfriend, then Lois Lane is an obvious costume choice, and it's probably pretty easy to put together. If I were putting together a Lois Lane costume, I'd go retro with it - 1950's reporter chic would be the look to go for. Props would be very appropriate, including a notepad and pen for note-taking. A press badge with the name Lois Lane on it would be a nice touch too.

Wonder Woman

A Wonder Woman costume might be tough to pull off for some women, but if you've got the attitude and the figure for it, then go for it. Superman and Wonder Woman team up all the time, and in some versions and stories, Wonder Woman and Superman have an implied or literal romantic link. (In Kingdom Come the romantic aspect of their relationship is overt.)

The Other Women in Superman's Life

Two notable women in Superman's life that would make for more unusual costume choices are Lori Lemaris and Lana Lang. Lori Lemaris is a mermaid that Clark fell in love with as a young man. And of course, Lana Lang was Clark's first love in Smallville. Either of those costumes would be easy. Any mermaid costume would be a fit for Lori Lemaris, and Lana Lang just needs red hair. (Or if you watch Smallville, she doesn't even need that.)

Superman Ally and Enemy Costumes

If you've got guy buddies who are joining you for some Halloween fun, then there are tons of costume options. Some of the more obvious choices:

A Batman Costume

You and your best friend or your brother could dress as the World's Finest team. Superman and Batman have been teaming up in the comics constantly since the 40's. And Batman costumes are as easily found in online costume shops as Superman costumes are, and they're generally really high quality too.

A Lex Luthor Costume

The easy way to dress as Lex Luthor would be to shave your head and wear a business suit. Another easy option would be to wear a lab coat and be the "mad scientist" Luthor. If you're really creative, go with a purple and green outfit, or build your own suit of Luthor power armor.

A Brainiac Costume

Brainiac looks almost exactly like Lex Luthor, only he's green. So shave your head and paint some green makeup on your head. (You'll need some electrodes too.) Remember that you're a brilliant alien mad scientist who shrunk the bottle city of Kandor, and you'll be all set.

The Parasite Costume

Shave your head, strip to some trunks, and cover most of your body with purple makeup, and bam, you're the Parasite! That's going to take a lot of purple makeup though. And what is it with all of the bald Superman villains anyway?

A Bizarro Superman Costume

Bizarro Mask The Bizarro Mask is highly detailed replica of the fan favorite from the DC Comics universe. It is a complete, overhead mask. One size fits most adults. This is an officially licensed ™ & ©DC Comics product.

A Darkseid Costume

You'd think making a Darkseid costume would be really tough, but it's probably easier than you think. you're basically looking at grey pants and a grey long sleeved shirt, with dark blue boots, gloves, and a vest worn over the shirt. The tricky part is getting the mask right. But he's a classic Superman villain, and a cool-looking character, so if you can pull it off, you should go for it.

A Doomsday Costume

A Doomsday costume would be tough, because he's big and strong and covered in spikes. I think it would be more trouble than it's worth, but you might be more dedicated than I am.

A General Zod Costume

Pulling off General Zod might not be too hard, depending on which version you want to portray. The costume from the movies would require some effort, but in many of the comics, Zod is portrayed as wearing a more or less standard military style costume. As long as you make the military uniform look somewhat alien, you could pull of General Zod pretty easily.

Krypto

If you have a white dog, then dressing him in a Krypto the Superdog costume is easy enough. It consists of nothing more than a red Superman cape. Getting your dog to cooperate might be another problem entirely though.

A Jimmy Olsen Costume

It helps to have red hair and freckles, but if you don't, just use hair dye and makeup. Wear a bowtie. Say, "Golly" a lot, and if someone is dressed as Perry White, call him Chief. And be sure to call Clark Kent Mr. Kent and Lois Lane Miss Lane. Bonus points if you have a replica signal watch or an Elastic Lad costume. BE Jimmy Olsen.

A Perry White Costume

If you're the right age and have a little bit of a gut, then playing Perry White for Halloween should be easy. Just dress as an old-fashioned newspaper editor, chew on a cigar, and say, "Great Caesar's Ghost!" a lot. And tell Jimmy, "Don't call me Chief!"

A Few More Superman Character Costume Ideas

In no particular order, consider these:

1. Metallo
2. Mr. Myxpltyk
3. Prankster
4. Toyman
5. Jor-el and Lara

Acting the Part of Superman While You're in Costume

Dressing up in costume is great, but doing a little acting will make your Halloween even more fun. Watch how Robin Williams plays Peter Pan for an example of how Superman should stand with his hands on his hips. Or watch the Superman movies again. Remember, Superman is the kind of guy who says, "Hi", not "Hello".

This page is copyright 2009, Best Superman Costumes.com.

BestSupermanCostumes.com presents the articles on this site as a courtesy to Superman and Halloween fans everywhere.

The SEO services on this site were provided by Poker SEO.