Anakin Skywalker Costumes

Anakin Skywalker is the doomed protagonist of the Star Wars saga. Like all great tragic figures, he falls from grace. In this case, the fall from grace is the transition from Anakin into the Sith Lord Darth Vader. When Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace premiered in 1999, the character Anakin Skywalker moved from popular Star Wars universe character to pop culture icon.

This status has caused all variations of the Anakin Skywalker costume to become some of the most popular of all Star Wars costumes for both Halloween and science fiction-themed events. Costume companies have met much of the need with some truly fantastic and elaborate takes on the Anakin Skywalker costume. These costumes range from outfits worn in all three films to the incredibly popular garb from The Clone Wars cartoon.

While buying one is certainly a fine option, Star Wars fans can find a great sense of pride and accomplishment by fashioning one of their own. Here’s a look at what you’ll need to create a Clone Wars-themed Anakin Skywalker costume that will impress everyone at the next convention.

The centerpiece of Anakin’s The Clone Wars costume is the red pants and the red and blue tunic. Tight sweat pants or any other form-fitting pants will work. Pantyhose also work great for the leggings, but many will uncomfortable wearing them alone. You can achieve a great look by combining sweatpants with died pantyhose that are large enough for you to wear over them. For the blue and red tunic, find a long-sleeved shirt with a full neck that you can die to match the pants. For the blue section that lays over it, cut a shirt or section of fabric to the correct dimensions.

Now that you have the core of the costume complete, you’ll need to gather the accessories. The black wristbands must extend from the wrist to several inches shy of the elbow. You can find the appropriate black material in a fabric shop, or you can use a young girl’s leggings and cut them down to size. As for the brown leather belt, the wider the better, but any belt will work as long as it doesn’t have a modern, ostentatious buckle. If you opt for gloves, create the perfect Anakin Skywalker glove by dying a heavy-duty cloth work glove.

The boots are difficult. You can make them yourself from materials, but they’re not likely to stand up to the abuse at the convention. If you have access to a costume store or want to shop online, then you can purchase Robin Hood-style boots that will look great. The most expensive option is the women’s department of the local shoe store.

Next, it’s onto the chest and shoulder armor, and while this requires some attention to detail, it’s not particularly difficult. Most people use cardboard because it’s inexpensive and lightweight in addition to being easy to color, form and texture. Once you have the armor looking right, the final step is the Anakin Skywalker lightsaber. Fortunately, there is a wide array of lightsabers available online and at many toy stores.

Well, that’s all there is to it. Find yourself a clear picture of the Clone Wars picture online, and study it closely. With a little elbow grease and a lot of patience, you should have a great-looking Anakin Skywalker costume in no time at all. Good luck, and may the force be with you, always.