How to Make an NFL Saints Costume

Represent your favorite Saints player by spray-painting his number on your helmet.

The New Orleans Saints captured the hearts of Americans in 2009 when they beat the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLIV — a meaningful victory for the hurricane-ravished city of New Orleans. If you want to represent the Who Dat Nation by dressing as your favorite Saints football player on Halloween or at a costume party, you can save money and wear something original by making your own costume.

Things You'll Need

• Black V-neck shirt
• Gold or mustard-yellow sweatpants or tights
• Letter stencils
• Gold spray paint
• Cloths or newspaper
• Large fleur-de-lis stencil
• Small fleur-de-lis stencil
• White football helmet
• 2-inch masking tape
• Black spray-paint
• Black face paint

Instructions

1. Find a black cotton V-neck shirt that fits you loosely.

2. Lay the shirt on a flat surface and organize your stencil letters to spell out SAINTS on the top-front area of the shirt. Place cloths or newspaper over the rest of the shirt to protect it from the gold paint.

3. Shake your spray-paint can well and spray inside the letters, holding the can 6 inches from the shirt. Spray-paint very lightly to prevent bleeding.

4. Remove the stencils and allow the paint to dry for three hours.

5. Lay your large fleur-de-lis stencil on the front of the V-neck, underneath the letters. Protect the areas around the stencil with cloth or newspaper.

6. Spray paint the fleur-de-lis gold and remove the stencil. Allow the paint to dry.

7. Lay the shirt on its side and smooth one sleeve out flat. Place your small fleur-de-lis stencil on the sleeve and spray-paint it gold. Allow to dry.

8. Place the same stencil on the other sleeve and repeat.

9. Set the shirt aside to dry.

10. Run a piece of masking tape from the top center of the helmet all the way to the back. Press the tape down firmly.

11. Spray the whole helmet with gold spray-paint, holding the can 6 inches from the helmet to prevent running. Allow the helmet to dry overnight.

12. Lay the small fleur-de-lis stencil onto one side of your helmet and paint it with black spray paint. Repeat on the other side and allow to dry for three hours.

13. Remove the strip of masking tape from the helmet to reveal a white stripe.

14. Pair your Saints jersey with gold or yellow sweatpants or leggings, and black shoes.

15. Complete the look by painting black horizontal stripes under your eyes.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to personalize your jersey more, you can purchase number stencils and stencil your favorite player's number on the back.

References

• USP Homel: New Orleans Saints Deluxe Youth Costumes
• New Orleans Saints: Team
• Kaboose: Football Player Costume