How to Create a "Survivor" Castaway Costume

C'mon, admit it. You have fun watching "Survivor," and you've even thought about volunteering to be on the show. You're sure you could win the immunity challenges and eat rats with the best of them. Show your enthusiasm with a castaway costume for Halloween.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• <a href="http://www.ehow.com/buy_9598_swimwear.html">swimwear</a>
• <a href="http://www.ehow.com/buy_6919_face-paint.html">face paint</a>
• <a href="http://www.ehow.com/buy_9620_khakis.html">khakis</a>
• <a href="http://www.ehow.com/buy_14739_raincoat.html">raincoat</a>
• Skewers
• Baseball Caps/hats
• Bandannas
• Rats

1. Start with swimwear, if the weather's warm enough to show some skin. The "Survivor" cast wore the same suits over and over again, so consider adopting one of their recognizable styles - for example, Kelly's pink print tankini.

2. To keep warm, add khakis or a bright yellow raincoat, or both.

3. Wear a yellow or orange bandanna - around your neck, over your head, or even as a tube top. For the most authentic look, get a "Survivor" bandanna like the cast wore, available at the CBS "Survivor" store.

4. Wear a bucket hat or a baseball cap to protect yourself from that hot island sun. If you like, get one with the "Survivor" logo, also available from the "Survivor" store.

5. Don an immunity necklace. Each week on "Survivor," one tribe or one cast member won immunity, meaning they couldn't be voted off the island that week. The immunity necklace features a tribal-looking mask with green and yellow war paint, surrounded by large, chunky beads and shells. If you can't find an appropriate mask, make your own from wood or cardboard.

6. Carry a barbecue skewer with a few stuffed or rubber rats loaded up and ready to cook. Although this wasn't the most common fare on "Survivor," it was the most notorious. If you can't find toy rats, try mice instead - you can find stuffed mice in pet stores, where they're sold as cat toys.

7. If rats aren't your thing, carry a torch. At the tribal councils every week, there was a torch for each cast member. When someone was voted off the island, his or her torch was put out. You'll want to keep yours lit - or fake it by painting the tip orange.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider carrying a coconut shell and using it as a phone every now and then, like the eccentric "Survivor" Greg.
• Think about brushing a few strokes of gray mud over your face like war paint - or fake it with gray makeup or tempera paint. Or go all the way and cover your face and hair in mud, as the cast members did for one of the reward challenges.
• Dress as the castaway Richard - in other words, naked - at your own peril.

[otchee]

on 10/29/2008 Love the idea! I will have to send my mom this one.

on 11/22/2005 One of the main foods that the castaways eat on the island is rice. Carry around a bowl with rice in it. Use a hollowed out piece of wood for a spoon.

on 11/22/2005 Slap on plenty of fake tan for that authentic fried look.

on 11/22/2005 Rather than paying out 30 bucks to get a bandana/tube top at the CBS store, I have found a way to make your own. I purchased bright orange and lime green fabric ($1 a yard) and downloaded a copy of the Survivor logo from the CBS website. Then I printed it many many times onto some iron-on transfer sheets (which you can purchase at any office supply store) with my color inkjet printer. I cut out the logos and ironed them onto the material. Voila! Instant logo fabric. This can then be used to wrap around the body as a "tube top" or an armband or a head-wrap. Looks very genuine.

on 11/22/2005 Get nude pantyhose, a pack of gummi worms, black nail polish and fake eyelash glue. Paint gummi worms with black nail polish; let dry. Put pantyhose on; with eyelash glue, adhere worms onto legs. The glue will easily peel off your skin after the party.