How to Make an Underdog Costume

"There's no need to fear. Underdog is here!" Children and kids at heart have thrilled to the cartoon superhero Underdog since his television premiere in 1964. Underdog has appeared in comic books, on posters and merchandise, and as a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. To make his costume is really slick -- the following instructions will do the trick.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Oversized red sweatshirt
• Padding (optional)
• Red sweatpants
• Calf-length boots (dyed red)
• White fabric square (for insignia)
• Blue blanket
• Snaps
• Black felt rectangles (for ears)
• Plastic dog nose (if not creating plaster mask)

Making the Costume

1. Get a pair of red sweatpants. These should be comfortable, neither skintight nor oversized.

2. Find a giant red sweatshirt two sizes too large. Underdog's overall costume is supposed to be too large for him, but most noticeably so around the stomach area, as the powerful pooch has a paunch. Pad the sweatshirt to make the paunch more noticeable if the wearer hasn't eaten enough of Sweet Polly's chocolate cake.

3. Remove the elastic wrists from the sweatshirt sleeves. In the cartoon, Underdog's sleeves would often slide down to expose his skinny but powerful arms during combat.

4. Cut out a "U" from a piece of white fabric. The "U" should be rounded on the bottom and outer sides, but square inside. Sew this to the front of the sweatshirt.

5. Dye a pair of calf-length boots the same shade of red as the sweatshirt and sweatpants.

6. Obtain a medium to dark blue blanket or heavy fabric long enough to reach from the wearer's neck to his feet. Gather two corners at the neck, sewing the bunches formed to keep them in shape, and sew in a set of snaps to keep the cape attached. (Underdog's cape had no visible ties.)

7. Make a set of dog ears out of black felt. If the costume is to be made for a child, attach the ears to the child's ears or to a flesh-toned headband that can be hidden under the child's hair. Use either a plastic dog nose or black shoe polish on the child's nose to represent Underdog's nose. For an adult, the ears can be attached to a plaster or papier-mache mask in the style of Underdog's face. (See the related eHow "How To Make a Decorative Mask with Plaster.")

Playing the Part

1. Watch Underdog cartoons to copy the character's stance, poses and attitude. Underdog is a powerful hero, but usually humble, even in superheroic identity.

2. Learn to speak in rhyme. Pay particular attention to the rhymes Underdog uses most, such as "When the world's in trouble, I am not slow -- It's hip, hip, hip, and away I go!"

3. Have a companion get a platinum wig, a tight black skirt, a white blouse, a red blazer and a matching dog nose and go as Sweet Polly Purebred.

Tips & Warnings

• Although Underdog's cape was actually long enough to drag behind him, for a child, shorten the cape so that it comes no lower than the backs of the knees to avoid tripping. Except for the pilot episode "Safe Waif," Underdog's cape never got in his way; buildings, however, often did.

• For an added detail, find a trick ring with a compartment in it and put a jelly bean, malted milk ball, or M&M inside. (You can custom-order M&Ms printed with a "U" on them.) "Let this candy in the ring whose compartment you fill, Be the Underdog super-energy pill!"