How to Build a Transformer Costume

With the '80s generation growing nostalgic and the success of a live action movie, the Transformers have been popular for some time. This makes the "Robots in Disguise" a fun choice for a costume. Optimus Prime may be the most popular choice, but you can design one for any of the Autobots or Decepticons. Either way, if you have access to cardboard boxes and construction paper and have the artistic eye to create your robot's look, you should be able to build such a costume at a pretty low cost.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard boxes Construction paper Scissors Knife Paint Glue Boots Gloves Long underwear/sweats

1. Get enough cardboard boxes to assemble the costumes. You need one box big enough to fit on your head and one to fit on your upper torso. You also need four boxes to fit around your arms and legs (boxes that contained drink pouches like CapriSun or KoolAid Jammers will work here).

2. Cut out a hole in the top of your torso box to fit your head through and a hole in each of the sides for your arms. Remove the end flaps from the drink boxes so they can slide onto your arms/legs. Remove the bottom from the head box.

3. Use the construction paper to cut and paste your Transformer's details onto the boxes. For example, with an Optimus Prime costume, the head is dark blue with triangular ears on the sides, thin triangular eyes and a silver faceplate mouth. The torso is red with a large, two-paned windshield on the chest and a grille running down the stomach. The arm boxes are red and the legs are blue.

4. Cut eyeholes in the front of the head box once you know where the character's eyes are located on the box. Make sure you can see through the eyeholes when wearing the head.

5. Add thick boots and gloves for your hands and feet. Snow boots and hockey gloves work best. Paint these the appropriate color for your Transformer's hands and feet (Optimus Prime's are both blue). Attach your leg boxes to the upper portions of your boots.

6. Find a way to keep the arm boxes in place on your lower arms. Cover the box ends that line up with your wrists with construction paper and cut holes in the paper. The holes should be large enough to slide your bare hands through but small enough to not fall off with the gloves on.

7. Wear a set of long underwear or sweatshirt/sweatpants combo underneath the rest of the costume. The shirt and pants should be the same color and will likely need to be black or white. It again depends on the Transformer the costume is designed after (Optimus Prime would be white).