How to Make American Soldier Costumes
American soldiers are "guardians of freedom and the American way of life," according to the U.S. Army Soldier's Creed. Becoming an American soldier is the ultimate testament of national pride and gratitude for the protections of the American Constitution. For children or adults who cannot commit to the many years demanded by an Army contract, creating a simple American soldier costume is an alternative way to honor and celebrate America's heroes.
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Things You'll Need
- Brown fabric dye
- Green fabric dye
- Tan colored tee shirt
- Tan colored pants
- Tan colored cap
- Sodium carbonate
- Water
- Two spray bottles
- Computer
- Printer
- Iron on paper
- Black belt
- Black hiking boots
- Face paint
- Accessories
Instructions
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Dye the shirt, pants and hat. Wash the clothing first if the items are new. Place the fabric in a soda ash mixture made from one cup sodium carbonate to each gallon of water. Mix the fabric dye separately according to package directions and pour the liquid into spray bottles. Hang the fabric from a clothesline outside or above a plastic sheet to prevent damage from spills. Spray the fabric with green and brown splotches to create the Army camouflage pattern. Allow the fabric to sit for approximately 24 hours before washing the clothes in cold water, separate from other fabrics. Continue washing until the color stops bleeding.
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Find images of real Army patches online. Follow the instructions on a package of heat-iron transfer paper to print the image onto the special paper and transfer the image to the shirt.
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Wear a thick black belt and black hiking boots.
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Smear your face with black, brown and green face paints.
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Accessorize with fake dog tags, American flags and toy weapons, etc. You can find these items at dollar stores, thrift stores and toy stores for very little money.
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Tips & Warnings
Search for genuine used Army attire at thrift stores.
Army costume wearers who trick or treat can use a second dyed hat for candy collection.
References
- Photo Credit army image by yordan zahariev from Fotolia.com
