Whether for adult fans or kids: these warriors from the Far East are all the rage. With just a few simple steps—and no sewing skills required—you can make a ninja costume. Best of all, you probably already have most of the materials at home.
Here’s what you’ll need for your ninja costume
They’re mysterious, lightning-fast, and masters of numerous Asian martial arts. Thanks in no small part to exciting movies and even their own LEGO series, ninjas have a huge fan base. If you want to make a ninja costume, you’ll need the following items in the wearer’s size:
- black top
- black pants
- black long-sleeved shirt for the head covering
- solid-colored ribbon or gift ribbon—about 4 cm wide
- decorations such as ninja iron-on transfers or appliqués with Japanese characters
- Weapons such as a saber or sword
Top and bottom of your ninja costume
Ninjas move quickly and quietly. That’s why they usually wear comfortable yet form-fitting clothing. In black, of course, so they won’t be seen. Simply use a black long-sleeve shirt and black sweatpants, cargo pants, or slightly thicker leggings.
- The belt: To ensure the top stays in place, ninjas secure it with a tie belt. You can easily make one using colored bias tape or gift ribbon.
- Just cut it to the desired length, tie it around your waist over the long-sleeve shirt, and you’re done.
- Arm and leg cuffs: The costume should also fit snugly at the wrists and ankles. Ninjas secure the fabric at these points with ribbon crossed over each other.
- To ensure a uniform look, you should use the same color here as for the belt.
How to Make the Mask
You can make the mask for your ninja costume in just a few simple steps using a black long-sleeve shirt.
- To do this, simply pull the shirt over your head just far enough so that your face is framed by the neckline of the shirt.
- Now place the bottom edge of the neckline over your nose.
- Take the sleeves and tie them in a knot behind your head.
- Now the shirt fits snugly, leaving only your eyes visible.
These accessories make your ninja costume perfect
With the right accessories, your ninja costume will look even more authentic. Here, too, you don’t need to sew to add the finishing touches to your outfit.
- Appliqués: A ninja motif or Japanese characters will make your costume one-of-a-kind. You can usually iron on these appliqués—they’re available on Amazon, for example.
- Weapons: Ninjas were warriors. Whether it’s a sword, dagger, or nunchaku—a weapon is an essential part of a ninja costume. You can also order these incredibly realistic-looking weapons online.
- As the finishing touch, you can wrap the weapon’s handle with the same ribbon you used for your costume.
