Batman is one of the most iconic superheroes to ever grace the pages of comic books. Many costuming aficionados and fans want to dress up like their favorite defender of the night. This can be a little complicated at first, but it is possible to make a batsuit worthy of the Dark Knight himself.
Instructions
1. Decide on which version of Batman to become. Different versions of Batman mean radically different costumes. The traditional comic version usually involves a grey form-fitting unitard, which is very different from the armored latex versions of the films.
2. Obtain a Batman cowl. Stay away from the licensed ones, as the quality is generally very poor. Custom cowls made by professional sculptors and costumers are available from a variety of sources. They are often found on eBay and sometimes from specialized superhero costuming forums. Also, blacking out the area around your eyes will make any Batman cowl look more authentic.
3. Obtain an under/over suit. For the comic version of Batman, use a grey spandex unitard, typically available from many dancewear shops online. These are great because they are comfortable and allow you to simply paint the bat emblem directly onto the suit. For the movie version, you will need a neoprene or lycra undersuit to which the latex armor will be glued. These can be very hot and uncomfortable, but that is the tradeoff to get the armored look from the films. As for the latex pieces themselves, eBay is your best bet. There are also some special effects costuming websites that might carry certain pieces, but trying to find an entire Batman suit will be difficult.
4. Find some black knee boots. Try thrift stores, eBay and costume shops to find the right color and size for your feet.
5. Buy a utility belt. These are easy to find at any army or police store. Magazine and ammo pouches work well for storing Batman's gadgets and accessories. If you are going for the movie look, the mass produced movie versions of the belts are not bad for the money and can be modified to look like a pretty decent representation of the real thing.
6. Buy the bat gauntlets. Try getting any elbow length gloves, such as opera gloves or motorcycle gauntlets. From there, it's very easy to make some fins and attach them onto the gloves.
