Coolest Homemade Optimus Prime Costume

From start to finsih this Homemade Optimus Prime Costume took me over 6 weeks to complete. Its the first major costume I’ve ever made…but in doing so has inspired me to make more. Using some ideas online I made the decision to make the Optimus Prime from the 80’s, he just had that really old school feel and I really liked that.

I began be endlessly hunting for cardboard boxes which I finaly had to break down and just by some from Walmart. The total cost to build him start to finsih was no more the $50!

I began with the body and slowly moved to the Helmet and then finished with the legs. Everything used to build the costume is made from cardboard, however things like the helmet are made from things I couldn’t build. The helmet was made from a workman’s helmet and modified with cardboard and lots of Blue Spray paint.

The body again made of cardboard, but I was able to make very small details that made a big difference in the end, such as the lining of the grill was formed using silver reflective birthday bag cause I thought silver spray paint would have a dull look to it…. and I needed it to appear chrome.

Inside the windows I used plastic lining, the kind you use in binders to protect important documents, to me it seemd the best fit for a “see through window effect”.

Using a Transformers Birthday invite I was able to cut the symbol out an glue it to each shoulder piece. The shoulder piece also has the chrome work, the party bags were wrapped around paper towel and wrapping paper tubes. The smoke holes were made using price tag circles that were spray painted black!

Keeping this costume on was tricky…I decided the best idea would be to wear long pants and a long sleaved shirt and then glue velcrow to the under clothes as well at the cardboard parts themselves….this alloed each part to stay in place. Last but not least the wheels….I broke appart an old stroller (not one my son was using anymore!) and took the wheels off..simple as that!!

Overall I love this costume, my son has Autism and his behavioral therapy was having a Halloween party! I appeared there at the children’s Halloween party as Optimus Prime! The kids loved it and thats all that matters in the end.