Unique "I Shot the Sheriff" Couple Costume: Bob Marley and The Sheriff

For our annual party, we decided to go the song theme route. I dressed up as Bob Marley, and my husband transformed into Sheriff John Brown from Bob Marley’s iconic song “I Shot the Sheriff.”

Creating the Sheriff Costume: A Badge of Honor

To create the sheriff costume, I started with a khaki pocketed shirt. I ironed on two sheriff’s patches, one on each side. The SHERIFF lettering over the right pocket was also ironed on. For the name badge, I spray-painted white cardstock with gold edible food spray to give it a metallic look. I purchased brown pants and a brown tie to complete his outfit.

To add some authenticity, I cinched the fabric in two spots and carefully lit it on fire before extinguishing it under the sink. I then used a Q-tip to sponge on a small amount of red acrylic paint to create the illusion of gunshot wounds. To complete the look, I purchased two sheriff’s badges, one for his shirt and the other for his hat. My husband truly committed to the character by shaving his beard and embracing a ridiculous mustache.

Capturing Bob Marley’s Essence

For my Bob Marley costume, I already had a Baja sweater. I paired it with a natural-looking dreadlock wig and a separately purchased Rasta cap. To complete the ensemble, I carried around a guitar and a toy gun.

A Crowd-Pleasing Couple Costume

While our costumes were relatively easy to put together, they were incredibly original and received a lot of positive attention at the party. We thoroughly enjoyed embodying these iconic characters and bringing the song “I Shot the Sheriff” to life.