If you dare dress like the ultimate daredevil, you need a perfect Evel Knievel costume. The man may have left us, but the images of his incredible stunts live on. While most people prefer not to jump over cars on motorcycles, there's no harm in looking like maybe you could.
The Look of Evel Knievel Costumes
There was one classic outfit Knievel wore for all his stunts: a star-spangled, red, white and blue jumpsuit. The suit featured stars enclosed in stripes in a V over his torso, and more stars on the outside of each leg.
He wore a belt with a large buckle, featuring his initials EK in a fancy script. He wore boots and, of course, a helmet, usually with the same star-spangled motif. Finally, he also wore a cape. One of his costumes is on display at the Museum of American History in Washington, DC.
Buying Evel Knievel Costumes
The Evel Knievel costume is available for sale at several online costume shops. Try Buy Costumes for a jumpsuit in adult sizes to extra large. The suit features an attached cape, but if you want the helmet, you'll have to find it separately.
The ladies can be daring and devilish as well. While the outfit would definitely not be recommended for potentially bone-breaking stunts, you can break hearts in a sexy "Mrs." Evel Knievel costume.
Available at La La Lingerie, the costume is a shiny white mini-dress with an attached cape and belt. The classic stars and stripes cross over the bust in a well-placed V and also run down the sides of the dress. Boots and a helmet are not included, but thigh-high red boots and a pair of matching red hot pants would finish off the costume perfectly.
Little Daredevils
In the 1970s, it was the rare little boy who didn't admire Knievel and have the action figure and costume to prove it. Today, most boys don't know who Knievel was, but if they see one of his old stunts on TV, they're hooked.
You can buy your little daredevil an Evel Knievel costume, featuring a jumpsuit with attached cape and matching belt, at Spirit Halloween, although, unfortunately, the pant legs only feature blue stripes, rather than the more appropriate stars. However, there is the V of stars across the front, so there will be no doubt among the stunt lovers about whom your child is representing.
Make an Evel Knievel Costume
If you have the time, the patience and the inventiveness, you can impress everyone at the party with a homemade Evel Knievel costume. Start with a white business shirt and white trousers. Measure strips of blue felt for the leg, torso and belt stripes (the belt will hide the fact that it's not a jumpsuit).
You can save time and effort by attaching the felt with a glue gun, rather than sewing. Trim the blue stripes with thinner strips of red felt. Make a pattern for a star - you can even use a cookie-cutter, if you can find the right size. Cut the appropriate number of white stars from felt and glue them to the blue stripes, being sure to space them evenly.
You can use an oval cut of white felt to create the belt buckle, and more red and blue for the lettering. Attach a cape. If you're really feeling ambitious, you can customize a white helmet with another glued-on stripe of red and blue with white stars. Then use hot glue and gold glitter to write "Evel" across the front in curvy print. The look can be pretty funny, and as if you won't be getting enough laughs, carry a toy motorcycle around as well. But stay away from the row of parked cars.
