Patriotic costumes celebrate the love and devotion you feel towards your country and to the people and ideals that represent that country. In the United States, red, white and blue are patriotic colors associated with country as they represent the flag. Costumes like Uncle Sam invite the wearer to dress up in the patriotic colors. Uncle Sam is nearly as old as the United States having appeared in relation to the U.S. needs during the War of 1812.
Picking Your Patriot
For the patriot in your household you have a wide variety of costumes and personas to pick from. From landmarks to spiritual concepts to historical figures and costumed superheroes, you can show your patriotism in any number of ways.
Landmark Patriotic Costumes
The United States has a number of national landmarks, but none so recognizable as the Statue of Liberty. Gifted to the people of the United States by the people of France in the 1800s, the Statue of Liberty represents the Roman ideal of justice and holds aloft the torch of truth while carrying an inscription of the Declaration of Independence on her tablet.
Another great costume idea is the Liberty Bell. The Bell's history with Pennsylvania and the Declaration of Independence are both easily recognized. The costume may consist of the bell with the famous crack in it or a dark brown dress with a hoop skirt and a patriotic sash to create a liberty "belle" for a play on words.
Historical Figures
Many figures in U.S. history are easily recognizable. Costumes that feature presidents such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln or Teddy Roosevelt conjure a sensation of patriotism. The distinctiveness of the presidents listed here lend themselves to an ease in costuming. Presidential, First Lady and other historical figure costumes make for great dress up including:
Superheroes
Superheroes represent ideals such as truth, justice and the American way. Among the most "patriotic' of these superheroes are Captain America, Superman and Wonder Woman. Their costumes reflect the red, white and blue colors of the U.S. flag and defend freedom at home and aboard. Most of these superheroes were created prior to World War II. Comic books featuring these heroes detailed their adventures to protect their country at home and abroad.
Everyday Heroes
Beyond history, landmarks and superheroes are the everyday heroes that serve as a patriotic reminder to defend freedom and justice. These everyday heroes are the backbone of the U.S. They provide the support structure to keep daily lives safe while encouraging others to reach for the stars. Patriots can be found in every walk of life, including:
Finding Ideas for Patriotic Costumes
It might seem difficult to find the right costume when you have so many patriotic ideas and figures to choose from, but the key to finding the right costume is to consider the idea you want to represent. Superheroes are idealists, seeing the country as it might be while presidential figures are landmarks in the road to freedom, representing the path that the U.S. has traveled. Landmark costumes represent ideas and concepts while everyday heroes are a call to celebrate and protect freedom today. Choosing the right patriotic costume means choosing the message you want to send.
