How To: Make a Badass Thor Costume for Halloween on the Cheap

With the explosive popularity of both Thor himself and The Avengers, Thor is an obvious good choice for a Halloween costume. But you don't have to opt for one of the pricey, pre-made costume choices found in every Halloween store in every city. Instead, craft your own in just a few steps, saving yourself money in the process.

Best of all, with this DIY costume guide from Instructables user The Rambler, you don't need to know how to operate a sewing machine, or fight with tricky fabric—you just need some glue, construction paper, and a bit of skill to make a decent-looking Thor outfit for Halloween.

It all begins with the yoke, or the shoulder piece that attaches Thor's cape to the rest of his outfit. Cut a circular collar, or round "yoke" as The Rambler calls it, to place around your neck. Spray paint the material black to hide its original coloring. This is what will hold the cape and front chest plate in place, so begin by stapling a swath of red cape fabric around the back half of the yoke's circle.

Looking for red fabric that doesn't cost much? The Rambler suggests a red bed sheet, purchased separately from a set. Fabric remnants are also affordable, and equally easy to staple to the yoke of your attire.

Next up is the intricate chest plate that forms the front of the costume. This is made of nothing more than gray and white foam pieces, cut into shapes like below.

For an additional cost-saving measure, you can swap the pricey foam for simple duct tape. Cut the outline of the main piece, and the smaller parts, out of construction paper and cover them in duct tape to make them shine. As The Rambler explains, "The chest piece is done in five separate parts. The background piece... the two strips that go up the middle... and the two independent circles."

Beyond the details, TheRambler suggests completing the look with a simple pair of jeans and black tee. You can make fake boots with pleather fabric from your local craft store, or use any boots that are already hiding in your closet. Add some spare strips of red fabric, wind them around your wrists, and your costume is complete!

Check out the full guide on Instructables to see all of the details, and if you want to complete the look with Thor's hammer (aka Mjolnir), he's got a good how-to for that, too.