Darth Vader Costume From Multiple I'bles (incl. Mine and My Mum's ;-)

My 6 years old son asked me some times ago to dress like Darth Vader for the Mardi Gras at his school.

I first thought it strange as he never watched any film involving the Force. However we started to look around for a nice costume. As I wanted to do it myself, I seek over the I'ble and found some interesting things. However the costume was not complete. I was missing the cape and the chest box...

So this I'ble is about doing 2 I'bles and putting them together with 2 extra parts of the costume I have made myself in order to have a good looking funny Darth Vader costume for a kid ;-)

Let's build it now!

Step 1: Darth Vader Helmet

To build Darth Vader helmet, which is the piece of choice in the costume, I found this I'ble

If this I'ble is not finished and doesn't present a finished helmet, I did it my way with a great support and feedback from the author.

So I did this I'ble while finishing it with upcycled black paper from a shoes box that my wife bought meanwhile. If the finish doesn't look perfect in comparison to what you can found on this webiste, it is enough for a 6 years old boy.

To adapt the size, I glued foam inside the helmet.

To protect the cardboard, I count first on the paper and glue I used. I also applied a thin layer of special varnish (the one made for sailing).

This one is not perfect but fulfil the requirements!

Helmet? done!

note: I found this way of building helmet so cool and funny that I decided to make some by my own. Stay tuned to see them in some next I'bles.

Step 2: Light Saber

You can find lots of ways to make a light sabre on I'ble

I choose one equivalent to this one even if it is not exactly the one I followed but I can't find the right I'ble anymore. I think it comes from a staff member... If you find it please let me know.

So I bought some PVC tube on the net, a flash light and a coloured plastic folio used for lights during the fantastic Light festival we have in my home town ;-)

Mounting all together was funny and easy. I used foam to stick the lamp inside the tube. I put a reflector on the end to enhance the light as I was firstly a bit disappointed by the level of light I obtained. Have a look at the photos if you want to see how I did it.

I took a cardboard tube which I:

first, shaped to fit the tube,
second, painted in the real Darth Vader Light Saber style.

Light Sabre? done!

Step 3: Darth Vader Cape

I had to make a cape to have a good Darth Vader costume for my kid.

I am very bad at sewing so I gave a phone call. Who do you call when you are in trouble? your mum!!

That's what I did and she did a wonderful cape for the costume (in addition this cape will be used next year for the Vampire costume my son will ask ;-)

Step 1:

Take the dimensions of your son as presented on the drawing

a = shoulders size
b = neck size
c= length of the cape
c = width of the cape

I took them in order to have a bigger than needed cape. I will reuse it later for a vampire's costume.

Step 2:

Send them to your mum and ask her to take pictures of her work to add to your I'ble.

what she did:

From a piece of black fabric, she cut a piece which was 2c by 2d.
She folded it in order to have a double sided piece of c by d.
Sewing
On what will be the neck, she made a necklace with a sewed wire and then restrained the width to b dimension with 2 elastic protected by a piece of fabric, each one on a side of the neck.
She then shaped the cape to have a nice a dimension on the shoulders.
Sewing
Done

Step 3:

Wait for a FedEx

Step 4:

Darth Vader Cape? done.

Step 4: Darth Vader Chest Box

I took it easy for this chest box.

I have from an old light toy a band of diodes + batteries + switch.

I simply took a little cardboard box, made it in black, integrated the light and magic. I also glued red and green cardbaord patch as on the Darth Vader one. Et voilà.

Darth Vader chest box? Done.

Step 5: Final Result

As this costume is for a kid I didn't go to the black gloves, the dark shoes and so on.

To summarize:

Helmet? Done
Light Saber? Done
Cape? Done
Chest Box? Done

I dressed my kid in black as much as I could. And thus, he was just Darth Vader.

To be frank I praised I could have the helmet back from school in a relatively good shape so I could hang it on the wall of my office... But well... They are kids.

Et voilà!

thanks for reading!