Bear Ambition

October 3, 2008 12:41 PM

I would like to wear a bear costume for Halloween, but the only storebought options I have found on eBay and elsewhere online haven't quite matched what I'm looking for. This is basically what I'm after, as a reference. Or possibly even this one or this one. If anyone out there knows where to find something similar that would fit a 5'9" 130 lb person, I would be thankful (bonus points if I can buy it in the Vancouver, BC area) Full disclosure: I plan on drinking beer from a growler with 'Honey' written on it.
posted by wolfsleepy to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 comments total)

How are your sewing skills? If you have this adult pajama, you can make and sew the ears on the hoodie part.
posted by cazoo at 12:52 PM on October 3, 2008

Also, if your into sewing me and a friend sewed bear suits form a preexisting bear suit pattern. Sadly our budgets coudl not afford fur so we used vinyl for the sake of pun (BAD IDEA!) But it was a project that coudl be completed by the time of halloween.
posted by elationfoundation at 1:05 PM on October 3, 2008

Thirding the sewing. I looked for a bear costume forever for a project I was working on, and ended up getting a pattern from the local fabric store and sewing it myself. If you have any crafty friends, maybe you could pay them to make it for you, and that way get exactly what you want?
posted by hapticactionnetwork at 1:07 PM on October 3, 2008

Maybe this is just me being stupid but what about wearing Chicago Bears stuff?
posted by damnjezebel at 1:35 PM on October 3, 2008

Is this close? Leaves your face open, is otherwise furry.
posted by onlyconnect at 2:44 PM on October 3, 2008

Re: making your own. My boyfriend tends to do the same thing just using hoodie sweatshirts. He goes to the 5-for-$10 t-shirt store*, buys a nice hoodie and a couple of cruddy regular sweatshirts in the right colors for things like the bear belly, ears, tail, etc. He wears big fuzzy bear slippers and puts on some make-up for the nose, dark eyes, etc.

He's done a few animal costumes this way. It's not terribly realistic but it's usually super cute (from my perspective).

One tip: For anything you're sewing to the nice hoodie, use large basting stitches. It won't last a wash but then you can take off the costume elements and be able to wear the sweatshirt.

*I don't know why they have sweatshirts but they do.
posted by faunafrailty at 2:45 PM on October 3, 2008

This is close.

An option is to take something like this and just wear the ears or sew on a hoodie, but these are expensive! Thus the recommendation to get a pattern for cheap and have it sewn.
posted by mattbucher at 2:47 PM on October 3, 2008

If you don't have or have access to sewing skills and want to go the cheap route you can do what my friend did last year (1, 2).

He bought a huge stuffed animal bear, cut partway through the neck, wrists, and butt, took out some of the stuffing, and then just wore it. With dark pants, dim lighting, and the head flipped down, he completely disappeared when he sat down, leaving just a sitting stuffed bear holding a beer. Only cost about $40. Since you have more time, you could do some custom work so you can see through the face or use the bear paws.
posted by junesix at 8:12 PM on October 3, 2008