An 80s slasher costume of this kind rests on five pieces, each one swappable: a sweater striped in two clashing colors (red and green on screen), a dark brimmed hat, dark pants, work boots, and a claw glove. The sweater's colors were picked to clash, as the reported reason below explains. Our Nightmare Killer sets for kids and women put the striped top or dress, the hat, and the claw glove in one pack.
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What colors are the sweater, hat and pants?
The sweater is striped red and green, the hat is dark brown, and the pants are black in the later films and brown in the first. That is how Wikipedia's article on the character describes the look, along with worn work boots and a brown leather glove on the right hand.
Color comes up a lot: between August 15 and October 12, 2026, about one in four of the impressions our site earned in Google Search in the U.S. on queries about this character (15,309 impressions across 502 distinct queries) were on queries that included the word color.
| Piece | What the sources say | Your options |
|---|---|---|
| Sweater | Dirty red-and-green stripes; solid red sleeves in the first film, striped sleeves later | Any two clashing colors in bands, on a red or dark base |
| Hat | Dark brown fedora; one film-costume blog reads the first film's hat as dark gray | A brown felt fedora, or any brimmed hat in a dark shade |
| Pants | Loose black trousers, brown in the first film; guides say black, "dark" or dark brown, and one blog reads charcoal gray | Any loose dark pants |
| Boots | Worn work boots; a later film changes them | Your own scuffed work boots |
| Glove | Brown leather, right hand, metal claws; later films and the 2010 remake vary it | A work glove with foam claws |
Read the pants and hat shades as reported rather than settled: the Wikipedia paragraph rests on one interview piece, and the shades vary by film and by source. For the sweater's stripe pattern and fabric, our striped sweater guide goes deeper. If you are still choosing between villains, our scary Halloween costumes guide lays out the field.
Why are the stripes red and green?
Wikipedia's article on the 1984 film reports that the director chose the two colors because they clash: he read in a 1982 Scientific American article that they were the most clashing colors for the human retina. We could not find that article ourselves, so we pass it on as reported.
For a home build, the takeaway is that the stripes carry the costume, not the tailoring: any two colors that argue the same way red and green do will read as the idea.
How do you build the look yourself?
A home version needs a banded knit, a dark brimmed hat, a soft claw glove, dark pants with boots, and makeup, and any of them can be swapped for something you already own.
- Sweater: start with a plain red or dark knit and add horizontal bands of a clashing color in fabric tape, felt strips, or fabric paint.
- Hat: a brown felt fedora, or any brimmed hat in a dark shade. Rub the brim edge with fine sandpaper so it looks worn.
- Glove: an old work glove with foam or cardboard claws painted silver, made as described below.
- Pants and boots: loose dark pants in black or brown, with work boots you already own.
- Face: patchy cosmetic makeup in reds and browns, never craft or fabric paint, tested first as described below.
How do you make the claw glove safely?
Keep the claws harmless: cut them from craft foam or cardboard, paint them silver, and glue them to the fingers of a work glove, rounding off every tip. Never use real blades or sharpened metal, and keep the claws short. Ask the host about prop rules while you are still cutting, not when you reach the door.
How do you do the scarred makeup safely?
Patch-test the makeup on the wearer's arm before any of it goes on the face. The FDA's Halloween guidance asks for a small test patch at least 24 to 48 hours before the event, so do it the weekend before, not the night of. Scar reds and browns are colored makeup, so check the FDA's list of color additives: the FDA says colors that are not approved for their intended use should not be used, and it calls that especially important around the eyes.
Which of our costumes suit this style?
Our Nightmare Killer sets come with a striped top or dress, a hat, and a claw glove in one pack, for kids and for women. The National Retail Federation's 2026 survey of 7,889 consumers expects $2 billion of Halloween spending to go on adult costumes and $1.5 billion on costumes for children. Every costume goes through over 30 measurement checks, and each product page carries a size guide.
Kids: the Boys 80s Nightmare Killer Costume
The Boys 80s Nightmare Killer Costume includes a distressed striped top, a brown fedora hat, and a toy slasher claw glove. The fabric is 100% polyester, lightweight and stretchy, with reinforced stitching. It comes in four sizes, Small to XL, sized by age and height, so measure your child against the size guide. Hand wash in cool water, then air dry flat. All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs, and the product page says this set is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. The pants, boots, and face makeup in the photo are not in the set.
Women's: the Women's Red Nightmare Killer Costume
The Women's Red Nightmare Killer Costume is a fitted mini-dress with a double-sided striped design, a distressed brown hat, and a toy slasher claw glove. It is 100% polyester and comes in sizes XS to 3XL. The cut is close, so choose by chest and hip against the size guide, and size up if you are between sizes. Hand wash in cold water with a gentle detergent, then air dry flat. The tights, boots, and makeup in the photo are not in the set.
Our men's set, the Men's 80s Nightmare Killer Costume, has a striped top, a brown hat, and a claw accessory. Wash the top and hat by hand and keep the claw dry. The 1980s costumes page holds the decade's other looks, and the full adult and children's ranges for the night are on our Halloween costumes and kids' Halloween costumes pages. For a two-villain pairing, see what the white-masked slasher wears, and our horror movie outfit guide has more.
Frequently asked questions
What color is the hat on the 80s slasher costume?
Dark brown, according to Wikipedia's article on the character, and it is a fedora. One film-costume blog reads the first film's hat as dark gray, so a dark brown felt fedora or any dark brimmed hat is a safe choice.
What color are the pants?
Black in the later films and brown in the first, per Wikipedia's article on the character. Costume guides say black, "dark" or dark brown, and we found no source that settles the first film's shade, so any loose dark pants work.
What color is the sweater?
Red and green stripes, worn and dirty rather than clean; our sets use a distressed print. The stripe pattern and fabric are covered in our striped sweater guide.
How do you make the claw glove at home?
Glue claws cut from craft foam or cardboard, painted silver, onto the fingers of a work glove. Never use real blades, and ask the host about prop rules before the party.
Is there a kids version?
Yes: the Boys 80s Nightmare Killer Costume has a striped top, brown fedora, and a toy claw glove, in four sizes from Small to XL. All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs.
Is there a women's version?
Yes: the Women's Red Nightmare Killer Costume is a striped mini-dress with a distressed brown hat and toy claw glove, in sizes XS to 3XL.
How do you wash the costume?
By hand, then air dry flat. Our product pages for these sets say hand wash only, so skip the washing machine and the tumble dryer. The men's set also says to keep the claw dry.
