A robber costume is a black-and-white striped long-sleeve top, a black eye mask, a beanie or cap, black gloves, and a bag for the loot, worn over black pants. Our Women's Stripy Burglar Costume packs all five plus striped socks and play money, 7 pieces in all, so black pants and sneakers are all you add. The men's and kids' sets follow the same checklist.
Between April 22 and October 16, 2026, about 9 in 100 of the U.S. Google web-search impressions that our site earned on searches containing "robber" or "burglar" came from searches that also contained the word "bank", which is why the bank robber gets its own section. There are more adult looks in our Halloween costumes range; for looks beyond the heist, see our best Halloween costumes guide.
Table of Contents
- What do you wear for a classic robber costume?
- How do you turn it into a bank robber costume?
- What's in each robber costume pack?
- Which robber costumes work for kids?
- How do you do cops and robbers as a couple or a group?
- Is a robber costume the same as a burglar or bandit costume?
- How do our robber costumes size and wash?
- Frequently asked questions
What do you wear for a classic robber costume?
You wear five pieces for a classic robber costume: a striped top, an eye mask, a hat, gloves, and a loot bag. The black-and-white stripes trace back to 19th-century American prison uniforms, introduced with New York's Auburn prison system, which began around 1820, and Atlas Obscura says the cartoon burglar's striped shirt was originally inspired by them. Auburn's striped uniforms were discontinued in October 1904, according to the Cayuga Museum, but the look stuck, which is why a striped top still reads as "crook" from across the street. The checklist:
- A striped long-sleeve top: black and white, horizontal stripes.
- A black eye mask: the small kind that covers the eyes only, so your face still shows in photos.
- A black beanie or a flat cap: beanie for the modern cat burglar, cap for the old-school look.
- Black gloves: full or fingerless.
- A bag for the loot: a sack printed with a dollar sign or the word SWAG, plus play money if you want the photo prop.
The striped robber, for her
Our Women's Stripy Burglar Costume ticks every box on the list: a striped shirt, a beanie, gloves, an eye mask, striped socks, fake money notes, and a money sack. The shirt is 100% polyester and the set runs Small through XXL; if you're between sizes, size up. Wear the striped socks over black leggings with black sneakers.
The striped robber, for him
Our Men's Striped Burglar Costume packs a black-and-white striped long shirt, a knit beanie, an eye mask, black gloves, a cinchable money bag, and a wad of play dollar bills. It's sized by chest, Medium through XXXL, and the layers go over your own black jeans and sneakers.
How do you turn it into a bank robber costume?
You turn a robber into a bank robber by making the money obvious: a bag printed with a big dollar sign and a fistful of play bills. Both of our striped sets carry the dollar-sign bag and the play money, so they work as bank robber costumes straight out of the pack. For a cartoon-heist version, swap the dollar sign for a sack that says SWAG, which Merriam-Webster defines as "goods acquired by unlawful means".
The swag-bag robber kit, for him
Our Mens Robber Kit Costume is the four-piece version: a striped long-sleeve top, a SWAG bag, an eye mask, and fingerless gloves. It comes in one adult size, cut for a typical adult male frame, so check the size guide on the product page before you order. Add a black beanie and black pants.
Three upgrades for any bank robber look:
- Stuff the bag: a crumpled newspaper or a small pillow inside the money bag makes it look full in photos.
- Carry the cash: fan the play bills in one gloved hand for the classic getaway pose.
- Skip anything that looks like a weapon: the bag and the mask tell the story on their own.
What's in each robber costume pack?
Every pack in this guide includes an eye mask and a loot bag; the stripes, hat, and gloves vary by set. Here's each pack against the checklist:
| Pack | Stripes | Eye mask | Hat | Gloves | Loot | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Stripy Burglar | Shirt and socks | Yes | Beanie | Yes | Money sack and fake notes | Small to XXL |
| Men's Striped Burglar | Long shirt | Yes | Knit beanie | Yes | Money bag and play bills | Medium to XXXL |
| Mens Robber Kit | Long-sleeve top | Yes | Not included | Fingerless | SWAG bag | One adult size |
| Kids Burglar | Long-sleeve top | Yes | Gray cap | Not included | SWAG bag | Ages 4 to 14 |
| Girls Burglar Granny | None (a dress) | Yes | Not included | Not included | SWAG bag | Ages 7 to 14 |
Which robber costumes work for kids?
Two of our kids sets cover the robber look, for ages 4 to 14 between them. The kids burglar is a complete set with the pants in the pack, and the burglar granny puts the eye mask and swag bag on a sneaky grandma. Pick the classic stripes or the granny twist, whichever your kid finds funnier. For more ideas, browse our kids Halloween costumes.
The little robber
Our Kids Burglar Costume comes as five pieces: the striped top and black pants, a gray flat cap, the eye mask, and its own swag bag. Pick the size by age, from the 4-6 years size up to 12-14 years. If your child is between sizes, size up.
The burglar granny
Our Girls Burglar Granny Costume packs a long-sleeve dress, an eye mask, and a swag bag, in ages 7 to 9, 10 to 12, and 12 to 14. The gray curly wig in the photo isn't in the pack, so add your own.
All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs. For trick-or-treating, the eye mask leaves the mouth and nose clear; check your child can still see the curb with it on.
How do you do cops and robbers as a couple or a group?
You do cops and robbers by putting at least one police uniform next to the stripes, and our packs cover the robber half. A couple can go two ways: matching stripes in the women's and men's sets, both with eye masks and beanies, or one robber and one officer. For the uniform side, see our guide to cop and prisoner costumes for couples; our career costumes guide has the police sets for kids.
- Family heist: parents in stripes, a kid in the kids burglar set, and one family member as the officer chasing them.
- Office crew: a few Mens Robber Kits for the robbers, each with its SWAG bag, and one officer.
The National Retail Federation expects U.S. Halloween spending to reach $13.5 billion in 2026, with $4.4 billion of it on costumes, pet costumes included. For more crew ideas, see our Halloween costumes for groups guide.
Is a robber costume the same as a burglar or bandit costume?
A robber costume and a burglar costume are the same costume, even though the two words name different crimes, and "bandit" often means the same striped look too. In U.S. criminal law, burglary generally means illegally entering a building with the intent to commit a crime inside, while robbery means taking property from a person by force or the threat of force, according to Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute; exact definitions vary by state. For dressing up, nobody checks: "robber", "burglar", and "bank robber" all point to the stripes, the mask, and the bag. A cat burglar is the all-black version: a black top, black pants, a beanie, and the eye mask. Our bandit Halloween costume guide puts the striped sets next to a caped, masked-outlaw bandit, if you want the other take on the word.
How do our robber costumes size and wash?
Our adult striped sets size by standard clothing size or chest, the Mens Robber Kit comes in one adult size, and the kids sets size by age; every one is hand wash only. The pack table above lists every size range.
Hand wash, never machine wash, and air dry flat away from direct heat. Each product page adds its own detail, such as washing inside out in cool water or washing the pieces separately to protect the colors.
As a brand, we run over 500,000 quality checks a year.
Frequently asked questions
What do you wear for a robber costume?
You wear a black-and-white striped long-sleeve top, a black eye mask, a black beanie or cap, black gloves, and black pants, and you carry a bag for the loot. Our Women's Stripy Burglar Costume and Men's Striped Burglar Costume pack everything except the pants and shoes.
Is there a robber costume for women?
Yes. Our Women's Stripy Burglar Costume comes with a striped shirt, a beanie, gloves, an eye mask, striped socks, fake money notes, and a money sack, in sizes Small through XXL. Wear it over black leggings and sneakers.
How do you make a bank robber costume?
Start with the classic striped robber look and make the money obvious: a bag with a big dollar sign and a handful of play bills. Both of our striped burglar sets include the dollar-sign bag and the play money, so they work as bank robber costumes as they come.
What size kids robber costume should I get?
Pick by age: our Kids Burglar Costume has four sizes, starting at 4-6 years and going up to 12-14 years. If your child is between two sizes, size up, since the set is designed to move easily.
What goes with a robber costume for cops and robbers?
A police officer costume goes with it, so one of you wears the stripes and the other wears the uniform. For a couple who both want to be robbers, the women's and men's striped sets match on the stripes, the eye mask, the beanie, and the money bag.
