A great Viking costume usually starts with five pieces: a tunic or dress, a cape, arm and leg wraps, a helmet, and something to carry. As of October 12, 2026, we list 15 Viking products in our US store, from women's, men's, and kids' costumes to helmets and a wig and beard set. The horned helmet is the part everyone pictures, and it comes from costume convention, not from any Viking Age find: the National Museum of Denmark notes that none of the contemporary sources mention Vikings wearing horned headgear.
Costumes are a big line in the Halloween budget: the National Retail Federation expects US shoppers to spend $4.4 billion on costumes for kids, adults, and pets in 2026. The costumes we cover here lean to women and kids: three women's looks and two kids' looks, plus five helmets that let anyone join in. For the wider picture, see our best Halloween costumes guide; if a different era is calling, try our knight costume ideas.
Table of Contents
- What do you wear for a Viking costume?
- Did Vikings really wear horned helmets?
- What would an authentic Viking costume look like?
- Which Viking helmet should you pick?
- How do the three women's Viking costumes differ?
- What do men wear for a Viking costume?
- Which Viking costumes work for kids?
- Can you do a Viking couple or a whole warband?
- Frequently asked questions
What do you wear for a Viking costume?
A great Viking costume starts with five things, and our packs already hold most of them:
- The base layer. A dress or tunic, usually belted. All three of our women's Viking costumes are built around one, and the Cloaked and Warrior costumes pack a belt.
- A cape or cloak. The Women's Cloaked Viking Costume and the Women's Viking Warrior Costume each pack one, and so does the girls' dress.
- Arm and leg wraps. The Warrior Costume packs arm cuffs and leg warmers, and the Women's Viking Costume packs gold-detailed arm and leg ties.
- A helmet. Four of our five Viking helmets are horned, and the fifth is winged, with a removable center spike.
- Something to carry. Of the three women's costumes, the Warrior Costume is the one that packs a shield; an axe is a separate prop.
Each product page lists exactly what ships; the axe in each of our three women's costume photos and the sword in each kids' photo are separate props. Every costume goes through over 30 measurement checks.
Did Vikings really wear horned helmets?
Not in battle, as far as the record shows: the National Museum of Denmark says none of the contemporary sources mention Vikings wearing horned headgear, and it allows only that such headgear may have been worn for display or ritual. The famous helmet found at Gjermundbu in Norway has no horns, per the same museum. The image took hold on stage: National Geographic names one early source: the costume designer for the 1876 premiere of the Ring opera cycle at Bayreuth, who used horned helmets. Horned helmets are older than the Vikings, too: the Veksø helmets from Denmark were made in the early first millennium BC, probably for religious ceremonies. So the horns are a look, not a record, and a well-loved one: four of our five Viking helmets carry them, because that is the costume people picture.
What would an authentic Viking costume look like?
An authentic Viking look is plainer than a party costume: men typically wore a tunic, pants, and a cloak, and women a close-fitting strap dress over an undergarment or smock, according to the National Museum of Denmark. The same museum describes the straps as fastened with brooches, often with a string of beads between them, and notes that finds of Viking Age clothes are rare. The museum adds that everyday cloth was mainly wool and flax, and about 40% of Viking Age fabric finds are flax. Ours are party costumes, made to look the part and to stay comfortable through a party night, and the table sets the record beside them.
| Piece | What the record shows | In our costumes |
|---|---|---|
| Helmet | No horned helmet found; the Gjermundbu helmet has none | Horned (four of five) or winged, as costume convention |
| Women's dress | A strap dress over a smock, fastened with brooches | Belted dresses and tunics with capes, faux fur trim, and gold detailing |
| Men's clothes | Tunic, pants, and a cloak | Helmet, wig, beard, and axe props, to wear over your own tunic or with a full men's costume |
| Fabric | Wool and flax | Polyester in the women's costumes and the girls' dress, with faux fur trim |
What about the shieldmaiden? One mid-10th-century grave at Birka in Sweden held a person buried with a sword, arrows, and two horses, and DNA analysis showed two X chromosomes (Uppsala University). A 2019 follow-up paper argues she was a professional warrior, though the reading is debated and such women seem to have been the exception (Antiquity, 2019). Our Women's Cloaked Viking Costume is designed to evoke the shieldmaiden, and its wrist guards and half helmet are the warrior pieces in the pack.
Which Viking helmet should you pick?
Pick the helmet by the look you want and the head it has to sit on: all five are one size, and the table gives the measurement each product page states.
| Helmet | The look | Fit | Comes as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Viking Helmet with Braids and Fur | Gold shell, curved horns, attached braids, and faux fur | About 22 to 23 inches (56 to 58 cm) around | One, or a pack of 2, 4, 6, or 12 |
| Adult Gold Viking Helmet with Horns | Gold with a spiked top and large white horns | About 59 cm around, adjustable strap | One, or a pack of 2, 4, 6, or 12 |
| Adult Viking Helmet | Bronze with curved horns and battle detailing | About 22 to 23 inches (56 to 58 cm) around | One |
| Winged Viking Helmet | Brushed gold with feathered wings and a removable center spike | 58 to 60 cm, ages 14 and up | One |
| Kids Viking Warrior Helmet with Horns | Distressed bronze with two push-in horns | About 56 to 58 cm, ages 6 and up | One |
The helmet with the braids attached
The Gold Viking Helmet with Braids and Fur brings its hair with it: attached braids and faux fur accents hang at each side. The molded gold shell is one size, sized to about 22 to 23 inches around. Spot clean it with a damp cloth, keep the fur and braids out of water, and store it upright so the horns hold their shape.
The other four each have their own page, with the full measurements: the Adult Gold Viking Helmet with Horns, the bronze Adult Viking Helmet, the Winged Viking Helmet, and the Kids Viking Warrior Helmet with Horns.
How do the three women's Viking costumes differ?
The three differ in cut, so choose by the look you want: a fitted tunic with a sweeping cape, a belted dress with the cape attached, or a short flared skirt in gold trim. All three size by UK dress size, and each has its own size chart: a Small is UK 8 to 10 in the Cloaked costume and UK 4 to 6 in the Warrior, so check the chart on the product page before you order.
| Costume | In the pack | The cut | Sizes (UK dress size) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Cloaked Viking Costume | Tunic dress, cape, belt, wrist guards, half helmet | Fitted and waisted, with a sweeping cape | S (8 to 10) to XL (20 to 22) |
| Women's Viking Warrior Costume | Dress with attached cape, buckled belt, arm cuffs, leg warmers, horned helmet, shield | Belted dress, adjustable at the waist | S (4 to 6) to XL (16 to 18) |
| Women's Viking Costume | Faux fur and gold-trimmed dress, horned hat, gold-detailed arm and leg ties | Short and flared, with gold trim | M (8 to 10) to XL (16 to 18) |
The fitted tunic with a sweeping cape
The Women's Cloaked Viking Costume is the shieldmaiden look: a fitted, waisted tunic with Norse-inspired motifs, a sweeping cape, a belt, wrist guards, and a lightweight half helmet. The product page says it fits close to size, so measure first, and suggests a close-fitting base layer underneath for a cold venue. Wash it by hand, one piece at a time, in cool water with a mild detergent, then dry it flat away from direct heat.
The belted dress with the cape attached
The Women's Viking Warrior Costume packs six pieces, and it is the one of the three with a shield: a dress with an attached cape, a buckled belt, arm cuffs, leg warmers, a horned helmet, and the shield. The belt adjusts, so you can tailor the fit at the waist once the dress is on. Hand wash only, with the pieces washed separately and gently; the product page says that protects the faux fur trim and the seam where the cape attaches.
The short cut in gold trim
The Women's Viking Costume in faux fur and gold trim is the short, flared option, with a horned hat and gold-detailed arm and leg ties. Layer lightweight clothing underneath for warmth, as its product page suggests, and wear it with your own boots. Hand wash it in cold water with a gentle detergent so the faux fur and gold trim stay neat.
What do men wear for a Viking costume?
A man builds a Viking look from the head down: a horned helmet, a long wig and a braided beard, a belted tunic from your own closet, and an axe. The four adult helmets above are all one size, so start there. The full men's costume, with its attached armor, sits in our beard costume guide.
The wig and beard that do most of the work
The Viking Wig & Beard is a brown wig and a braided beard in one set, in 100% polyester, one size for most adults. The National Museum of Denmark notes that hair and beard were of major importance to the Viking man, and that beards were well groomed, so a neat braided beard is on theme. Hand wash it gently in cool water without wringing the fibers, reshape it while damp, and store it flat or on a wig stand.
For the axe, we have two props. The Double-Bladed Bloody Axe Prop is lightweight plastic, about 30 inches (76 cm) long, with a bloodied finish on both blades, for a raider with a darker mood. The Plastic Prop Axe is about 24 inches (60 cm) with a silver blade, and it has no real metal and no sharpened edge. It snaps together from sections and breaks back down to pack flat in a bag. For the rest of the prop shelf, see our costume accessories guide.
Which Viking costumes work for kids?
Our two kids' Viking costumes cover ages 7 to 14: the Boys Deluxe comes with a horned helmet and the Girls dress comes without one. All of our kids' products are safety tested by accredited labs. The sword in each photo is a separate prop, not part of the pack.
A deluxe set for ages 7 to 14
The Boys Deluxe Viking Costume packs a fur-trimmed top, matching pants, a belt, and a horned helmet. It runs in three age-based sizes: Medium (7 to 9 years), Large (10 to 12), and X-Large (12 to 14). Take the helmet off before washing, hand wash the rest, and hang it to dry; no tumble dryer.
A layered dress, no helmet needed
The Girls Viking Costume is a layered brown and white dress with a cape and a knotted rope belt, and it runs in the same three age bands. Its product page suggests boots and braids to finish it. If the horns are the point, add the Kids Viking Warrior Helmet with Horns, which is for ages 6 and up and needs its two horns pushed in before wearing. Browse more in our kids historical costumes.
Can you do a Viking couple or a whole warband?
Yes, a Viking couple or a whole warband works, because two of our helmets come in multi-packs. The Gold Viking Helmet with Braids and Fur and the Adult Gold Viking Helmet with Horns each come as a single or in packs of 2, 4, 6, or 12, so one pack of 12 puts the same gold helmet on a dozen raiders, whatever they wear below. A couple can pair any of the three women's costumes with the wig and beard. For more pairings, see our couples costumes guide, and for a bigger crew our group costumes guide. Prefer something with wings and scales? Our dragon costume ideas make a good raider's companion, and everything Viking sits in our historical costumes collection.
Frequently asked questions
What do you wear for a Viking costume?
A belted tunic or dress, a cape or cloak, arm and leg wraps, a helmet, and something to carry. Our Women's Viking Warrior Costume packs a belted dress with an attached cape, arm cuffs, leg warmers, a horned helmet, and a shield, so all five pieces arrive in one pack. A man can build the look from a helmet, our Viking Wig & Beard, and an axe prop.
Did Vikings really wear horned helmets?
Almost certainly not in battle. The National Museum of Denmark says none of the contemporary sources mention Vikings wearing horned headgear, and the Gjermundbu helmet from Norway has no horns. One early source of the horned look was the costumes for an opera cycle that premiered at Bayreuth in 1876.
What is an authentic Viking costume for a woman?
The museum record points to a close-fitting strap dress worn over an undergarment or smock, held up by shoulder straps fastened with brooches at the front, per the National Museum of Denmark. Finds of Viking Age clothes are rare. Our three women's Viking costumes are polyester party costumes with faux fur trim, made to look the part rather than to copy a museum find.
What do you need for a men's Viking costume?
A helmet, a long wig and braided beard, a belted tunic, and an axe. Our Viking Wig & Beard is one size for most adults, our Plastic Prop Axe is about 24 inches (60 cm), and the National Museum of Denmark says a Viking man typically wore a tunic, pants, and a cloak, so a plain belted tunic from your own closet fits right in.
Can you wear a Viking costume as a couple or group?
Yes. Our Gold Viking Helmet with Braids and Fur and Adult Gold Viking Helmet with Horns each come in packs of 2, 4, 6, or 12, so a group can match on top and differ below. A couple can pair any of our three women's Viking costumes with the Viking Wig & Beard.
