There is not a geek alive who at one point hasn’t wanted to dress as Mario for Halloween. Sure, you can go the easy route and pick up a generic pre-made Mario costume, but it is more fun and looks more authentic to piece it together yourself. The following guide will walk you through exactly what you will need to dress yourself as the most recognizable video game character ever.

• The Hat
  It just doesn’t get any closer than this one. If there were an award to be given out to companies attempting to replicate hats worn by video game characters, this company would win it. The only thing it is missing is Mario’s distinctive white patch with the red “M”. To solve this issue, cut out a white piece of cloth or iron-on patch from any fabric store in a circle with approximately a 1.5-2.5″ diameter and carefully draw the “M” on to it with a red sharpie. Once done, either iron or sew it on to the front of the hat. That’s it! You now have Mario’s legendary hat.
• The Gloves
  Every plumber needs a nice pair of perfectly white cotton gloves. This pair is cheap and fits the character perfectly. If you’re going all out, there are probably higher-quality pairs out there that still look the part, but I wouldn’t recommend spending to much on the gloves unless you plan on wearing them again.
• The Overalls
  Just about any blue overalls will work, so shop around and find a good comfortable pair. If, like me, you’re not keen on buying pants online, there are plenty of brick and mortar stores that still that carry these perpetually out-of-fashion pants.
• The Shirt
  Just about any long sleeve red shirt will do the trick and, unless you’re really in to overalls, this is the one part of the costume that you may wear out in public after you’re done with the costume, so pick something comfortable.
• The Boots
  Most people probably already have this part of the costume in their closet, but if you don’t, any good pair of brown work boots or hiking boots should look great.
• The Mustache
  You’ve really got two options here. Look around and find a fake one that looks convincing, or grow your own. Personally, I like the “grow your own” route, but if you can’t or you’re impatient, there are plenty of convincing fake mustaches available online, in party stores, or at any of the generic Halloween stores that pop up at the end of September and disappear after October.
• Other Accessories
  There are some absolutely terrific toys out there that will perfectly compliment a Mario costume. Some of the better ones include the sound effects keychain, stars, mushrooms, and goombas.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and if you do decide to use this as your next costume, please post pictures!

Here’s the final result:

Halloween is coming up and I’m sure all of you geeks out there are just ITCHING to find the right costume to impress your other geek friends. I have therefore decided to share the secret of the Dr. Horrible costume. For those of you who know me and are wondering, no, this is not my costume. I’ll be geeking it up in a completely different costume. So, without further ado, here’s where to get all of the parts for your Dr. Horrible Costume:

• The Goggles
  After searching all over the freaking place for goggles that will look decent atop your forehead, I found a pair that should work over at Amazon.com (where else?).
• The Lab Coat
  This one is probably the trickiest. The closest thing I could find is the A001 LOS ANGELES coat from the above manufacturer. I wasn’t actually able to find it for sale anywhere, but if you call them I’m sure they can hook you up with a distributor. If you’re lazy and/or not picky, there are tons of generic lab coats for sale at Amazon.
• The Gloves
  Nice looking white welding gloves are key to the costume. The pair linked above are nice and will do the trick, but if you want the actual gloves used in Neil Patrick Harris’s costume, here’s what you’re looking for.
• The Boots
  This pair looks perfect. I have no other suggestions, so just swing by Amazon and get these.
• Pants
  This is probably the least important part of the costume. I’m not saying you shouldn’t wear pants (because you should), but just swing by your local department store and pick up a pair of white pants, then tuck them in to the boots.
• The Freeze Ray
  Last, but certainly not least, any Dr. Horrible needs a Freeze Ray to Stop….. The World. Swing over to Amazon or your favorite toy store, find a suitable water gun, and spray paint it black.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my tutorial and if you’ve read this and use this costume for Halloween, or any other costume-wearing event, please post pictures here!