It's Captain America! The Step-by-Step Making of a Custom Halloween Costume! Marvel Comics!

I've dressed as Marvel Comics' Captain America in past Halloween seasons, making my own custom costume, but was never fully happy with the results! This year, I decided on a different attack, using the "Cap" from the recent CA movie as my visual goal! Click below to enlarge each step-by-step pic!

Below: The goal: a costume much like the second "battle" version worn in the CAPTAIN AMERICA 2011 movie!

Below: The actual "cosplay" outfit I used, tho I only incorporated the mask, top, and shoulder pouch belt from this costume!

Below: Not satisfied with the bulky off-white under-shirt as seen in the film, I opted for a form-fitting athletic top for the white shirt and sleeves, adding my own painted-on red vertical strips on the sides...That not only adds more much-needed red color to the outfit, but has a slimming and heightening effect..

Below: I already had a gun-belt from a previous Cap costume attempt, and added that...

Below: The inner top/vest added...

Below: The "shoulder pads" are added, which involved tightening the arm straps and attaching the red "suspenders" via velcro patches I affixed to the white shirt!

Below: The lower back portion attached to the rear of the gun belt....

I added store-bought "Cap" gloves, but with red/black "snowmobile gloves" over them...

Below: With the leather helmet added, along with the store-bought shield, here is the finished outfit!

Below: Avengers Assemble! The Thing, sadly, once again sulks in the background...

Below: The mask/helmet fits fabulously, with no vision or sight issues at all!

Below: SHIELD leader Nick Fury (Paul Brigham) drops by, to hold hands with an enlightened Captain America! 

Below: Cap's main 1940s squeeze, Peggy Carter, portrayed by my own wife, Allyson Bigley!

BONUS! Look below to see my past kooky CAP costume attempts! This one from 2003 or so, using the "Graphitti Designs" Cap shirt, a home-made shield (made from an old 50s snow sled, hand-painted, and later re-painted and used as a shield toted by a roman soldier in a church event), and a ski mask/painted face mask combo!...

Below: More recent 2010/2011 shots, using much of the above materials, but a store-bought shield, painted helmet and motorcycle goggles, and gun belt!