Chilean miner Luis Urzua, the last man up from the collapsed copper mine, celebrates by draping himself in a Chilean flag. Credit: AP
Want to dress up as a real hero this Halloween? We suggest you (or grab pals for a great group Halloween costume) go as one of the recently rescued Chilean copper miners.
The whole world watched as 33 Chilean miners, trapped underground for a jaw-dropping 69 days, were all successfully rescued and reunited with their families. As each rescued miner jubilantly re-entered the world from the tiny capsule they had to brave for 15 minutes (and we do mean brave -- claustrophobia, anyone?), they donned specially-made green coveralls and special sunglasses to protect eyes that had acclimated to the underground darkness, a "uniform" that has become iconic. With Halloween just around the corner, we've got some tips if you want to put together your own rescued Chilean miner look.
What You Need
Coal Miner Helmet with Light
Paint
Charcoal pencil
Green Jumpsuit
Extra Large beige t-shirt
White, blue and red fabric paint
Sunglasses
1" nylon webbing
Flag of Chile
Soccer ball
Helmet
Inexpensive prop coal miner's helmets can be found online or in some costume shops. The Chilean miners wore red and yellow helmets; spray paint your to the desired color if you want, and add some "dirt" with paint or a charcoal pencil.
Clothing
The green jumpsuit is a must. This is an item that you may not find easily in thrift shops, but there are relatively inexpensive costume versions -- this Top Gun Costume is right on for repurposing as a Chilean miner jumpsuit. To go all out, create the t-shirt to wear on top: paint a white star in the center of the shirt on a field of half blue and half red, with the words "¡Gracias Señor!" above it. Or just wear any beige t-shirt large enough to wear over the jumpsuit.
Sunglasses
Because the miners had spent 70 days in the dark, their eyes couldn't handle the bright lights when they returned to the surface. Sunglasses are a vital part of this costume; most any kind will do in a pinch, but if you want to go for mega-accuracy, get a pair of Oakleys -- the company graciously provided the ones the miners wore during their rescue. While the glasses the Chilean miners wore for their ascent were custom-made, the Gascan style is pretty close.
Accessories
Make a "harness" out of inexpensive nylon webbing strap: pin or staple a length of strap around the waist, and attach additional lengths to the front and back. Carry a flag of Chile and a soccer ball to round out the costume.
Pair with a BP Oil Spill costume, and you'll have all the year's top news stories covered.
