The construction worker costume is a favorite fantasy for those who like rugged outdoor types or craftsmen who work with their hands.
The construction worker costume is composed of items that are easily found at local stores or can be purchased online. The hard hat and safety vest are essential. You can also add work boots and gloves. I've put together two construction worker costumes for various photo shoots. Let me tell you how and where I obtained the different pieces.
A Construction Worker Costume Assembled And Completed In 5 Easy Steps
Step One: The Hard Hat
The hard hat is the most essential part of this costume. It defines the character for the fantasy. I have purchased two of these, a yellow and a blue, and borrowed a white one from a friend. All were used for photo shoots for Males In Motion advertising promotions.
The colors of hard hat have meanings for the workers on a project. I've listed a few below.
- Hard hat color designations:
- White – Managers, engineers, foremen or supervisors
- Brown – Welders and workers for high heat application
- Green – Safety inspector, or new workers
- Yellow – General laborers and earth-moving operators
- Blue – Carpenters, technical advisers, and temp workers
- Orange - Road crews, new employees or visitors
I purchased 2 hard hats at a Lowe's that is a few blocks from where I live. I checked the Lowe's price while I was writing this blog and a hard hat could be purchased from Lowe's online for $6.98. You'll need to add tax and shipping. I also found several hard hats on Ebay while writing this blog.
I recommend either the orange or yellow hard hats for two reasons. First, they will show up well in a dark bar or club. Second, the colors will coordinate with the safety vest.
Step Two: The Safety Vest
The safety vest is also an integral part of the construction worker costume. It is the piece that makes the outfit a costume. You would not have the same effect if you did not wear one. For a male stripper, it is a layer to be stripped off. For the go go dancer, it adds to a theme.
I recommend that you wear the safety vest without a t-shirt or anything else covering the upper torso. It can be worn closed or open. I would recommend open unless you are stripping out of it. Untying or unzipping the vest can be an added part of the strip-tease.
The safety vest comes in orange or yellow. These colors are for high visibility. There is also usually reflective strips somewhere on the vest. I like things to match so I would recommend to select a color that matches the hard hat.
I also found several listings for safety vests on Ebay.
Step Three: The Right Underwear
The choice of underwear is wide open here. It depends on the venue where you will be performing. I like a basic white jockstrap. It is sexy and has a hint of the bad boy. You could also select a yellow or orange jockstrap to match the hard hat and vest.
A jock strap will not work if you are performing at a venue where a naked ass is not allowed. I think boxer briefs can look great particularly if they push 'the boys' to the front and/or mold to the cheeks of the ass. Personally I would again recommend a color that matches the vest or hard hat.
Be careful in selecting underwear that is a different color than the vest or has a pattern on it. For example, green, red or pink would detract from the construction worker costume. It would look more like the underwear was an after thought. Also, be careful with underwear that has a pattern or is multiple colors.
An idea that might work for underwear with a pattern, is where the underwear has a caution print, or says under construction, or might have a print such as a dump truck, road sign, hard hats, etc. I'm talking about a print that is construction worker related. That could be playful and still stay with the theme.
I have seen some male strippers and go go boys wear cut off jeans with a construction worker costume. This is a good look. It doesn't have the impact of well-fitting underwear but it does enhance the costume otherwise.
If you are a male stripper, you might also consider wearing blue jean tear away pants. It would be very difficult to remove boots and blue jeans if they are not tear away. Plus, the boots are sexy when a dancer is wearing underwear or a jockstrap.
You can find a variety of underwear and jock strap styles at Andrew Christian.com .
Step Four: Work Boots
Although not required, an added look of authenticity would include a pair of work boots. These are usually brown.
The boots in the pic at right are mine. I've had them for several years. They are one example of boots that would work for this costume. I prefer these to the high boots with longer laces. I found several pair of brown work boots on eBay.
I think socks that stick out above the boots can also be a nice touch. The socks can be solid white or have stripes at the top. As I said before, I would recommend that the color of the socks and the stripes match with the rest of the costume.
If you do not have brown boots, wear black, gray, etc. Boots are a better option than sneakers or no shoes. If you do not have any boots, I recommend that you check a Goodwill or other type of thrift store. You can pick up a used pair for a few dollars.
An option for the socks could be a pair that have a construction theme. While writing this blog I did a search on Amazon and found men's socks with a print that included bulldozers and dump trucks. I also found some on eBay with tools on them.
Step Five: Props And Accessories
If you want to go the extra mile with the construction worker costume and performance, a caution cone, work zone sign, or other construction related props would be perfect. You can purchase a variety of different signage on Amazon. Orange safety cones are available for $15.
Have someone set the construction props out before you enter to do your performance. For go go dancers, a construction zone could be the theme of the night. Signs and safety cones could be part of the decorations.
I found a flashing yellow caution light on Amazon starting at $9.99. This prop would signal that your performance is something special.
Another clothing option would be to add work gloves. These can be purchased through Walmart, Target, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc., and are very inexpensive.
The gloves in the pic at right are one pair that I have in my photoshoot costume inventory.
A variety of tools could be used for props. I recommend a sledgehammer, particularly if you choose to use the classic song "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel. I've placed it below in the Final Thoughts. The sledgehammer comes in different sizes and lengths. The larger will make more of an impact on stage but they are also more costly.
Final Thoughts
I hope I have inspired you to see the possibilities with adding a construction worker costume to your inventory. All of what I've said above was focused mainly on a performance at a bar or club, but I think you can see how fun it would be for a private party as well.
The following songs are possible options for your performance with the construction worker theme:
hope you'll try the construction worker costume. I think you'll find it fun and the audience will enjoy it. Give them something unexpected.
You might find these costume blogs useful as well:
Sexy And Easy Male Stripper Cowboy Costume
5 Tips On Selecting A Superhero Costume That's Right For You