‘Luke Cage’ Costume: 5 Brands You Need To Dress Like Luke Cage

  • Adventure
  • Superhero
2016-09-30
Luke Cage wears a Carhartt utility jacket with an plain light blue fixed-hood pullover hoodie.
Luke Cage wears a Carhartt utility jacket with an plain light blue fixed-hood pullover hoodie. Netflix

Luke Cage set a new standard for what it means to be a hero. The series embodies a phrase that you probably saw in a Ken Bone meme last week: “not all heroes wear capes.”

One of the great things about Luke Cage is that he doesn’t wear a classic superhero suit… yet. Every time he fights crime in Harlem, he’s wearing a zip hoodie with his hood up. The image that sticks in mind is Luke walking through a dimly lit hallway with bullet holes scattered about his grey hoodie.

Luke Cage's signature superhero look is a sweatshirt with bullet holes.
Luke Cage's signature superhero look is a sweatshirt with bullet holes. Netflix

The best part about a Luke Cage costume for Halloween is that people will recognize who you are, without needing to do anything extra. But the man has good style. You may just want to know which brands are his favorite. You might even have what you need already in your closet.

Luke Cage wears a simple navy-blue pullover hoodie.
Luke Cage wears a simple navy-blue pullover hoodie. Netflix

It’d be easy enough to slip on a sweatshirt and cut some bullet holes in it, but for a standout costume or to really replicate Luke's style, it comes down to the brands. Here’s what you need to be like Luke Cage.

Carhartt

Luke Cage rocks Carhartt almost every day. He’s got many different colors of the signature zip hoodie -- black, navy blue, Light Gray and the camo one Method Man gave him. Luke is brand loyal. He even rocks a Carhartt jacket. If you really want to impress, stitch a gold lining into the hood of the blue or black hoodie and your costume will really stand out. You’ve got the traditional Power Man colors on lock. Carhartt doesn’t actually make a gold-lined hoodie so it’s a perfect way to make your costume unique.

Carhartt doesn't make Luke Cage's original distressed blue hoodie with gold stitched inside the hood.
Carhartt doesn't make Luke Cage's original distressed blue hoodie with gold stitched inside the hood. Netflix

Remember that scene early on in the season where Luke walks into the gym and kicks some ass? He’s wearing a distressed blue pullover hoodie (not Carhartt brand) with a big and tall Carhartt flint jacket with bullet holes on it. So if you don’t have the hoodie, but do have an old utility jacket, that’s a also an option. We didn’t see Luke in a moto jacket in Harlem, but he used to wear one back when he owned his bar in Hell’s kitchen. So if you’re going for his Jessica Jones look, a collarless leather jacket is necessary.

Method Man gives Luke his camo Carhartt zip hoodie.
Method Man gives Luke his camo Carhartt zip hoodie. Netflix

Rag & Bone

You could get away with just the sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, but if you want to go all out (and buy a quality t-shirt), stop by Rag & Bone. It doesn’t have to be a specific color, but Luke only wears neutrals. Navy blue or grey is always a safe choice. Costume Designer Stephanie Maslansky told Esquire she chose Rag & Bone for Luke because it was the perfect look for a street-level hero.

In 'Jessica Jones,' Luke Cage rocks a leather moto jacket with a blue t-shirt.
In 'Jessica Jones,' Luke Cage rocks a leather moto jacket with a blue t-shirt. Netflix

“Rag & Bone is a good T-shirt, but it had a certain quality that was a really rough fabric. And it already looked a little bit old and used. And that's a really great thing if you're having to distress and age clothing, starting with something that already has a fantastic texture and color. It makes it go a little further,” Malansky says.

Luke Cage wears a lot of plain long sleeve shirts in 'Jessica Jones.'
Luke Cage wears a lot of plain long sleeve shirts in 'Jessica Jones.' Netflix

You could go with a regular t-shirt, v-neck, a Henley, or even a simple crew neck long sleeve. In Jessica Jones , he wears a long sleeve, light brown waffle shirt. After Pop's barbershop burned down, Luke Cage holds the swear can and sits on top of the rubble wearing distressed black jeans and a light navy blue Henley.

AG Jeans

Luke always wears straight-leg, dark washed jeans. There’s no holes in them, but some do have a distressed look. Sometimes he’s shown wearing distressed black jeans, but almost always a pair of bootcut dark wash. AG jeans are no joke in price. Since he’s a big fan, Luke probably wouldn’t mind if you opted for a pair of Levi’s instead.

'Luke Cage' wears a worn-in Henley with distressed dark wash jeans.
'Luke Cage' wears a worn-in Henley with distressed dark wash jeans. Netflix

Levi’s

Levi’s is one of Luke’s go to brands. According to Maslansky, this is where she got a few of Luke’s belts, jackets and jeans. This means pretty much anything from Levi’s is fair game. It’s the perfect place to grab a plain t-shirt. In one scene, Luke is wearing a brown Levi’s commuter trucker jacket similar to this one.

Luke Cage rocks a brown Levi's commuter trucker jacket with a blue t-shirt underneath.
Luke Cage rocks a brown Levi's commuter trucker jacket with a blue t-shirt underneath. Netflix

Army-Navy

Luke wears black leather combat boots, which Maslansky said she got at an Army-Navy store. She also said a few of his belts are from there too. You’re probably not going to come across a Army-Navy store on a regular day of shopping, so any black leather lace-up will do. Make sure you pant leg can fit over your boot because Luke never rolls the bottom of his pants.

A pair of low-key black leather boots are the last item you'll need to dress like Luke Cage.
A pair of low-key black leather boots are the last item you'll need to dress like Luke Cage. Netflix
Join the Discussion
Top Stories