Bucky Barnes, AKA The Winter Soldier, has had many seasons during his time in the MCU, going from villain, to anti-hero, to hero. His appearance has changed throughout the series, but he is best known for his original look when he sported long hair, a dark jumpsuit and a chrome arm enhancement.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to put together your own Winter Soldier look with a variety of options, including DIY instructions and no-sew cosplay options.
How to Dress Like Bucky Barnes AKA The Winter Soldier From the MCU
To dress like the Winter Soldier for cosplay or Halloween, you will need the following items:
- Long Brown Hair
- Black Leather Jacket
- Chrome Prosthetic Arm with Red Star
- Tactical Pants
- Holsters
- Goggles
- Half Mask
Jacket
Winter Soldier’s jacket is made out of polyester and has poly-foam padding to make it look more realistic.
Cybernetic Arm
The arms and chest of the costume are padded, and there is usually some type of 3D armor attached to the side seams and shoulders.
Bucky’s left arm is a chrome prosthetic with a red star embedded in the shoulder. You can buy a chrome-colored sleeve or go all out and 3D print a Winter Soldier arm to complete your costume.
Mask and Goggles
Bucky might have been ahead of his time, because he was one of the first superheroes to wear a face mask long before the Covid-19 pandemic. His mask is black and looks like a fitted KN95 facemask.
The Winter Soldier also wears black goggles at times throughout the MCU films. You can find a similar pair at military supply stores or ski shops.
DIY Costume Tutorials
Authentic Winter Soldier Costume Set
The most important thing to remember when you’re looking for a Winter Soldier costume is to make sure that it says “officially licensed” on the package. This means that the details of the costume match the character in the movie and comic book, so it will look the same as other officially licensed costumes in the end.
Related Costume Guides
Cosplay Examples
About The Winter Soldier Look
Bucky Barnes started out as Captain America’s teenage sidekick in the early 1940s, then was eventually killed off and came back to life at a later date. He’s assassinated some pretty high-profile targets but is now rather conflicted about his past.
Bucky’s been in battle with heavyweights like Black Panther and Iron Man, as well as a host of other big-name heroes. He’s a highly trained martial artist, with a skill set that poses a deadly threat to any foe he encounters.
And let’s not forget about his killer arsenal. He is well-equipped with high-tech weaponry to good old-fashioned grenades, and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Bucky’s also a seasoned spy who’s picked up a ton of languages on his globetrotting adventures, including Spanish and, of course, German.
He’s the ultimate soldier.
But most people probably recognize him for his bionic arm which has both enhanced reaction time and superhuman strength. This feature makes this costume stand out on the crowded convention floor.
