Reggie Jackson Cosplay DIY

Hello, October! I know many of you, including me, are excited about Halloween. However, before I talk about this cosplay I've recently debuted, there's a few things I want to share with everyone.

For the last 10 years, I've been cosplaying as some of my favorite characters and even legendary baseball players. Doing over three dozen cosplays in a decade may seem like a lot to you, but for me, they're a reminder of how far I've come. They're also a reminder of the memories I've had doing these cosplays to post on social media and show them off at conventions. Unfortunately, this is my final year of being a cosplayer. At the end of October, specifically Halloween night, I'll be retiring from this wonderful craft I love so much. I'll still be part of the cosplay community and share cosplay tips, if anyone needs it. I'll be making my last con appearance later on this month. My mental health worsening, especially during Covid and the death of my grandfather in 2022 were two of the reasons that played into my decision to hang my costumes up for good.

Although I resumed attending conventions in September 2022 and again in January 2024, I went back and forth on this decision for the last three years. After much thought, I announced in a TikTok video in March that 2024 would be my final year doing cosplay to pursue other interests. My mental health hasn't gotten any better for me to continue cosplaying into 2025. Since my announcement, I've received so much support from fellow cosplayers wishing me nothing but the best. After I'm no longer a cosplayer, I'll be focused on the things that will benefit my mental well-being. I might attend a con here and there, but as a former cosplayer.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk Halloween. For my final cosplay, I'll be going as someone who's not only one of my baseball idols, but someone who's well-respected in Major League Baseball. I'm talking about none other than Reggie Jackson. For you non-sports fans out there, he was a 14-time All-Star, a member of five World Series winning teams, played 21 seasons, won World Series MVP in 1973 and 1977, and the American League MVP Award in 1973. Finally, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. Reginald Martinez Jackson was born in May 1946, which makes him 78 years old at the time of this writing. In this story, I'll share how you can go as one of the best baseball players for this special time of year. If you are unable to decide on who you should be for Halloween, Reggie Jackson might be the one for you. He played for five different MLB teams. Whether you want to don an Oakland A's uniform or New York Yankees uniform, the decision is up to you. For the sake of this story, I've decided to show off pictures of me in pinstripes.

What you'll need:

•A jersey of your choice

•Baseball belt (any color)

•A baseball helmet of any team (optional)

•A baseball cap of any team

•A compression shirt of any color (long or short sleeve)

•Baseball pants (long sleeves or you can opt for knickers, which are type of baseball pants that go below or above your knees)

•Baseball socks of any color

•Baseball cleats of any color

These items are also optional: baseball bat, baseball glove, batting gloves, and any protective gear. Also, if you would like to make your own World Series trophy or have someone customize one for you, knock yourself out. It would be a great prop for you to add to this cosplay. I'm having this prop customized by my long time cosplay craftsman. Like I said before, it's all up to you.

I debuted my Reggie Jackson cosplay on September 27, 2024. Out of the five teams he played for, I chose the New York Yankees. I know that I'm a Texas Rangers fan, so please don't describe me as a bandwagon fan. I wanted to see what being in pinstripes was like. Besides, this is my final cosplay I'll be doing for an upcoming con and on Halloween. I bought all of my items on eBay as far back as mid-August. It took me several weeks to finally put this cosplay together. I did on a fairly small budget. Well, as small as possible. One thing to note: there's nothing wrong with getting secondhand items. It might save you some money. Many of the items I've purchased were secondhand (aka items previously worn or used by someone else). The pictures (seen above) are of my cosplay front and back. One other thing I failed to mention is that I had to buy a wig that was close to Reggie's own hairstyle. It was a bit pricey, but it was worth it. My real hair doesn't grow as fast as it did over 20 years ago. Back then, I had a mini afro. As for my mustache, I can accept the fact that it wouldn't grow as big as I would've liked. However, it was the perfect length for me. Oh, and there's something else I failed to bring up. The glasses that you see are essential to have that Reggie Jackson look. I previously wore those glasses, which I bought on Amazon over three years ago for my Napoleon Dynamite cosplay. Something told me to keep them and I'm glad that I did.

For the final images I'll display, here's a wonderful side by side cosplay. My final side by side cosplay ever as a cosplayer, to be precise. I know the jersey I'm wearing doesn't match the one on the right, but I had to buy a Yankees jersey that fit my price range. A side by side cosplay doesn't need to be 100% accurate, but make it as close as you can. I bought both a Yankees batting helmet and ball cap, so I can wear either one.

Now that I've shown you how to accomplish the Reggie Jackson look for Halloween, you probably have a majority of the aforementioned items in your home already. However, if not, eBay would be a good place to start searching for them. Good luck to you, baseball nerd and Happy Halloween!