Robin Hood Costumes

Robin Hood is one of the most-beloved characters in legend and film. There have been over 200 movie and TV adaptations, in English and in 11 other languages. They range from the 1991 dud starring Kevin Costner to the 1939 Errol Flynn version that most critics consider the best of them all. That quintessential Robin Hood film gave Flynn his greatest role, and won 3 Academy Awards. It was nominated for Best Picture, though it didn't win. (It was up against Gone With the Wind--which won--and The Wizard of Oz. What can we say? 1939 was a great year for movies!)

Who was Robin Hood, anyway? Nobody knows for sure. Few serious scholars believe there ever was an actual person by that name. The figure in legend may have been based on one or more real persons, and there are many different versions of his history. The earliest tales, from the 14th and 15th centuries, describe him as a devoutly Catholic free-born farmer from Locksley in Yorkshire. Later tales bring in the possibility that he was a knight or nobleman whose lands were stolen from him. There are also many different accounts of why Robin Hood was an outlaw. But, for whatever reason, he and his band of "merry" men lived in Sherwood Forest and stole from the rich to give to the poor. All tales agree that he was an archer of exceptional skill. (As an interesting aside: the word "merry" in the Middle Ages had a very different meaning than it does now. Instead of meaning happy or cheerful, the phrase "merry men" referred to a criminal gang!)

You can live the Robin Hood legend in one of our Robin Hood costumes. We have versions for men, women and kids. We also have costumes that let your friends be Maid Marian, Friar Tuck or other Merry Men. You could do a group theme quite easily. Just practice your archery skills. You might get challenged to a contest!