Get Your Girl a Trinity Costume (and Neo, too)

A Trinity costume from The Matrix is fun for Halloween, but you can give this costume as a gift any time.  Listed below is everything you’ll need, and you can acquire it all from the links on this page.  Also included is how to make a Matrix Neo costume for yourself.

It helps, of course, if your girl likes The Matrix.   I put together this Matrix costume as a Christmas present for my GF awhile back and she really enjoys it.  The Matrix is one of her favorite movies.

Will a Trinity costume look good on any woman?  Carrie Anne Moss is definitely hot in her skin-tight black outfit, but she’s got that slender, college-pole-vaulter build.  How about on a woman who is a bit more curvy — someone, say, like Scarlett Johansson? Well, after seeing my GF in it, all I can say is, it works.

Any day of the year is a good day for her to dress up in her Matrix outfit (and it’s always handy for a costume party).  And if you feel like doing a Neo thing for yourself (sort of like a catholic priest without the, uh, catholicism), that’s covered here, too.  (Scroll down to the see the section on how to create an authentic Neo costume.)

Note: This post was updated with new info and additional links on September 21, 2011.

Trinity wore a variety of outfits in the 3 Matrix films but the one most people remember is what she wore when she and Neo attacked the military installation to save Morpheus in the first film.

Click here to get the basic Trinity costume coat

Several pieces comprise this costume.  For greatest authenticity, you’ll need to acquire them from different places.  Trinity’s full outfit consists of a coat, pants, top, black boots, and shades.  You can add elbow-length gloves to create Trinity’s look from The Matrix Reloaded.  First and foremost is the long black shiny coat.  This is the piece that will be the most “costumey” in quality – that is, it’s a costume coat that is not necessarily meant to stand up to years of daily wear.  But that’s not a problem, it’s not expensive.  And the Trinity sunglasses are included (though you’ll probably want to upgrade to a pair from Matrix Eyewear).  You can find the deluxe black vinyl Trinity jacket and glasses at BuyCostumes.com, one of my favorite online costume sites.

Authentic Trinity sunglasses from Matrix Eyewear

The real deal when it comes to the shades are these Trinity sunglasses from Matrix Eyewear.  They’re fully functional sunglasses at a good price, with a 1-year guarantee.

Next, you’ll need the pants.  Remember to keep to the “shiny” motif.  Generally, that means vinyl.

I (and my GF) like these straight-leg vinyl pants (at left) from Flirty Lingerie (a fun place to shop).  They are really flattering and look great with black boots.  However, it’s a discontinued style (i.e., they’re not producing them anymore), so eventually they’re going to run out of the remaining inventory.  You can still get them as this is written.  Don’t wait.  (When you go to the webpage, even though the product description says “Discontinued,” you can still click to put them in the shopping cart; they currently have size “Large,” which will work for most women.)

Vinyl Pants from Pierre Silber

The vinyl pants pictured at right would also fit the bill.  These are black vinyl pants from Pierre Silber, an extensive lingerie and adult costume site.  Right now you can get them for less than $50.  You might want to keep Pierre Silber in mind to explore other Halloween costume ideas.

An alternative pair of pants would be tight vinyl or faux leather (or real leather) leggings paired with thigh-high boots.  Try these:  Latex Leggings (not pictured).

Coffee Shop Junior's Stretch Leggings

You could go with leggings that she could also wear for clubbing, such as these stretch polyurethane pants:  Coffee Shop Junior’s Stretch Leggings, which are inexpensive at Overstock.

Or you could go in an even sexier direction and try this black vinyl catsuit (below), which has the perfect texture and shine, and would go well with the costume coat.  It would be a pretty warm outfit, though.  Good for a cold Halloween night…

If she already has some black boots, they should work.  However, if she doesn’t, or if you’re going with tight leggings, a provocative option would be  this pair of thigh-high black boots:

4-inch Heel Thigh-High Boots.   They should fit over a pair of tight leggings.  And they’re under $60 at Flirty Lingerie.

Black patent Gogo Boots from BuyCostumes work for Trinity

If you want something that looks more like the actual boots Trinity wore in the movie’s lobby shootout, you can go to MotorCowboy and have a pair custom-made for just over $300, or you can go with these Gogo boots from BuyCostumes in black patent, which look similar and cost under $30.  These boots are also very close to the ones Trinity wore in The Matrix Reloaded.  They are suitable for kicking butt and piloting helicopters.  (Hey, if professional cheerleaders can do their routines in these boots — which they do; see the customer reviews — they’ll work for your Matrix activities.) 

If you want to go all-in with high-end leather boots, get her the Jenny Boots by La Canadienne at Zappos (yeah, she’ll love those).

Black Tank Top Unitard

Then you need a top.  Again, go with black and sleek.  Here’s another all-in-one option.  This Black Tank Top Unitard is just right.  It’s sexy, athletic, and she can wear it under other outfits.  She can also slip those thigh-high boots over it.

Layer the Calvin Klein Knit Basic Tank Top under the Trinity coat

 You could also go with this black tank top (pictured at left).  It’s got a flattering fit and smooth texture, a modern blend of nylon and spandex — the Calvin Klein Knit Basic Tank Top from Zappos.  It’s stretchy and versatile (just right for battling the Machine World).  She’ll be able to wear it for many other uses, too.  And it’s not expensive.

Another option would be the Lole Pinnacle Tank Top, a cool-looking, cool-wearing garment for about $30.  Or, for a slightly different approach, the Calvin Klein Essentials Long Sleeve V-Neck, from Freshpair.  If you don’t want to go with the catsuit or unitard above, one of these tops should work for her under the long Trinity coat.

Get the poster

Finally, round out the outfit by clicking here to get some long shiny black vinyl gloves (the photo’s a little risqué if you happen to be reading this at work).   

Remember, as you’re shopping for all these items, to check the merchant’s sizing chart, if they have one, plus customer reviews.  Since all these garments are tight, you can usually err on the side of ordering a size larger and they should still work.

You should be able to put a decent Trinity costume together for around $100, or a bit more if you go with all of the best options.

Add all the above elements together and you’ll have a kickass costume, a delighted girl, and some fun…  (I was going to include a photo of other girls wearing the Trinity costume, but decided not to — I don’t want to spoil the surprise.  You will not believe how cool she looks when she finally models all your carefully-chosen items.)

By the way, if you want to see more variety of Halloween costumes and get info on current good deals at some of the best costume shops online, see my post on Costume Deals and Ideas for Halloween — or Whenever.

How to create the most authentic Neo look for yourself

I’m going to assume you want to match the movie wardrobe as closely as possible.  So…

Matrix Lobby Trench Coat

First Neo’s coat.  The best coat I’ve found is the “Lobby Coat” made by AbbyShot Clothiers.  This is a high-quality coat and the design is very faithful to the coat Neo wore when he and Trinity attacked the military installation.  That’s it to the left (don’t worry, you’ll look cooler than their model).  Click the image or here to see more pictures.  This coat is made in limited quantities, so sometimes it must be pre-ordered; leave yourself plenty of time.  You can also see other high-quality movie and TV replica clothing (Firefly, Doctor Who) from AbbyShot, available at Entertainment Earth.

The easiest and least expensive way to get the Neo outfit is as a costume, which also includes the sunglasses.

Here it is from BuyCostumes (pictured below): 

Woodland Leather full-length Trench Coat

If the AbbyShot coat above is sold out or a bit pricey for you, there is a great alternative from JKL Clothing:  the Woodland Leather full length Matrix-style men’s trench coat (at left).  This high-quality leather coat is very similar to the coats both Neo and Morpheus wear in The Matrix.  Note that JKL Clothing is a British company and if you order from them you’ll pay in British pounds.  Multiply the price in pounds by about 1.6 to roughly convert the amount to dollars (as of now, the coat is approximately $335 plus shipping).  They accept all major credit cards and PayPal.  This is a stylish, well-made coat.

The shades Neo wore -- you can't get better sunglasses than these from Matrix Eyewear

To get the most authentic Neo sunglasses (pictured at left), you should get them from Matrix Eyewear.  Click the image to the left.  These are good-quality sunglasses from Matrix Eyewear and will work for everyday wear, too.  Matrix Eyewear also carries sunglasses for most of the other characters in the Matrix movies.  And they’re very affordable.

To go with the look Neo was wearing in the lobby shootout in the first film, a fitted black T-shirt will work (you’re on your own for all the guns and holsters).  This fitted black T-shirt from Calvin Klein has a modern, sort of “cyber-punk” appearance, is not too expensive, and will look great under the long coat.  For an even more premium look, try the Long Sleeve Crewe from Icebreaker, which is made of Merino wool and has a similar texture to the shirt Neo wears.

Kenneth Cole Sateen Cotton Shirt

Neo also wears long-sleeve buttoned shirts under his long “cassock” and the one pictured at left should work.  This is a Kenneth Cole no-iron Sateen Cotton Shirt in black.  It’s got a spread collar, features a modern look, and is priced around $60 at Zappos.  You could also try the Blackhawk Warrior Wear Lightweight Tactical Long-sleeve Shirt from Cabela’s in black.

Click for the Billabong Carter Narrow Pants in black from Zappos

The pants for your Neo outfit should be black work pants or field-style pants.  You probably own some black pants that will do the trick, but if not these are good:  Billabong Carter Narrow Pants in black from Zappos.   They’re stylish and athletic enough to approximate what Neo wears in the film. (Tuck the pants into the boots.)  If they’re sold out, Overstock has a good selection of other styles of black pants that will work.  Search on their site for “black men’s pants.”  For example, try the Enzo Tovare Men’s Modern Fit Black Pants — these are hip pants with nice details, just right for a Neo look.

Another option for pants would be these  black “Best in Town” cotton canvas cargo pants from JKL Clothing. 

Corcoran 10-inch Tanker Work Boots

Now you need some boots to round out your Matrix look.  You can wear any black boots and be fine, but if you want boots that closely resemble the style Neo wore in the first movie (remember when he kicks Agent Smith down the hallway in the final fight-scene and holds his foot in the air — those boots), then these will do the trick:  Corcoran Men’s Tanker 10-inch Work Boots.  These Corcoran buckle boots might be even cooler than the boots Neo wore in the movie.  And they’re nowhere near as expensive as having a set custom-made at Motorcowboy.  Tuck the pants into the boots.

If the Corcoran boots are sold out, or you want something with a little more heft and a shinier buckle, try these leather boots from Bates:  the Bates Ridng Collection Ormond Boots (pictured below).  They have the heavy toe, just like the boots in the film, are comfortable and rugged.  You could definitely kick Agent Smith’s ass when wearing these.  Click the image below to acquire them from Zappos, the company with the best customer service on the Web.

Click for Bates Riding Collection Ormond Boots

Another alternative boot would be these Danner Striker II Side Zip Boots (pictured at right).  They have a quasi-military look and are black leather, with a zipper on the inner side.  Some people swear by Danner, and some say they could be more durable, but for costume purposes these boots would definitely work.

Finally, if you want a really substantial, cool-looking pair of black boots that would work for everyday use as well as for this costume (and are less expensive than the Danners), go with these 8″ Thorogood Jump Boots (at left).  Weinbrenner Shoe Company has been making Thorogood boots since 1892, so you know they’ve worked the bugs out.  They are known not only for their work boots but their tactical boots as well, and these boots obviously share that pedigree.  They’re leather and have a rubber-lug outsole — just the look to go for when you’re trying to subvert the Matrix.  You can find those styles and more at up to 70% off from Shoe Metro.

I hope you enjoy all your Matrix adventures with your lady and never forget:  the Matrix has you.

If you put one or both of these costumes together, please leave a comment below telling how it worked out.  Did she like it?

Hey, wait a minute…  You haven’t seen the Ultimate Matrix Collection on DVD or Blu-ray yet?  There is no future in that approach.  Please rectify that now, Mr. Anderson.

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