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The image of the ninja has become an icon of stealth and subtlety all over the world: quick, canny figures dressed in shades of midnight, formidable opponents in a fight, yet capable of infiltrating the strongest fortress unseen and unheard. Ninja were seen as masters of life and dispensers of death. To be "ninja" is to be cool, confident, and in control. Ninja costumes remain popular choices for Halloween or whenever it's time for a costume event. Let's take a closer look at what goes into presenting that iconic image of the ninja. >> Save Big on Ninja Costumes << The Look Everyone recognizes a ninja costume when they see it. A good ninja costume consists of the following: » A pair of close-fitting cotton pants and a tunic or shirt. » sash or cloth belt is used to hold weapons or conceal them. » There may be arm guards and leg guards, which offer a bit of protection as well as places to conceal small tools or weapons. » The traditional Japanese boots that have split toes, called "tabi." The split toes assisted ninja in climbing ropes for infiltration or escape. » A cloth to cover the lower half of the face. This helps to conceal the ninja's identity. Until recently, all the above items would always be black. Nowadays red may accessorize the ninja look, with red sashes, leg guards, or arm guards. Costumes that evoke a more historical approach to ninja sometimes more closely resemble a samurai. The pants might consist of loose leggings, secured with a cloth belt. This look may incorporate pieces of scale armor. However accessorized, black is still the predominant style statement for any self-respecting ninja! The Tools Aside from the black outfit, what else does a ninja need? A ninja needs the proper tools for his or her trade. This could be anything used for infiltration, espionage, and combat. Ninja often carried ropes with grapples on the ends, lock-breaking tools, and small saws for getting through iron bars. Authentic-looking weaponry is a must. The katana is the best known weapon for ninja in hand to hand combat. Shuriken, the razor-sharp throwing stars, are also a very common element. Some ninja used pole arms or a weapon known as kusarigama, which consists of a sharpened sickle on the end of a length of chain. The History No one really knows who the first ninja was. Most historians agree that the skill set that became known as ninjutsu emerged as early as 900 CE. Though Japanese folk tales relate stories of the first ninja being a half man, half crow, demonic-looking figure, the historical records suggest that ninja evolved among normal people in response to oppression by the Japanese nobility and aristocracy. Oddly enough, the idea that a ninja always wore black probably came from puppet theaters. Puppeteers wore black suits against a black background to make themselves invisible while manipulating props. Their ninja puppets were also clothed in black, so that they seemed to come out of nowhere when they sprang into action on the puppet stage. Medieval puppet theaters served the same role as movies and television do today. They helped create the iconic image of the black-garbed ninja we know in modern times. Ninja likely dressed to blend into their surroundings, or to look like their targets. An "authentic" ninja costume would look more like a Japanese peasant who carried a farm implement - and who knew how to use it in a fight. At one time, a popular disguise for ninja was that of a flute-playing mystic. The heavy wooden instruments doubled as blowguns for poisoned darts, or as clubs in battle! Putting It All Together Whether the preference is for the sleek, dangerous, black-garbed assassin or the historical, stealthy, master-of-disguise thief, a ninja costume can be an affordable and attractive choice for any costume party. Today, as in medieval times, both men and women function as ninja and there are at least as many flattering costumes for women as there are for men. It's just a matter of picking the look and accessorizing for fun! >> Save Big on Ninja Costumes <<