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Mike Ditka Costume Guide (Chicago Bears Coach)

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Mike Ditka Costume

Mike Ditka coached the Chicago Bears from 1982 to 1992 and led the 1985 team to a Super Bowl XX win. His sideline look from that era is what people picture: a navy Bears sweater vest over a white shirt and tie, aviator sunglasses, a thick mustache and slicked-back hair, usually with a cigar or a rolled-up play sheet in hand.

This costume is cheap and fast. Most of it is ordinary menswear, and the only pieces you'll likely need to buy are the vest, the sunglasses and the mustache. It works on its own, and it's even better in a group as the Saturday Night Live 'Superfans' who worship 'Da Bears' and 'Da Coach'.

At a glance

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Rough budget: $30–$70, less if you own a white shirt and khakis
  • Time to put on: 10 minutes
  • What people recognise first: Bears sweater vest + aviators + mustache

What you need

  • Navy Chicago Bears sweater vest — The single most important piece. A plain navy V-neck vest with an orange 'C' or Bears logo pinned or ironed on also works.
  • White dress shirt — Long sleeves, worn buttoned to the top with the tie. Ditka rarely looked casual on the sideline.
  • Navy and orange striped tie — Bears colours. Any navy tie with orange in it reads correctly.
  • Aviator sunglasses — Classic teardrop aviators with a gold frame. Keep them on for photos.
  • Thick fake mustache — A full, slightly bushy mustache in dark brown or black. Trim a stick-on one to a straight edge; Ditka's was neat, not handlebar.
  • Khaki or grey slacks — Pleated khakis or grey trousers. Avoid jeans.
  • Fake cigar — A prop cigar, unlit, is his signature accessory. A clipboard or whistle on a lanyard is a good second prop.

How to put it together

Shirt, tie and vest

  1. Put on the white shirt and knot the tie fairly tightly; the collar should sit closed.
  2. Pull the sweater vest over it and tuck everything into the slacks with a dark belt.
  3. Push the shirt sleeves down and buttoned; rolled sleeves look more like a coach from a different era.

Hair, mustache and face

  1. Comb your hair straight back with a strong gel or pomade. If your hair is short, a slicked-back style still works.
  2. Apply the mustache with spirit gum or its own adhesive, trimming it so it ends at the corners of the mouth.
  3. Add the aviators. If you want to go further, a slightly flushed face from stage makeup sells the sideline shouting.

Props and attitude

  1. Carry the fake cigar between two fingers or clamped in the side of your mouth.
  2. Add a Bears cap only if you're doing the Superfans version; Ditka himself coached mostly bare-headed.
  3. Practise one pose: pointing at someone with the cigar hand, or arms folded with a scowl.

About the character

Mike Ditka played tight end for the Bears, Eagles and Cowboys in the 1960s and early 1970s and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. As Chicago's head coach he won Super Bowl XX in January 1986 with a team remembered for its defense and the 'Super Bowl Shuffle' video. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.

The costume's popularity owes a lot to the Saturday Night Live 'Bill Swerski's Superfans' sketches of the early 1990s, in which Chris Farley, George Wendt and others, in Bears gear, mustaches and sunglasses, debated how badly Ditka would beat a hurricane. If you're going as a group, one person dresses as Ditka and the rest as Superfans with Bears jerseys, sunglasses, mustaches and plates of sausage.

Frequently asked questions

What did Mike Ditka wear on the sideline?

In the 1980s, typically a navy Bears sweater vest over a white shirt and tie, with slacks, aviator sunglasses and a mustache. Later in his career he wore Bears jackets and polos, but the sweater vest is the version people recognise.

How do I make the Superfans group costume?

Each Superfan wears a Bears jersey, T-shirt or sweatshirt, a mustache, dark sunglasses and a Bears cap, plus padding for a belly if you want. One person goes as Ditka in the vest and tie. Carry a plate of Polish sausage and talk about 'Da Bears'.

Can I do a Ditka costume without the Bears vest?

Yes. A plain navy V-neck sweater vest with an orange 'C' felt letter glued on works, and a navy windbreaker with a Bears logo is a reasonable alternative. The aviators and mustache carry most of the recognition.

Is a Mike Ditka costume still recognisable?

Especially in Chicago and among NFL fans. Outside that audience, going as a pair or group with Superfans, or adding a 'Da Coach' name badge, makes the reference clear.

Further reading

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