You've seen it a thousand times. Every Halloween, every comic convention, and probably at that one weird "zombie pub crawl" your friend dragged you to in 2018. The shaun of the dead outfit is the ultimate "low effort, high impact" costume. It’s basically the uniform for people who want to look iconic without spending four months sewing foam armor in their garage.
But here’s the thing. Most people get it wrong. They grab a white shirt, slap on a red tie, and call it a day. If you actually look at the screen-used props—the stuff Simon Pegg wore while dodging vinyl records in a North London backyard—the details are way more specific than you'd think.
The Anatomy of the Foree Electric Uniform
Shaun isn't wearing a "costume." He’s wearing a soul-crushing retail uniform. That’s the joke. He’s so stuck in his routine that he doesn’t even change out of his work clothes to fight the literal apocalypse.
That Infamous White Shirt
First off, it’s a short-sleeved white button-down. Not a T-shirt. Not a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Specifically, it’s a cotton-poly blend uniform shirt. In the original production, they used multiple shirts to track the "progression" of the day.
"You've got red on you."
That line isn't just a funny running gag; it’s a costume cue. At the start of the movie, the "red" is just a leaky red pen in his breast pocket. To get this right, you don't need blood. You need a red Bic pen that has "exploded" right at the corner of the pocket. If you’re going for the mid-movie look, that’s when the fake blood starts to spray.
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The Tie: Stacy Adams or Bust?
The tie is a deep red with subtle diagonal stripes. It’s a classic "power tie" for someone who has absolutely no power. Interestingly, prop collectors and costume enthusiasts often point to Stacy Adams as the brand that makes the closest match to the screen-worn version. It needs to be about 3 inches wide.
Wait. Don't knot it too perfectly. By the time Shaun and Ed are at the Winchester, that tie is loosened. Eventually, it ends up tied around Shaun’s head like a Rambo headband to stop the bleeding from a dart wound.
The Gear Nobody Talks About
Everyone remembers the shirt. Nobody remembers the shoes. If you’re wearing bright white Nikes, you’ve failed the shaun of the dead outfit vibe check.
Shaun wears sensible, slightly scuffed black leather work shoes. Think "I stand on my feet all day explaining the difference between a DVD and a laserdisc." His trousers are standard black formal slacks, usually identified as being from The Gap (specifically the "Classic Fit" or "Straight Fit" from the early 2000s era).
The Foree Electric Name Tag
This is the "make or break" accessory. It’s a white rectangular badge with the Foree Electric logo.
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- Company Name: Foree Electric
- Name: Shaun
- Title: Sales Adviser (Spelled with an 'er', not 'or'—very British).
You can find 3D-printable files for this on sites like Thingiverse, or just buy a high-quality resin version on Etsy. If you’re making it yourself, don't use a sharpie on a piece of cardboard. It looks cheap. Print it on glossy photo paper and laminate it.
The Weapon of Choice: J. Salter & Son
The cricket bat is the soul of the outfit. It isn’t just "a bat." The specific prop used in the film was a J. Salter & Son cricket bat. It’s a Grade 4 English Willow bat that has seen better days.
If you're carrying a baseball bat, you're not Shaun. You're just a guy in a stained shirt. The cricket bat has that flat face and the distinct handle grip (usually black rubber). For those taking this to a convention, buy a foam replica. Security tends to frown on people carrying 2.5 pounds of solid willow into a crowded hall.
Why This Look Actually Works
It’s about the "Everyman." Edgar Wright and costume designer Annie Hardinge didn't want Shaun to look like a hero. They wanted him to look like he was caught mid-shift.
Honestly, the brilliance of the shaun of the dead outfit is the weathering. A brand-new, crisp white shirt looks like you’re going to a job interview. To make it authentic, you need to "distress" it. Wash the shirt five times. Scuff the knees of the pants. Use a mixture of coffee and watered-down black paint to create "grime" around the collar.
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For the blood, don't use the bright neon "vampire" blood from the dollar store. It dries pink and looks fake. You want "Arterial Red" stage blood—something with a bit of a brownish tint that looks like it’s actually oxidizing on the fabric.
Shopping List for the Perfect Shaun
If you're heading out to pull this together, don't overcomplicate it. Hit up a thrift store first. You'd be surprised how many "white short-sleeve work shirts" end up in the donation bin.
- Short-sleeve white Oxford shirt: Look for a chest pocket. You need it for the pen leak.
- Red striped tie: Keep the stripes subtle.
- Black slacks: Avoid jeans. It’s a uniform.
- Black leather shoes: The more boring, the better.
- The Badge: Get the Foree Electric logo right.
- Red Pen: A standard red Bic. Let it leak.
- The Cricket Bat: Salter & Son style.
Actionable Insights for Cosplayers
If you want to win a costume contest or just look like you know your cinema, focus on the "Dart Headband" phase. Most people do the "clean" Shaun. If you do the "Winchester" Shaun, you get to wrap the tie around your head and use a lot more fake blood.
To get that "leaky pen" look without ruining the shirt forever (though, let's be real, you're ruining it anyway), use a red fabric marker. Start with a small dot and slowly "bloom" it outwards. It looks way more realistic than just drawing a circle.
If you're carrying the bat all night, wrap the handle in black athletic tape. It gives you a better grip and hides the fact that you might be using a cheaper, non-branded bat.
Lastly, remember the hair. Simon Pegg has that slightly messy, "I just woke up and my girlfriend dumped me" strawberry-blonde look. Use a little matte pomade to get that bedhead texture. Don't go too crazy with the styling. The goal is to look like you've had the worst day of your life, which, to be fair, Shaun has.
To take your shaun of the dead outfit to the next level, focus on the layering—Shaun actually wears a dark blue Gap zip-up jacket during the early "shop" scenes and the initial garden encounter. Adding that jacket, then removing it later to reveal the "red on you" stain, creates a narrative flow to your costume that most people completely overlook.