Last updated: May 9, 2026· By Serdar

Cosplay Guide

Haytham Kenway Cosplay Guide

Assassin’s Creed III  ·  Templar Grand Master  ·  Colonial Era

Tricorn hat, frock coat, velvet capelet, ruffled collar, and the quiet authority of a man who’s absolutely certain he’s right about everything.

Assassin’s Creed Pirate PlayStation Sword Victorian Era
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Quick Answer: The Haytham Kenway cosplay is 14 pieces built around two essentials.
  • Steampunk Frock Coat (essential)
  • Colonial Tricorn Hat (essential)
  • Lace Ruffled Steampunk Collar
  • Colonial Wig
  • Colonial Blouse and Red Velvet Ribbon
  • Burgundy Suede Leather Suit Vest
  • Velvet Capelet
  • Silver Colonial Pant and Captain Boot
  • Pirate Bandolier Belt
  • Pirate Toy Pistol, Pirate Sword, and Assassin’s Gauntlet Weapon

Haytham Kenway is the Grand Master of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order in Assassin’s Creed III. He’s one of the best-written characters in the entire franchise. The game spends three full sequences making you think he’s an Assassin, then reveals he’s been a Templar the whole time. It’s a great twist, and it works because Haytham is genuinely compelling regardless of which side he’s on. He’s the son of Edward Kenway, the pirate Assassin from Black Flag, and the father of Connor, the game’s main protagonist. His look is 18th century English aristocrat crossed with a man who could absolutely kill you if he needed to. You can read more about him on the Haytham Kenway Fandom page or the Haytham Kenway Wikipedia page.

Items Total14 Items
DifficultyMedium
VibeColonial Villain
Cost$100-$180

Haytham Kenway Costume Items

Haytham Kenway Assassin's Creed cosplay infographic showing all 14 costume items including the colonial tricorn hat, steampunk frock coat, burgundy suede vest, velvet capelet, lace ruffled collar, colonial wig, silver colonial pants, captain boots, pirate bandolier belt, and prop weapons

Haytham Kenway Costume Items

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Haytham Kenway Assassin’s Creed Colonial Templar
  • 1 Colonial Tricorn HatThe silhouette of Haytham’s whole look starts here. The three-cornered hat is the most immediately readable part of the outfit and the item that signals this cosplay from across the room. Get this one right and everything else follows.
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  • 2 Lace Ruffled Steampunk CollarThe ruffled collar at the neck is a key detail in Haytham’s layered look. It reads as period-accurate and adds the aristocratic finish that separates a colonial costume from a Haytham Kenway costume specifically.
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  • 3 Colonial WigHaytham’s tied-back dark hair is part of his polished, controlled appearance. The colonial wig adds that period-specific detail and helps the whole outfit read as 18th century rather than generic pirate.
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  • 4 Colonial BlouseThe base layer under everything. A proper colonial blouse with full sleeves gives the outfit the right foundation. Don’t skip it in favour of a plain white shirt. The sleeve detail shows at the cuffs and matters more than you’d think.
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  • 5 Red Velvet RibbonUsed to tie at the collar or as a cravat accent. Small detail, but it adds the right colour contrast against the dark coat and white shirt. Haytham’s outfits always have a deliberate touch of colour in the right place.
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  • 6 Burgundy Suede Leather Suit VestWorn over the blouse under the frock coat. The burgundy colour is close to Haytham’s in-game vest tones and the suede texture reads as period-appropriate. It also adds a useful extra layer for cold events.
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  • 7 Steampunk Frock CoatThe most essential purchase in the build. Haytham’s long, tailored coat with its dark colour and decorative detail is the core of the entire look. If you’re going to spend money anywhere on this cosplay, spend it here.
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  • 8 Pirate Toy PistolHaytham carries a flintlock pistol throughout the game. The toy pistol prop adds the weapons detail without any of the obvious complications. Tuck it into the bandolier belt for hands-free carrying.
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  • 9 Velvet CapeletThe capelet draped over the shoulders is one of the most distinctive elements of Haytham’s layered outfit. It’s also one of those items that confuses people who don’t know the character and immediately delights those who do.
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  • 10 Pirate SwordA rapier or colonial sword prop rounds out the Templar Grand Master look. Haytham is an extremely capable swordsman in the game. The prop sword is optional at smaller events but adds a lot to photos.
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  • 11 Silver Colonial PantPeriod-appropriate trousers in a neutral silver or grey tone to match the lower half of Haytham’s in-game outfit. The colonial cut keeps the silhouette historically consistent from waist to boot.
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  • 12 Pirate Bandolier BeltThe bandolier strap worn across the chest holds the pistol and adds the military-adjacent detail that Haytham’s look needs. It also breaks up the coat silhouette in a way that reads as combat-ready rather than purely aristocratic.
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  • 13 Assassin’s Gauntlet Creed WeaponThe hidden blade gauntlet is the most Assassin’s Creed-specific item in the build. Haytham uses one despite being a Templar, which is part of what makes his character so interesting. It’s the detail that confirms which game this cosplay is from.
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  • 14 Captain BootTall, dark, heeled boots complete the colonial officer look. The height and structure of a proper captain boot finishes the silhouette correctly. Don’t substitute casual footwear here. The boots are visible and they matter.
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Haytham Kenway in Assassin's Creed III wearing his classic colonial tricorn hat and tailored blue coat with red cuffs, showing the complete Haytham Kenway outfit and costume reference

How to Style the Haytham Kenway Cosplay

Start with the colonial blouse and silver pants. Add the burgundy vest, then fasten the ruffled collar at the neck and tie the red velvet ribbon in place. Pull on the captain boots. Fit the frock coat and drape the velvet capelet over the shoulders. Clip the bandolier belt across the chest and tuck the toy pistol into it. Fit the colonial wig, centre it, and place the tricorn hat on top. Attach the Assassin’s gauntlet to the forearm. Carry the sword in hand or hang it from the belt.

Haytham’s in-character register is controlled and deliberate. He doesn’t raise his voice. He doesn’t hurry. He speaks to everyone as though he’s already decided the outcome of the conversation and is simply being polite about it. For photos, stand with your hands clasped behind your back or one hand resting on the sword pommel. A faint, slightly disappointed expression works well.

Getting the Layering Right

Haytham’s outfit is all about layering and it needs to go on in the right order or it’ll look bulky instead of tailored. The blouse goes first, collar on top, then the vest fitted close to the body. The frock coat over that, then the capelet over the coat’s shoulders. Each layer should sit cleanly over the one beneath it. If the coat bunches around the vest, try a slimmer fit vest or leave the bottom vest button undone. The silhouette from a distance should read as one clean, dark shape with the capelet as the top layer. That’s what makes it recognisable as Haytham’s outfit rather than generic colonial cosplay.

The Gauntlet: Wear It on the Left

Haytham wears his hidden blade on his left forearm. It’s a small detail but the Assassin’s Creed community will notice if it’s on the wrong side. Attach it before the coat so the sleeve sits over the upper edge of the gauntlet naturally. For events where you’re doing a lot of handshaking or carrying things, you can remove the sword and carry only the pistol and gauntlet. Those two props together are enough to communicate the character. The sword is great for photos, but it gets unwieldy after about an hour.

Haytham Kenway Group Cosplay Ideas

Assassin’s Creed Family

Haytham Kenway, Connor Kenway, and Edward Kenway

Three generations of Kenways in one group. Edward is a pirate Assassin, Haytham is a Templar Grand Master, and Connor is a Mohawk Assassin. They cover three different games and three completely opposing ideologies despite sharing a bloodline. It’s the kind of group concept that rewards people who know the lore and still reads as a coherent historical costume group to everyone else. Genuinely one of the better gaming group ideas out there if everyone’s willing to do the research.

Haytham Kenway Connor Kenway Edward Kenway

Straw Hat Pirates

Haytham Kenway, Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji

A colonial Templar walking around with the Straw Hat crew is a deeply chaotic energy that somehow works visually because everyone’s dressed for adventure. Haytham would find every single one of them exhausting. The contrast is the point. Works best at large conventions where the sheer number of characters makes the group readable at a distance.

Haytham Kenway Monkey D. Luffy Roronoa Zoro Nami Usopp Sanji

Sword-Wielding Warriors

Haytham Kenway, Kenshi, Katana, and Blade

Four fighters from completely different universes, all with blades, all with a very specific sense of personal code. It’s a niche crossover group that works mainly at comic or gaming conventions. Haytham fits more naturally here than you’d expect because his sword-fighting style in the game is controlled and technical rather than flashy. The shared weapon type gives the group visual coherence even without a franchise connection.

Haytham Kenway Kenshi Katana Blade

Historical Commanders

Haytham Kenway, Napoleon, and Galadriel

Three characters defined by authority, long coats, and the absolute certainty that they know what’s best. Napoleon for the short emperor energy, Galadriel for the ancient elvish gravitas, and Haytham for the colonial Templar control. It’s a deliberately odd combination but the visual language of commanding historical and fantasy dress ties them together better than the premise suggests. Commit to it and it becomes a conversation piece.

Haytham Kenway Napoleon Galadriel
Haytham Kenway in Assassin's Creed wearing a dark gold-trimmed overcoat with a layered cravat and leather baldric, showing his signature Templar Grand Master look used as a cosplay reference

Haytham Kenway Cosplay DIY Tips

What to Buy vs What to Already Own

The frock coat is the one item you really can’t substitute. Everything else has some flexibility. If you already have dark trousers and tall boots from a previous costume, use them. The ruffled collar and red velvet ribbon are both very cheap additions. The colonial wig matters more than people expect because Haytham’s hair is part of the character’s composed look, but a similar dark tied-back wig from any other costume works fine. The gauntlet and pistol are optional if budget is tight, but the gauntlet specifically is what separates this from a generic historical costume.

  • Frock coat: essential, spend here first
  • Tricorn hat: essential, reads at distance
  • Colonial wig: important, don’t skip if you don’t have dark hair
  • Ruffled collar and ribbon: cheap, high detail value
  • Burgundy vest: substitute a dark waistcoat from existing wardrobe if needed
  • Velvet capelet: optional but distinctive
  • Gauntlet weapon: the Assassin’s Creed-specific detail
  • Sword: great for photos, awkward after an hour
  • Boots: any tall dark boot works

Making It Read as Haytham and Not Just Colonial

A tricorn hat and frock coat reads as “pirate” or “colonial soldier” to most people. The details that make it specifically Haytham are the capelet, the ruffled collar, and the hidden blade gauntlet together. Any two of those three and the recognition goes up significantly. All three and you’ll find the Assassin’s Creed fans in the room immediately. The burgundy colour of the vest is also closer to Haytham’s actual in-game palette than a plain black vest, so it’s worth getting the colour right if you can. For photos, the tricorn angled slightly and one hand on the sword pommel is the most immediately recognisable Haytham Kenway pose.

  • Capelet plus ruffled collar plus gauntlet: the three details that confirm the character
  • Burgundy vest colour matters more than most people think
  • Tricorn angled slightly, not flat: looks more in-character
  • Hand on sword pommel: the pose that reads as Haytham in photos
  • Stay composed in character. Haytham doesn’t shout or pose dramatically. That restraint is the performance.

Haytham Kenway Cosplay: Frequently Asked Questions

The Haytham Kenway cosplay in 2026 is 14 pieces: a colonial tricorn hat, lace ruffled collar, colonial wig, colonial blouse, red velvet ribbon, burgundy suede vest, steampunk frock coat, pirate toy pistol, velvet capelet, pirate sword, silver colonial pants, pirate bandolier belt, Assassin’s Creed gauntlet weapon, and captain boots. The frock coat and tricorn hat are the two essential purchases. Everything else adds detail around them.

His most repeated line is “May the Father of Understanding guide us,” the Templar creed he delivers throughout the game. He also says “The thing that makes you righteous makes you dangerous” and tells Connor “I do not know what I am” when asked whether he stands with Assassins or Templars. His delivery is always calm, measured, and faintly condescending. For in-character performance, pick one line and underdeliver it. Haytham never raises his voice.

Yes. Grand Master of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order. The game spends three sequences making you think he’s an Assassin before revealing the twist. He’s the son of Edward Kenway, a pirate Assassin from Black Flag, and the father of Connor, the Mohawk Assassin who is the main protagonist of AC III. He has the most complicated family history in the franchise and uses a hidden blade despite being a Templar, which annoys the fandom in the best possible way.

A colonial tricorn hat. The three-cornered felt hat worn by 18th century European military officers and aristocrats. It’s the first item to source for any Haytham Kenway cosplay because it defines his silhouette more than any other single piece. Get a structured felt version rather than a floppy fabric one. The shape needs to hold.

A long tailored frock coat in dark tones with decorative trim. Haytham’s in-game coat has gold or brass accent detailing and falls to the knee. The steampunk frock coat in this guide captures the silhouette and detail level accurately. Pair it with the velvet capelet over the shoulders and the burgundy vest beneath and you have the correct layered look.

Haytham is the central figure of the first three sequences of Assassin’s Creed III, set in colonial America in the 1700s. He also appears in the novel Assassin’s Creed: Forsaken, which tells his full story from his own perspective and is worth reading if you want to understand the character beyond the game. His look is based on the ac4 Haytham outfit variations shown across both appearances.