Last updated: June 17, 2026·🔄 Product links checked and unavailable products replaced with current alternatives for 2026.· By Serdar

Halloween Costume Guide

Lexa From The 100 Halloween Costume Guide

Commander of the Grounder coalition. She led twelve clans, rewrote the rules of war, and still found time to look like this.

Alycia Debnam-Carey Face Paint Leather Medieval Sword Warrior
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Quick Answer: The Lexa costume is a layered Grounder warrior build where the pauldron and forehead marking do the recognition work.
  • Pauldron Shoulder Armor (essential)
  • Black Face Paint for forehead marking (essential)
  • Long Brown Wig
  • Ripped Pullover Sweater
  • Leather Belt, Bracers, Leg Garter, and Riding Boots

Lexa commands the Grounder coalition, a group of twelve clans that rebuilt society on a post-nuclear Earth, and she does it by being the most strategically ruthless person in any room. She is played by Alycia Debnam-Carey in The 100, the CW series that ran from 2014 to 2020 (Wikipedia). The costume is built from layered leather and dark textiles, topped with a left-shoulder pauldron and a geometric black marking on the forehead. People who watched the show will know her immediately. People who did not will still read the costume correctly as post-apocalyptic warrior commander, which is a reasonable outcome.

Items Total9 + Accessories
DifficultyMedium
VibePost-Apocalyptic Commander
Cost$60–$150

Lexa Halloween Costume: The Look

Lexa from The 100 Halloween costume infographic showing pauldron shoulder armor, brown wig, distressed sweater, leather belt, arm bracers, leg garter, fingerless gloves, riding boots, and dark leggings

Lexa Costume Items

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Lexa The 100 Grounder Commander Post-Apocalyptic
  • 1 Pauldron Shoulder Armor (essential)This is the single most recognizable piece of the costume. It goes on the left shoulder and needs to stay there. The pauldron is what separates a generic post-apocalyptic warrior from a specific character. If it is shifting or tilting, the whole costume reads as unfinished. Check the strap fit before you go out. A riveted or studded design in dark leather is closest to the show.
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  • 2 Long Brown WigLexa’s hair is long, brown, and partially braided, kept out of her face in a practical way. The wig does not need to be perfectly styled. A loose braid or two at the sides with the rest left down is enough. If your own hair is already long and brown, skip it.
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  • 3 Ripped Pullover SweaterDark, distressed, and as un-fashionable as possible. The base layer should look functional and worn, not styled. Avoid anything with visible branding or decorative cuts. A textured knit with some tearing or fraying at the hem is about right.
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  • 4 Fingerless GlovesCheck your closet first. Dark fingerless gloves are common enough that buying them specifically for this may not be necessary.
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  • 5 Medieval Leather BeltWide, dark, and worn at the waist over the sweater. It anchors the layered accessories below it. A flat, undecorated belt works but a studded version is closer to the character.
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  • 6 Tall Shaft Riding BootDark, flat-soled, and knee-height. They should look like they have been worn outside. Avoid anything with a fashion heel or visible buckles that read as modern.
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  • 7 Leather Battle Arm Guard BracersThese go on both forearms and add most of the visible leather texture to the arms. Fasten them snugly so they do not rotate during the night.
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  • 8 Leather Leg GarterClips at the thigh over the leggings. It is a small detail but it adds to the layered Grounder look and gives the costume vertical interest between the belt and the boots.
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  • 9 Seamless Full LeggingsDark, plain, and form-fitting. The leggings are the base layer visible below the sweater hem. They should disappear into the boots. Keep them simple.
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Lexa Halloween Costume: Bladed Weapons & Accessories

Lexa from The 100 Halloween costume accessories infographic showing medieval sword with scabbard, leather baldric belt, lace trim leather detail, Damascus steel knife, black face paint, and dragonhide epaulette armor

Lexa Weapons & Accessories

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Sword Baldric Face Paint Armor
  • 1 Medieval Middle Ages Sword & ScabbardLexa carries a sword and she knows how to use it. At a convention or outdoor event this prop is worth bringing. At a crowded indoor party it becomes a problem fast. The scabbard on your back is fine on its own even without drawing it.
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  • 2 Leather Baldric BeltWorn diagonally across the chest to hold the sword at the back. Put it on before the pauldron so it sits under the armor, not over it. The baldric alone, without the sword, still adds structure to the upper body.
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  • 3 Lace Lacing LeatherUsed to add trim detail to the sweater cuffs or as lacing on the bracers for a more hand-assembled look. Optional, but it adds texture that reads as costume rather than regular clothing.
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  • 4 Handmade Damascus Steel KnifeA secondary blade at the belt or thigh. Lexa carries multiple weapons. This one is small enough to carry comfortably all night, which makes it a more practical prop than the sword at a party.
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  • 5 Face Body Paint Black (essential)This is the forehead marking, and it is required. The symbol sits at the center of the forehead and marks Lexa as the Heda, the Commander of the Grounder coalition. Look at a reference image before applying it. A rough version will read as face paint rather than the specific marking. Use a fine brush, apply it after the wig is on, and set it with setting spray so it does not transfer.
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  • 6 Epaulettes Dragonhide ArmorAn alternative or addition to the pauldron if you want a more dramatic shoulder piece. Dragonhide epaulettes add scale texture and visual weight. They read as commander-level armor rather than basic warrior gear.
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Lexa from The 100 seated on her branch-woven throne wearing dark post-apocalyptic warrior gear including leather gauntlets, studded belt, tall boots, and layered dark tunic

How to Style the Lexa Halloween Costume

The pauldron has to sit correctly on the left shoulder before you walk out. That is the first thing people see, and if it is tilting or clearly about to fall off, the costume reads as someone who bought warrior armor without checking the fit. The forehead marking is the second thing people check. A smeared or asymmetric marking looks like rushed face paint. If either of those two elements is slightly wrong, the costume becomes “generic warrior” rather than Lexa specifically.

There is a moment in Season 2 where Lexa tells Clarke that love is weakness, completely serious, and Clarke does not agree. Lexa does not argue. She just moves on, as if the conversation is already over. That is the energy at the party. She is not cold. She has just already decided how things are going to go, and the rest of the room will catch up when they catch up.

Set the face paint before you leave the house

Black face paint migrates at parties. Sweat, contact from other people, and resting your hand on your face will all work against it within a few hours. Apply it after the wig is on and your costume is fully assembled, then use a setting spray or translucent powder over the top. Even with setting, check it once during the night. A partially faded commander marking just looks like a smudge by midnight.

The sword is a venue decision, not a costume decision

Outdoors, convention floor, or a house party with space: bring it. Crowded bar, indoor venue, anywhere with a coat check: leave it at home and wear the baldric without it. The baldric strap across the chest communicates “armed” clearly enough. Carrying a sword in a tight venue means you will spend the night apologizing for it.

Lexa Group Halloween Costume Ideas

Group Idea: The 100 Cast

The Grounder Coalition

Strong group for a crowd that watched the show. The visual contrast works because each character has a distinct look: Lexa’s armor, Octavia’s warrior gear, Clarke’s arc jacket, Raven’s mechanical leg brace. Clarke and Raven are not Grounders, which is actually part of what makes the dynamic interesting. Anyone in this group who does not know the show will spend the night asking which character they are. That is fine as long as everyone builds the costume properly.

Lexa Octavia Blake Clarke Griffin Raven Reyes

Group Idea: Post-Apocalyptic Leaders

Post-Apocalyptic Survivors & Leaders

Strong concept because each character built authority in a world that had already ended, and each costume is visually distinct. Furiosa’s chrome mouth, Alpha’s walker mask, and Lexa’s commander armor are different enough that the group reads without explanation. Maggie is the least immediately recognizable in warrior terms, which means whoever plays her needs to commit to the details. At a general Halloween party this group works better than The 100 cast alone, because Furiosa and Alpha carry broader recognition.

Lexa Furiosa Alpha Maggie Greene

Group Idea: Clan Leaders & Shieldmaidens

Fierce Clan Leaders & Shieldmaidens

Might work, but this group only fully lands at a convention. Lagertha and Brida are well-known within the historical drama crowd. Eivor is a video game character, which means the costume needs to be built from game reference and the person playing her will get fewer automatic recognitions than the others. The concept holds together visually because all four costumes are warrior women in layered leather and armor. Whether that visual is enough to carry the group at a general party depends entirely on your crowd.

Lexa Eivor Lagertha Brida
Lexa from The 100 in full commander costume showing the riveted left-shoulder pauldron with dark fringe, cross-body leather baldric strap, distressed dark top, and her signature forehead commander marking with braided hair

Lexa Halloween Costume DIY Tips

Building the Look

Most of this costume can be thrifted or assembled from existing dark clothing. The pauldron and bracers are the only items you almost certainly have to buy. Everything else is about finding the right texture and colour rather than the right specific product.

  • Leggings and sweater: check your closet first. Any dark, worn-looking base layer works. Tear the sweater hem slightly if it looks too clean.
  • Leather belt: thrift stores. A wide brown or black belt is common. Studded is better, plain is fine.
  • Bracers: buy these. Making functional bracers from scratch is harder than it looks.
  • Pauldron: also buy. A homemade pauldron needs to hold its shape and stay on, which requires materials and time that may not be worth it.
  • Riding boots: check your closet. Tall dark boots are a reasonable thrift find.
  • Leg garter: a strip of dark leather laced at the thigh works if you cannot find one ready-made.

The Forehead Marking

This is the part most people rush and it is the part most people will look at. The symbol is geometric, sits centered on the forehead, and does not extend past the hairline. Look at a reference image and sketch it lightly before committing to the full line.

  • Use a fine brush, not a finger. Fingers smear.
  • Apply after the wig is on. The hairline position changes where the marking sits.
  • Setting spray over the top. Without it, the marking will migrate by 10pm.
  • Bring a small mirror and the face paint tube with you. Touch-ups are likely.
  • If you make a mistake while applying it, a damp cotton swab removes the wet paint cleanly before it sets.

Lexa Halloween Costume: FAQ

The pauldron shoulder armor and forehead marking are the two items that make this costume work. Start with dark leggings and a distressed pullover, add the leather belt, arm bracers, leg garter, and riding boots, then layer the pauldron on top. Apply the black commander marking at the center of your forehead with a fine brush, set it with spray, and add the long brown wig.

Lexa’s death in Season 3 of The 100 became one of the most talked-about moments in TV fandom, which keeps her recognizable to people who followed the show closely. Outside that audience, recognition drops fast. At a general Halloween party you are more likely to get “cool warrior costume” than “oh that’s Lexa,” but the costume looks deliberate and well-built even without the context.

Two lines define her. The first is her philosophy of leadership: “Blood must not have blood.” The second is quieter and lands harder: “My fight is over.”

Lexa is played by Alycia Debnam-Carey, an Australian actress also known for playing Alicia Clark in Fear the Walking Dead. She appeared in The 100 across Seasons 2 and 3. The series was created by Jason Rothenberg and ran on The CW from 2014 to 2020 (The 100 Fandom Wiki).

The marking is the Heda symbol, worn by the Commander of the Grounder coalition. Every Commander before Lexa wore a version of it. It is applied in black face paint at the center of the forehead and is the most recognizable element of the costume after the pauldron.

Yes. The sword is useful at a convention where you have room to carry it, but at a crowded party it becomes a problem after about twenty minutes. The baldric belt reads correctly with or without the sword attached, and the knife is a more practical prop for indoor venues.

Lexa is the Commander of the Grounder coalition, a confederation of twelve clans that rebuilt society on a post-nuclear Earth. She is one of the few people Clarke Griffin treats as an equal, which is most of what drives their dynamic through Seasons 2 and 3 of the show.