What You’ll Need
Nick Ramos spends the entirety of Dead Rising 3 surviving a quarantine zone in practical, blue-collar mechanic gear rather than tactical combat armor. His default look is built around navy utility coveralls, sturdy work boots, and heavy shop weathering, making it one of the most accessible zombie-survival costumes to put together from real workwear.
The outfit’s identity comes down to how the clothing is worn and the specific details attached to it. Nick rarely keeps his jumpsuit zipped up like a factory uniform; he wears the sleeves tied around his waist over an undershirt, sporting a distinct shop patch on the chest and a hidden plot detail tattooed right onto the back of his neck.
The Mechanic Coveralls
A standard pair of navy or dark slate blue Coveralls provides the entire foundation for Nick’s silhouette. Sturdy cotton-twill utility jumpsuits with a relaxed fit match the in-game model best. Since Nick spends most of his time moving through Los Perdidos with the top half unzipped, you will want a pair with enough slack in the torso to comfortably tie the sleeves around your hips without pulling the crotch or waist uncomfortably tight.
Underneath the tied-down suit, wear a fitted short-sleeve crewneck or ribbed tank top in charcoal grey, faded olive, or muted tan. Because this base layer gets exposed when the sleeves are dropped, matching the dirt and grease level of the undershirt to the outer suit keeps the survivor aesthetic believable.
Adding the Shop Patch
Nick works at Wrench’s Auto Repair, and his uniform features a classic mechanic name patch sewn directly above the chest pocket. An embroidered oval or rectangular service Patch with a dark border works nicely here. If you want canon accuracy, you can paint or stitch “Nick” or an automotive logo across the center before securing it to the fabric.
If your coveralls are worn tied around your waist, the patch will sit lower along your thigh or hip. You can attach it with fabric glue, heat-activated adhesive, or a quick whipstitch around the perimeter so it stays firmly in place while you walk.
The Number 12 Tattoo
One of the most critical story elements on Nick’s body is the number “12” tattoo placed at the base of his skull on the back of his neck. In Dead Rising 3, this marking reveals his connection to the Santa Cabeza experiments. Skipping this detail leaves you looking like an ordinary grease monkey, while including it immediately identifies the character.
A semi-permanent cosmetic Tattoo pen gives you the sharpest lines and resists sweat throughout a long day. The number is rendered in a blocky, stencil-like Roman or athletic font with solid black fill. Because of its awkward location right below the hairline, draft the shape on paper first or have a friend trace it onto your neck rather than attempting to draw it backwards in a mirror.
Footwear and Weathering
Nick needs footwear that can handle sprinting through undead hordes and clambering across vehicle wreckage. A dark brown or oil-tanned black pair of Work Boots completes the bottom half. Classic lug-soled steel-toe or moc-toe utility boots look right at home tucked loosely under the straight-leg hem of the coveralls.
Clean workwear looks fresh off a department store rack, which breaks the illusion of a zombie outbreak. Rubbing diluted black acrylic wash, dark brown fabric paint, and actual graphite powder into the knees, cuffs, and tool pockets simulates grease from engine repair and debris from street combat. Focus the heaviest grime around the elbows, thigh pockets, and boot toes where an active mechanic would naturally pick up stains.
