[ASK] game equipment

Hi, newbie here…
I want to know how people usually manage a game that have a ‘equipment’ feature…

Let’s say that I want to make a side scrolling game, and in that game the main character can equip some armor and weapons, and he can also change his equipments…
what is the best way I can do to change his equipments dynamically?
I mean, do I have to draw the main character’s body with many frames on it? (for example, the head part have a lot of frames contains the head sprite and all the head’s equipments), or if there’s a better way to do it?

my english is sucks, forgive me…