Carbon Costume

Johnny Cade (played by Ralph Macchio) is a member of the greaser gang at the heart of The Outsiders.  Johnny is close with Ponyboy, the main character of the film and the narrator of the book upon which it is based.  They are the two youngest members of the gang.  Johnny has a slight build and dark hair, which he styles to fall over one side of his face.  Johnny has a scar on his left cheek from an altercation with the Socs.  To create your costume, you’ll need blue jeans, black and white sneakers, and a black wig.  Use a denim jacket to complete the look.  To replicate Johnny’s scar, you can use a wax scar kit and some foundation that matches your skin tone.  Lastly, Johnny begins carrying a switchblade after he’s attacked by the Socs, and a trick knife can play the part for you.

June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) is the protagonist of The Handmaid’s Tale, a 2017 live action series on Hulu. The show was an adaptation of the novel written by Margaret Atwood. In the futuristic dystopia of Gilead, June is forced to serve as a Handmaid because she is still capable of bearing children. She is referred to as Offred, as the Handmaid of Fred Waterford, the pious dictator. However, June manages to escape and become free – though then she must face his cruel wife, Serena.

Ruby is the protagonist of The Darkest Minds, a YA novel trilogy. On the night of her tenth birthday, she accidentally erases her parents’ memories of her. It’s revealed that she developed mysterious new abilities, and gets classified as an Orange, the most dangerous of all. Ruby gets sent to Camp Thurmond, but she escapes and joins a group of runaways seeking refuge. Amandla Stenberg portrays Ruby in the movie adaptation.

Nimona is the eponymous protagonist of Nimona, a fantasy graphic novel written by ND Stevenson (who you may recall as the creator of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.) Nimona is a young, feisty shapeshifter who allies with villain Ballister Blackheart to destroy the Institute. Despite his strong code of ethics, Nimona will do anything to come out victorious. An animated Netflix adaptation will debut in the summer of 2023.

Duncan Idaho (played by Jason Momoa) is a swordmaster in the service of House Atreides.  In Dune, Duncan helps train Paul Atreides before his death.  In the 2021 film, Duncan has long wavy hair and a muscular build.  He often wears a stillsuit after moving to Arrakis in the service of Duke Leto.  To make your own stillsuit, you may need to get a little creative, as padded pieces that look the part are often the wrong color.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with a little spray paint to get the look you want.  Duncan also wears more casual clothing when training Paul, and any costume will be enhanced with a short, straight sword to help look the part.

Lady Jessica (played by Rebecca Ferguson) is the mother of Paul Atreides in Dune.  Lady Jessica and her son must flee their home and try to survive by seeking refuge with the Fremen of Arrakis.  Lady Jessica wears a plethora of luxurious clothing suiting her status as the wife of a Duke.  One of her most memorable costumes is a gold ensemble complete with a long train and body chains.  To recreate her appearance, don a gold face chain and layer a rhinestone mesh long-sleeve shirt under a dress, with a gold bib necklace over top.  A sheer gold scar will complete the look.  Some of Lady Jessica’s other costumes include an elegant red gown paired with a simple gold finger chain, and her dark cloak worn when interacting with others in the Bene Gesserit sect of which she is a part.

Chani Kynes (played by Zendaya) is a Fremen from the planet of Arrakis in the sci-fi movie Dune.  Chani’s people have lost their lands to colonizers in search of spice melenge, and she appears in visions had by Paul Atreides long before they meet.  Chani’s primary attire consists of a stillsuit, designed to help a person survive the difficult climate of Arrakis by recycling sweat and tears into drinking water.  You can make your own stillsuit using padded tactical pants and gloves, as well as a motorcycle or paintball jacket.  Your scarf can help strategically cover the parts of the jacket that don’t match the original as well.  In Paul’s visions, Chani often wears a long white robe or dress.  One of the Fremen’s defining features are their bright blue eyes, a side effect of long-term exposure to spice.  If you plan to wear blue contacts as part of your costume, it’s best to have yourself fitted by an eye doctor to make sure you have the right size and they don’t cause any damage.

Carmelita Spats (played by Kitana Turnbull) is a spoiled bully at the Austere Academy in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.  Carmelita bullies the Baudelaires, including Klaus, for being orphans.  Carmelita has red hair worn in ringlets with pink bows.  Her wardrobe tends toward pink dresses with white tights and short heels.  To recreate her look, you’ll want to find a pink dress to build your costume around.  Any pink dress can work, though something that is frilly and high-collared will be best, since it will also give you a place to wear her signature brooch, which she eventually gives to Count Olaf.