Carbon Costume

Finn Wittrock is a master character actor. He’s been in five seasons of Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story”, each time as a uniquely memorable character. And it all started with the role of Dandy Mott in “American Horror Story: Freak Show”. Dandy is the heir of a wealthy family, one housing a dark secret that explains part of Dandy’s obsession with the odd and that he feels explains his own violent nature.

As the heir to a wealthy family in the ’50s, Dandy has a specific sense of style. Casual clothing consists of white slacks and a blue polo sweater over a white button down shirt, his belt and shoes a matching tan leather. When he wants to be a bit more dashing he opts for a white suit with an orange vest and orange ascot. The same white button down shirt can be used, though he opts for white dress shoes for his suit. In both cases you will either need pomade or a black wig to emulate his slicked-back hairstyle.

If you need someone assassinated in New York — and you’re in good with Kingpin — then you want Tombstone.  Anyone who remembers him as Lonnie Thompson Lincoln knows better than to call him by his real name. He’s spent his life becoming one of the most feared men in the city and it’s a reputation he’s all too happy to reinforce over and over again.

Tombstone’s look is, thankfully, easy to achieve than his reputation. Because Tombstone’s pale skin and white hair are a result of albinism, it may be offensive to recreate them with makeup. Instead you can get his look with a sharp suit, colorful shirt, dark tie and matching shoes. Then all you need is a set of sharp fake teeth to recreate the points Tombstone filed his into and you are ready to take our Kingpin’s enemies. Just watch out for those pesky heroes.

Anne Boleyn – both the character and the actual woman – was cunning and clever. She knew how life at court worked and did all she could to make the best life for herself in a world that seemed stacked against her. Natalie Dormer’s portrayal of her is a fan favorite from The Tudors and brought new attention to the tragic life lived by the mother of Queen Elizabeth the First.

Though Anne wears several gowns on the show one of her most popular is the yellow gown she wears to Catherine’s funeral. Given the intricate styles of the Tudor era it is hard to easily replicate the dress. Etsy sellers have a few listed, one of which is pictured to the left in the image above. The option to the right is from Amazon. With either option you’ll want a hoop to fill out the skirt, a brunette wig, and a Boleyn necklace. A pair of thigh high socks and white ballet slippers dyed yellow finish the look.

Some might know him best as Ferris Bueller’s unimpressed teacher. But a whole generation of children grew up knowing Ben Stein as the voice of the ever unimpressed Head Pixie. If it’s not dull, bland, and boring, he isn’t happy. And when that happens it’s bad news for Wanda, Cosmo, and Timmy.

H.P.’s look is pretty easy to get (and, as an added bonus, full of pieces that can be used for daily wear or with other cosplays) with the exception of his hat. Because it’s so unique you will have to DIY it. Cut a two grey stars out of softer, lightweight felt. Glue them together with a thin, piece of clear plastic between them. Then take flexible grey foam and shape it into a cone large enough to wear as a hat. Glue the edges down with hot glue, making sure to leave a small hole at the top of the cone. Stick the end of the plastic rod into the hole and adjust the height of the star over the hat. Trim off most of the excess inside but leave a small amount to anchor with hot glue. Fill the remaining space around the plastic rod with hot glue. Finally, take a dark grey marker and draw on the swirls around the bottom of his cap.

Once you’ve got the hat, the rest of his costume is fairly straight forward. Fake eyebrows give you something close to the white bars that H.P. sports while small wings, fake glasses and white hair spray take care of your hair and accessories. Finish off the look with a grey suit, white button down, black tie, and black shoes. If you want purple contacts to really go all-in, make sure that you get them through an eye doctor. If they’re not properly fitted to your eye shape, cosmetic contacts can do serious damage.

Debra Morgan (played by Jennifer Carpenter) is the snarky and foul-mouthed adopted sister of Dexter’s titular serial killer. She spends most of the show oblivious to her brother’s true nature. Once she finds out she has to grapple with her own morals and how the contrast with her love for her brother.

Most of Debra’s screen time is when she is at work and that means cosplaying as her is fairly easy and might use pieces you already have in your closet. Sensible but dressy shoes that you can run in (since she’s a police officer) as well as black slacks and a sturdy black leather belt. Debra favors somewhat loose button ups in breathable fabrics and simple, bold patterns. She also wears a belt holster for her weapon and prefers to wear her badge around her neck. A brown ombre wig completes the look, though you can wear the hair long or short depending on which season you’re pulling her looks from.

Catherine Howard (played by Tamzin Merchant) was the youngest of Henry VIII’s wives, marrying him and 17 and dying by his order between the ages of 18 and 19. The reason was adultery, though some argue that the charges were false. But even if they were true, it’s hard to blame the young queen for looking for love when her husband was 49 to her 17, a 32 year age gap.

Catherine’s story is one of tragedy and heartache, ending in her execution. It is the scene that sticks most with fans, closely followed by the way she danced both for the king and for herself. A specific request came in for her execution gown and that is what we focused on for this write up.

A simple white gown dyed black serves as the basis for the costume, one with a black slip underneath. A long black coat with attached goes over the top. And the costume would not be complete without a long blonde wig and a white cap.

Comics are almost infamous for giving one character so many variations that it can be hard to keep up and Betty Ross is no exception to the rule. Originally created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, she has become The Harpy and Red She-Hulk in multiple timelines and runs. Liv Tyler and Jennifer have both played her on the big screen, bringing to life the scientist Betty began her time as in Marvel. All the differences can make it hard to pick just one, but they have a few factors in common that makes it easier to choose!

If you’re going for Betty’s human look, the cosplay is pretty straightforward and uses pieces that you can either pull from your closet or reuse in other costumes. Start with a brown wig, then grab a button down shirt, a pair of jeans, and some heeled boots. You can also finish off the look with a white lab coat.

Red She-Hulk takes a different route. You’ll have to start with red body paint and a black wig with a red streak clipped in. The costume itself is a black zip up top, black pants, and the same black boots a before. There aren’t a lot of pieces but the red paint will take time to apply. Finish off her look with black lipstick and you are the mighty Red She-Hulk.

Santino “Sonny” Corleone (played by James Caan) might not be the most patient of men. But he is among the most loyal. Even to his death his first priority was to his family.

To get Sonny’s look you’ll need A white button down, white tank top, suspenders, and a light blue tie. A grey suit and black shoes give you Sonny’s final look. And of course Sonny wouldn’t be Sonny without the cross around his neck.