Carbon Costume Posts by Allison
Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender
Katara is a teenage girl from the Water Tribe with waterbending abilities. One fateful day, on an outing with her older brother Sokka, she encounters a young boy seemingly trapped inside an iceberg hundreds of times his size. That boy is the Avatar, a master bender of the four elements. Katara and Sokka become his friends and allies, protecting him (and sometimes keeping his natural childishness in check) on a harrowing, three-season adventure. Katara dresses warmly to suit the icy climate she grew up in – to imitate the heavy fur robe she wears, you can add fur trim to the collar and hem of the wrap dress we’ve listed above. To achieve Katara’s hairstyle, check out this tutorial from Sil Vous Plaits.
Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac
The band Fleetwood Mac’s lineup has gone through multiple changes since its bluesy beginnings in the 1960s, but their most recognizable sound is thanks in part to the musical contributions of Stevie Nicks and her songwriting partner (then romantic partner as well), Lindsey Buckingham. Flowing black dresses, shawls themed after her hit songs, and extremely high-heeled boots are practically synonymous with Stevie Nicks’ stage presence.
Ed Sheeran
In 2013, Ed Sheeran topped GQ‘s list of Worst-Dressed Males, but that’s just one magazine’s opinion. Ed Sheeran is an unabashedly comfortable dresser, that’s all! After breaking his elbow and wrist in a bicycling accident and bouncing back well enough to still be able to play guitar, he really deserves to dress as comfortably as possible on stage. And for those of us who disagree with GQ, here’s a handy guide for recreating Ed Sheeran’s aesthetic.
Madonna from The Virgin Tour
From the start of her decades-long career of pop stardom, Madonna embraced a scandalous, envelope-pushing image. As tame as it looks through modern eyes, Madonna’s penchant for wearing cropped tops, short skirts, and singing about “sensitive” topics like virginity raised eyebrows in the 1980s. She unabashedly titled her debut concert tour The Virgin Tour, and wore this lacy, white getup consistent that turned the culturally traditional bridal aesthetic completely on its head.
Elsa from Jojo Rabbit
While exploring the attic in his home, a German boy named Jojo Betzler discovers that his mother Rosie has rescued a young Jewish woman from the horrors of the Holocaust. (Granted, Jojo is rather oblivious to the whole thing, having been quite propagandized by the Nazi party’s youth movement.) When he first meets Elsa Korr (Thomasin McKenzie), she’s emaciated and barefoot, but she hasn’t lost her wit, spunk, or spirit. She goes so far as to steal his pocket knife and set him straight on some unfortunate stereotypes!
James West from The Wild Wild West
Pitched as “James Bond of the Wild West,” Jim West was the anachronistically tech-savvy, brawling, and oh, so debonair Secret Service agent for President Ulysses S. Grant. Together with his partner, Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), the wild, wild West (Robert Conrad) traveled the country by train and stopped various threats to the nation’s security following the Civil War. Did he get sidetracked by beautiful women, stuntmen, and steampunk-esque obstacles along the way? Of course, but that’s all part of what made this classic western show all the more entertaining.
Zorro
Brought to life on the screen by the likes of Antonio Banderas and Tyrone Powers, Johnston McCulley’s fictional masked hero has enchanted readers and moviegoers alike for over one hundred years. Zorro (born Don Alejandro de la Vega) is a skilled acrobat and swordsman. You’ll know only after the fact that he saved the day when you find the villains’ bodies sliced with three cuts, forming the letter Z — the mark of Zorro.
Sharona Fleming from Monk
For former San Francisco Police Detective Adrian Monk, the world is a jungle of germs, compulsions, and amazing water. Fortunately for him (and perhaps a bit unfortunately for her), his practical nurse, Bitty Schram’s Sharona Fleming is there to help him navigate it. At least, she was for the first two and a half seasons. Despite her uptight title, Sharona’s sense of style — a mix of punk and sixties retro — evokes a whimsical, “devil may care” vibe, perhaps to compensate for her daily stressors as the single mother of a rambunctious son, and careworn assistant to a man struggling with extreme OCD. Here, we’ve put together an approximation of various outfits Sharona’s worn throughout her time on Monk – she generally favors V-necks, miniskirts, numerous necklaces and chokers, and the color blue.
Black Canary from Birds of Prey
In the beginning, Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) uses her metahuman-enhanced vocal abilities solely for entertainment in a crime boss’s personal club. She swaps that role out for a life of vigilante action with Harley Quinn‘s all-girl Birds of Prey team.
Lena Luthor from Supergirl
Did someone say #bosslady? Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath) is the CEO of L-Corp, a company she took over from her brother Lex, the self-proclaimed greatest criminal mind. When their agendas align, Lena is a staunch ally of Supergirl and her friends; independently, she considers Kara Danvers (Supergirl’s alter ego) a dear friend.
Lena’s outfits on The CW’s Supergirl reflect her businesslike attitude, revolving around dressy blouses, pencil skirts, and blazers. This tutorial shows you how to recreate two of her more formal outfits: one consisting of a blazer set, buttoned-down blouse, and vest; and one that incorporates a more adventurous sheer lace top that reminds me of one of Katie McGrath’s more medieval roles.
