Carbon Costume

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.

Kiriko (voiced by Sally Amaki) is a support hero in the Overwatch game series.  Kiriko uses kunai as a weapon and has healing abilities, and is aided by a kitsune spirit, which heavily influences her design.  When searching for a costume, there are several full cosplay outfits available for purchase if you’re willing to shell out for the convenience of getting everything together at once.  Otherwise, you can save money if you’re willing to get a little creative by layering a skirt over leggings paired with a short-sleeved top.  (Cut the front panel of the skirt for an even closer match.)  You’ll also need a wig, kitsune-inspired headband, fingerless gloves, and red high tops to complete the look.

Maudie Miller (played by Anna Cooke) is the protagonist of Netflix’s The InBESTigators.  When Maudie meets Ezra Banks, the two decide to create a detective agency with fellow classmates Ava Andrikides and Kyle Kimson in order to solve mysteries at school and in their neighborhood.  Maudie wears many different outfits throughout the series, but if you want to dress as her, you can’t go wrong with a pinafore dress over a long-sleeved shirt, as she dons similar outfits on several occasions. Such instances include a blue corduroy pinafore she wears over patterned leggings and a striped shirt, paired with brown booties.  To really drive home her P.I. aspirations, you could also add a trench coat.

Marlene (played by Merle Dandridge, the only actor to reprise her role from the original game) is the leader of the Boston Fireflies in the HBO video game adaptation The Last of Us. At the start of the series, Ellie is in the custody of the Fireflies under Marlene’s command, but she asks Joel and Theresa to take custody of her after a deal gone wrong leaves her injured.  Marlene’s clothing is indicative of her status as a militia leader.  She wears sturdy boots and tactical pants with a form-fitting tank top layered over a utilitarian sports bra.

Kathleen Coghlan (played by Melanie Lynskey) is the leader of a rogue group of survivors in HBO’s The Last of Us.  After taking over the QZ and Fedra in Kansas City, Kathleen and her followers, including Perry, seek to hunt down a man responsible for reporting on her brother to the military police force they’ve since overthrown.  Kathleen has long, dark hair that she pulls back, and wears rugged jeans, sturdy boots, and a grey military jacket over a beige collared shirt.  She straps her handgun to her left thigh with a black holster.

Romi (voiced by Lie Ji-hyun in the original Korean and Catalina Natasha in the English dub) is the main protagonist of Catch! Teenieping.  Romi is a princess from the Emotions Kingdom who now lives as a regular high schooler in Harmony Town while secretly collecting the Teeniepings.  Romi has long pink hair and can often be found wearing the same shade throughout her outfit.  It might be tricky to try to recreate her look exactly, but there are certainly ways to get close.  For instance, a bright pink sailor suit could work for her season one look.  Otherwise, a pink skater skirt with a puff sleeve blouse and light pink bow tie will also be a close match.  To recreate her look later in the series, try to find a pink plaid skirt with attached suspenders and swap out the pink bow for a blue one.  Either way, complete the look with white and pink knee socks and bright pink mary jane shoes.  Lastly, a Teenieping plush can add the finishing touches to your costume if you’re a fan of props.

Queen Tara (voiced by Beyoncé) is a character in the CGI animated feature Epic.  As the ruler of Moonhaven, Queen Tara was dedicated to her people and protecting the forest.  When recreating her look, it’s important to take a little care to layer a few pieces together to get as close to the original movie look as possible.  First, you’ll want to choose a skirt with plenty of ruffles.  Depending on where you’ll be, a shorter skirt may be more practical than one with a train that looks closer to the original.  A petticoat, which is normally worn under a dress, can be a good match.  For her intricate top, try layering a bolero shrug under a cold shoulder top with a more asymmetrical look.

Ellie Williams (played by Bella Ramsey) is a main character of HBO’s horror series The Last of Us.   Ellie is a young teenage girl who appears to be immune to the devastating fungal infection that has turned much of humanity into zombie-like creatures.  Ellie ends up leaving the Boston Quarantine Zone with Joel and Theresa after Marlene is injured.  Ellie’s costume is relatively simple, with lots of practical layers including jeans, a baseball tee, a hoodie, and a study jacket.  She also carries a switchblade, which a prop knife can be used in place of.