Carbon Costume

Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck is a main character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is a Hobbit who joins the Fellowship of the Ring and its quest to destroy it and defeat Sauron. Although Merry is actually one of Frodo‘s cousins, Pippin is his constant companion. They like to adventure and pull pranks together, and while more silly than resourceful, they’re the ones who form an alliance with Treebeard. Merry himself even fights in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and helps Eowyn kill the Witch King. He likes boats and ponies, while also taking interest in the maps of Middle Earth. In the movie adaptations of Tolkien’s novels, Dominic Monaghan plays this role.

“For Cirilla is also a highly-skilled witcher, heiress to several thrones, the last bearer of the Elder Blood, a powerful […]

Nearly every child knows you should be afraid of the dark. Adults just forget. But in Rise of the Guardians, Pitch Black makes sure we remember. Voiced by Jude Law, DreamWorks’ Pitch Black is equal parts nightmare, bogeyman, and the shadow under your bed that keeps your feet tucked up tight under your blanket. He is every bit as terrifying as he in the original books by William Joyce. And it has made him one of DreamWorks’ most enduring villains.

There are two ways to go about a Pitch cosplay. The first is to forgo any body paint and let the clothing speak for itself. The other is to use grey body paint to mimic his otherworldly look. Either option works!

Regardless of which option you choose, there are a few things you will need. A black wig and black boots to start. If you want to go with the canon interpretation of Pitch you will also need a long black robe. If you want a more fandom-based version you’ll need black pants, a black shirt, and a long flowing black sweater.

(This costume also converts easily into a Sandman costume if you’re going to a multi-day con!)

Elrond is a minor character in Lord of the Rings. He is the wise and noble half-elf who rules Rivendell, as its original founder. He is also the father of Arwen. When Gandalf resists asking more from Frodo, he persuades Fellowship to continue its journey of destroying the Ring. This leads to his formation of the Council of Elrond. In the film adaptation, Hugo Weaving plays this role. This look requires some minor crafting, as you’ll need the silver puff paint to draw the pattern on the coat. Tuck the red scarf into the brown cummerbund so it drapes over.

Éowyn (played by Miranda Otto) is the sister of Éomer in The Lord of the Rings.  She is a minor character introduced late in the series.  She is at first enamored of Aragorn, though she eventually goes on to marry Faramir.  Éowyn is incredibly strong-willed and eventually impersonates a man in order to fight with her fellow countryman.  She saves King Théodon’s life and kills the Witch-King of the Nazgul, who a prophesy had said could be killed by no man.  If you’re willing to really commit to your costume, feel free to dirty up your outfit and tatter your cloak for a more authentically used look.

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet is the protagonist of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. She is unconventional because she refuses to submit to expectations of British high society. Whereas her mother urges her to marry, Elizabeth feels perfectly capable on her own, and much rather prefers the company of her eldest sister, Jane. Although she is playful and good natured, her judgmental attitude gets the best of her, as seen by a strong dislike of Mr. Darcy. In the end, Elizabeth learns not to hold initial prejudices because people’s real character can surprise her. This realization leads to an reconsideration of Darcy’s proposal, and the two get happily married. In the 2005 film adaptation, famous actress Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth.

Lirael is the only young woman in her commune, the Clayr, who has not yet manifested her people’s ability of clairvoyance. As she gets older, she comes into her own as an assistant librarian, proudly wearing the red robes of her position. (The library, full of books on magic, empowers her with other skills.) Given the lack of acceptance from her peers, Lirael and her magical canine friend take a journey to learn the truth of her past.

Bianca Castafiore is a kindhearted opera singer better known to the world as the Milanese Nightingale, although if you ask Tintin or Captain Haddock, she sounds quite awful. Herge’s heroic comic book duo seem to have a minority opinion, though, and they’ve used Bianca’s fame to their advantage while defeating globe-trotting villains. If only Señora Castafiore, who memorizes many a famous operatic piece, could get Haddock’s name right….