Carbon Costume

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….

Cindy Lou Who is a sweet young girl in How The Grinch Stole Christmas. In the original children’s book by Dr. Seuss, she is a minor character, but she becomes the secondary protagonist in the movies. This guide features her costume from the 2000 live action adaptation starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch and Taylor Momsen as Cindy. Around eight or ten years old, Cindy lives with her frazzled father in Whoville. Unlike the other Whos, she believes there is some good in the Grinch. Later she sneaks aboard the Grinch’s sleigh and helps him return all the gifts. Cindy befriends the Grinch and brings him to celebrate the holiday by singing around the giant Christmas tree. Cindy also sings  “Where Are You Christmas?” which was specifically written for that movie.

Annabeth Chase is a main character in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books written by Rick Riordan. She is a half blood, specifically the daughter of Athena, and is one of the seven demigods in the Prophecy. Like her mother, she is intelligent, witty, and level-headed. However, her fatal flaw is hubris, thinking she can do things better than everyone, even the gods. Her main weapon is a bronze knife, but she can wield any weapon with extraordinary skill. Before arriving at Camp Half Blood, she traveled alongside Luke and Thalia. At first, she playfully teased Percy, but their friendship eventually blossomed into romance.

Bridget Jones (played by Renée Zellweger) is the every-woman heroine of Bridget Jones’s Diary and its two sequels. Bridget is an unlucky in love woman who chronicles her personal and professional life in a diary as she navigates her thirties in London. Bridget is well-known for often wearing clothing that may seem inappropriate by others’ standards, making her outfits fun to recreate. It would be difficult to find Bridget’s exact Christmas party look from the first movie, but you can evoke the same feeling by finding a vintage skirt and vest set in holiday colors. Likewise, if you’d like to replicate her look from the “absent skirt” incident from Bridget’s office, only a black mini with matching tights will do.

Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) is the protagonist and narrator of The Outsiders written by S.E. Hinton. He is the youngest in the Curtis family with Soda-Pop and Darry as his older brothers. Despite being fourteen years old, he sees how the members of the Greasers function. He also learns that their rival gang, the Socs, have problems just like they do. Ponyboy is the closest to Johnny Cade in age and in mentality, as they both are more compassionate and willing to help others. The two run away together, and Ponyboy bleaches his hair so no one recognizes him. Together they save children from a burning church, which resulted in Johnny’s death. As he died, he told Ponyboy to “stay gold.” Here are three looks from the movie adaptation, where Tom Howell portrays this character. From the lines near his shoulders, it looks like he cut the sleeves off a navy blue sweater. You can also use the scissors to rip up the jeans a bit. The other two outfits are more simple, consisting of different plaid shirts. Although for his end-credits look, you will need blonde hair.

Jadis, also known as the White Witch (played by Tilda Swinton) is the primary antagonist of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  She is the person responsible for freezing Narnia in its one Hundred Years Winter.  Jadis’ clothing is typically white and grey, and she wears a crown of ice with a long wand.  It can be difficult to find an exact replica of her more specialized accessories, but a similar look can be achieved with smaller and more understated crystals.