Carbon Costume

David Harbour may be best known as Jim Hopper but his time in the MCU may replace his Stranger Things role as his most iconic. Alexei – better known as the Red Guardian – serves as a father to Natasha and Yelena when they’re undercover in America. Once back in Russia, however, he finds himself on the wrong side of Dreykov and locked up in a super max prison where his only hope of freedom are the girls he returned to the Red Room decades ago.

The Red Guardian has gone through many iterations in the comics, but in the MCU he has only one look. A pre-made suit provides all of the straps and pouches Alexei has on his suit while a helmet, fake beard, and white suit round out the look.

Kirk (portrayed by Will Brittain) is a minor antagonist in the horror film The Forever Purge. Kirk is a cowboy who works on Caleb Tucker’s ranch.  Kirk’s costume is primarily black.  He wears a black cowboy hat, shirt, and pants, with some small pops of color from the makeup around his eyes, his holster, and the plethora of blood spattered over his person.

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) returns for 2021’s The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn. A former psychiatrist turned crazed vigilante, Harley survives the attack on the original squad and finds herself joining a new team. In contrast to the first iteration, Harley is no longer romantically involved with the Joker. As oppose to previous films, Harley sticks to her classic red and black color palette, with inspirations from the Batman: Arkham City video game. Her second outfit is shown her, featuring a ruffled dress to match her playful, feminine aesthetic.

Sarah Brightman is best known for her music but she’s also taken a turn as an actress, most notably as Blind Mag in “Repo! The Genetic Opera”. An opera singer under a lifelong contract for the use of her bionic eyes.

The film has a very specific aesthetic and Mag’s costume is an excellent example of it. Large fake lashes, black lipstick, face paint, and white body paint copy her ghostly coloring while black thigh high boots, black fishnets, a black choker, and black wig make up the details of her look.

A little DIY is needed for the main portion of Mag’s outfit. Red and black feathers can be glued around the top and bottom of a black corset using Fabric Fusion glue. And though she doesn’t technically wear one in the film, a short black athletic skirt worn underneath the bottom feathers gives you more space to attach the feathers too and offers more coverage. Finally, a gauzy black shawl mimics the last of her costume.

Florence Pugh is new to the MCU but she hit with a bang as Yelena Belova. Equal parts sassy spy and the younger sister left adrift after her family dissolved, Yelena is another heartbreaking reminder of the effects the Red Room can have.

She wears several looks throughout “Black Widow” but the most iconic – and meaningful – is the white suit and green vest she wears during the film’s climax. Black fingerless gloves, black boots, and a costume pistol round out the look while a blonde wig can be styled into her rounded braid using YouTube tutorials. Of all the pieces to this costume, however, the vest is the most meaningful. It appears again later in the MCU, as a final link to the sister she lost.

Natasha Romanov (Scarlett Johansson) has been the heart of the Avengers for more than ten years. She did her best to bring the team together and make the choices that would do the least damage, even in impossible situations. And in “Black Widow” we see that those traits have been part of her personality. Even as a child she tried to protect Yelena, her only real family.

Natasha has several looks throughout the movie. But her most iconic is the white suit. With her hair in braids, white gloves, and black boots, she is ready to take down the Red Room. A rifle and a pistol don’t hurt either. Neither does the arrow necklace reminding her of Clint.

Luca Paguro is the titular protagonist of the Disney Pixar movie, Luca. In the water, he is a green and blue sea monster who lives with overprotective parents. He stumbles upon human treasures and grows curious about the surface. Another sea monster named Alberto finally pushes him on land, where they both resemble human boys. On the Italian coast, they meet Guilia, a human girl who wants to win the Portorosso cup. Bright and inventive, Luca longs to go to school with her so he can learn about the world. Whenever he gets nervous or fearful, he exclaims “Silenzio Bruno!”

Millie Kessler (played by Kathryn Newton) is the meek teenage girl whose personality is swapped with the Blissfield Butcher‘s after being stabbed with an ancient dagger in the horror comedy film Freaky.  Millie begins the film as a quiet and focused high school student, only to be turned into a rampaging slasher when the personality of her town’s local folk legend and serial killer takes over her body.  Not only does Millie’s personality get a makeover, but her wardrobe too, swapping out frumpy dresses and oversized sweaters for a sexy retro look that includes a red moto jacket.