Movies
Nani from Lilo and Stitch
Nani Pelekai is the tritagonist of Disney’s Lilo and Stitch. She is eighteen, and the older sister/legal guardian to Lilo. She tries to improve their living situation through jobs on the island, but Lilo and Stitch’s antics always cause chaos. Her biggest fear is that Cobra Bubbles will take Lilo away, proving that she failed at caring for her younger sister. Although she sometimes loses her temper, resulting in giant fights with Lilo, Nani is kind and mature. More than anything, Nani wants to protect her ohana, and will always put Lilo first. She enjoys surfing and has a crush on David.
Richard Strickland from The Shape of Water
Colonel Richard Strickland (played by Michael Shannon) is in charge of a project designed to “study” a humanoid amphibious being found in South America. And by study I mean maltreat and eventually dissect in an attempt to learn something that might be helpful to the military. He will stop at nothing to complete his mission, his work overshadowing everything else in his life. And he does it all with that classic creepy midcentury vibe.
You can get the same vibe with just a few pieces. Pomade will slick back your hair to match Strickland’s style. A button-down shirt under a shirt, suspenders, and tie gives you a classic mid-century look. Finish it off with dark Oxfords and an overcoat and you’re ready to prowl the stark halls of every secret Army installation in Baltimore.
Peter Vincent from Fright Night (2011)
Peter Vincent (played to perfection by David Tennant) is a big time magician and alleged vampire expert in the 2011 reboot of Fright Night. Rather than the more classic vibe of the original Peter Vincent (who was likely named after veteran classic horror movie actor Vincent Price), Tennant’s Price is more like the stage magicians made popular in Vegas and on late night programming in the early 2000’s.
Tennant’s Price dresses in black leather and tight t-shirts from metal bands he likes. This includes leather boots, pants, and a long leather duster. He wears his dark hair long and favors a well-trimmed goatee over the clean shaven look of the original Vincent Price.
Black Tom Cassidy from Deadpool 2
Black Tom Cassidy (played by Jack Kesy) was rumored to be the main villain for Deadpool 2. Budget cuts downsized his role but Kesy still made a big impact on audiences with the limited screen time he had. In the wider Marvel universe Black Tom Cassidy is a sadistic and villainous man who uses his mutations of incredible strength and pyromancy to cause mayhem and instill fear.
Because Cassidy’s time on the big screen was fairly limited in Deadpool 2 he only had one outfit that cosplayers can work with. The clothing consists of a yellow jump suit, grey tank top, and back boots. This is the standard-issue uniform in the mutant prison where Deadpool meets Cassidy. To finish off the look you will also need a wig with black braids, fake tattoos, and a goatee. The final piece of this costume is a mutation suppressant collar. Unfortunately there aren’t any available on Etsy or Amazon. Making your own would be an impressive build, however!
The White Queen from Alice in Wonderland
Anne Hathaway brings the ethereal White Queen to life in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movies. She is the polar opposite of her sister, the wicked Red Queen, preferring kindness over decapitation of those who annoy her. She favors the color white and a Victorianesque wardrobe, consistent with the era of Lewis Carroll and Alice’s home world.
Jane Banner from Wind River
Jane Banner (played by Elizabeth Olsen) is an FBI agent sent to investigate the death of Natalie Hanson (played by Kelsey Chow). Natalie Hanson’s death is the main conflict of the movie Wind River and for good reason. Director Taylor Sheridan has stated that he wrote Wind River expressly to highlight the staggering number of First Nations and Native women that are killed or go missing,
The movie ends with statistics on the number of Native women that go missing or are murdered each year: in America Native women are twice as likely as any other group of women to suffer violence, particularly sexual assault and homicide. Of those crimes, 67% of the attackers are non-Native. It has been described as a national crisis in Canada and an epidemic in America. For more information please visit Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA.
Jane Banner is unaware of these issues when she first arrives in Wind River, Wyoming. She quickly realizes the depth of the issue, however. Though she nearly loses her life in the process and comes away with raw appreciation for the situation she walked into.
When Banner first arrives in Wind River she is dressed in the usual clothes one would expect of an FBI Agent. Black shoes, a black pantsuit, and a white button down shirt. She wears her long hair down and has minimal makeup. When Cory Lambert (played by Jeremy Renner) takes her out to see the victim, Banner is loaned a blue snow suit that had belonged to Hanson. Finally, when she confronts Hanson’s murderers, she is wearing a long black down coat, black pants, a black belt, a bullet proof vest, black snow boots, and a black beanie. She also has her pistol in a hip holster and has her hair tied up under her hat.
The movie Wind River awakened many people to the dangers faced by Native women. Your cosplay may inspire some questions as well, which is a good thing. It’s a topic that needs to be discussed, and addressed, for all of the real-world Natalie Hansons and their loved ones.
The Criminologist from Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Criminologist (Charles Gray) serves as the narrator for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. He recounts the story leading to Brad and Janet‘s mysterious disappearance upon visiting Dr. Frank n Furter’s castle. He also teaches the audience how to do the time warp. Common audience participation lines comment on how he has no neck.
Victor Zsasz from Birds of Prey
Victor Zsasz (played by Chris Messina) is the right-hand man to Roman Sionis (played by Ewan McGregor). He seems like a friendly guy but don’t let the smile fool you. Nothing makes him happier than hurting other people. Whether it’s the Bertinelli family, Harley, or anyone else Sionis points him at, Zsasz doesn’t hesitate to make them suffer.
Thankfully you can dress up like Zsasz without taking on his more “aggressive” qualities. The first thing you’ll need is a green striped short sleeve shirt. It’s the iconic costume piece for this version of Zsasz. You’ll also need a black pair of slacks, a black leather belt and matching shoes, and hair bleach. Zsasz also wears a black coat when they go after Harley and the others in the amusement park. You can even add in a few costume daggers or knives as well. Just make sure that they’re allowed at the event you’re attending!
Sheryl Hoover from Little Miss Sunshine
In Little Miss Sunshine, Sheryl Hoover (played by Toni Collette) is Richard‘s wife and the mother of Olive and Dwayne. She is also Frank Ginsberg‘s brother. Sheryl does her best to love and support and support her family, but they can certainly drive her nuts sometimes. Sheryl wears a skirt with large, abstract flowers, and sensible slip on sneakers.
Leonard Shelby from Memento
Leonard Shelby (played by Guy Pearce) is the main character in Christopher Nolan’s 2000 film Memento. Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia, meaning he is incapable of making new memories. As he searches for the man who killed his wife, Leonard must rely on Polaroid photos and the tattoos he has in order to remember the facts of the case. In the film, Leonard uses a Polaroid SLR 680 camera. Unfortunately, this particular model is difficult to find and extremely expensive when you do. But any Polaroid camera would certainly help elevate the costume and provide a fun way to record your evening.