Carbon Costume

Jillian Holtzmann (played by Kate McKinnon) is the quintessential mad scientist type. If there is trouble to get in – as long as it’s scientific – Holtzmann is there. Whether it’s ghosts, laser technology, or nuclear theories, Jillian Holtzmann is up for it. It puts her in the line of fire more often than not. But if it keeps her friends safe, that’s where she wants to be.

For any Ghostbusters costume you’re going to need a few things: a tan jumpsuit, a Ghostbusters patch, a name tag, and a proton pack. You can go for a more screen-accurate pack (top) or an inflatable one that is more affordable (bottom). You will also want a pair of sturdy boots that you can run it but also walk over debris in. After all, those proton packs do some serious damage and not just to ghosts.

When cosplaying Jillian specifically you’ll want a long blonde wig you can style after her hair. You’ll also want two pair of yellow-lensed protective goggles and a green protective gloves. Finally you will need reflective safety tape and fabric glue to keep it in place.

Mickey Mouse is the iconic mascot of the Walt Disney Company. His girlfriend is Minnie Mouse, with whom they own a pet dog named Pluto. His first debut was in Steamboat Willie in 1930. Since then, Mickey has appeared in over 130 films, most notably Brave Little Tailor and Fantasia. Several television shows center around this iconic character, such as The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the new Mickey Mouse Cartoons. With video games such as Kingdom Hearts and Epic Mickey comic books and strips, even hidden in the theme park, you’ll find Mickey everywhere. He is easily one of the most recognizable cartoon characters, with a whole march dedicated to his name: “Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!”

Donald Duck is a classic Disney character. He is Mickey Mouse’s best friend. In contrast to Mickey’s level-headedness, Donald has an explosive temper. His mischievous and overconfident personality can land him into trouble. As soon as something goes wrong, he’s quacking up a storm, face and beak bright red. A common catchphrase of his is “Aw, phooey!” His girlfriend, Daisy Duck, often scolds him for his temper tantrums. He is also an uncle, and his nephews include Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Fun fact: His middle name is Fauntelroy! Like the other classic characters, Donald appears in The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Mickey Mouse Cartoons, as well as the parks and merchandising.

Eames (played by Tom Hardy) is a member of Cobb‘s team in the film Inception.  As the forger, Eames can project the likeness of any other person and mimic their mannerisms well enough to fool loved ones in the dream realm.  In the real world, Eames is suave and teases Arthur often, though he otherwise keeps mostly to himself.  Eames wears boldly patterned shirts with relaxed fit suit separates, and he uses a red poker chip as his totem.

Elisa Esposito (played by Sally Hawkins) is unqiue among monster movie heroines for many reasons. She works as a cleaner in a secret military installation. And, of course, she can’t speak. Nobody is quite sure why – until the end of the movie that is. But her inability to speak doesn’t stop her from changing the world around her through her compassion.

Elisa has two costumes throughout the film. One is the uniform she wears at work. The other is the standard clothing worn by a working class woman in the 1960s.

For both costumes you will need a brown wig cut in a bob and a headband: a green one for her work uniform or one that matches the dress of her day to day uniform. You can also use makeup modeling wax and this tutorial to replicate Elisa’s mysterious scars.

When Elisa is at work she wears a dark green dress with a collar covered by a green apron. She usually wears an olive cardigan and shoes to match. When at work Elisa usually has hard boiled eggs as her lunch, so you can carry a few fake ones like those listed above. Or, if you can keep them fresh, take a few as a snack at the convention!

Elisa’s personal clothing is a little more colorful. A red dress with matching headband and a cardigan in a slightly darker color with matching shoes is a look she wears toward the middle of the film. These are also great cross-cosplay pieces that small details – like the scars and the eggs – can lock into one character or another!

What horrors love can turn a man to do, Davy Jones knows only too well. The dreaded Lord of the Deep, once charged with guiding the souls of those who died at sea, turned cruel when the goddess Calypso did not return his love. Played by Bill Nighy, he stops at nothing to show us why we (and Will Turner) should fear the deep in the Disney series Pirates of the Caribbean.

There’s a lot that goes into a costume like Davy Jones. Most of the look in the movie relied on CGI so getting something accurate isn’t particularly easy. Makeup tutorials like this one help, though. And you will need to distress the pieces of the costume to fit Jones’ ages-old and sea-weary look. You’ll also want a large quantity of sea shells and sand to give your clothes the look of a man who has slept at the bottom of the sea for centuries.

Of course you need the actual costume pieces too. A Cthulhu mask gives you some of Jones’ beard tentacles while tentacle “horns” add some on top of your head. You can either use these with a bald cap or attach the tentacles to your pirate hate .

For the rest of Jones’ clothes you’ll need a shirt, vest, overcoat, pants, thick belt, and boots.

And Davy Jones would not be Davy Jones without the music box to remind him of the past that led to his fate.

In the 2010 movie True Grit, Mattie Ross (played by Hailee Steinfeld) is a headstrong young 14-year-old girl who enlists the help of U.S. Marshal and bounty hunger Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn to bring the man who killed her father to justice.  Cogburn initially tells Mattie to return home but she insists on accompanying him on his quest to track down Tom Chaney, and she eventually proves herself a capable ally.  Mattie wears her father’s coat and hat, which are clearly too large for her, over her Victorian period clothing.  You can find a replica bodice jacket online, but if the cost is too high, you can also use a modern blazer with a similar silhouette.

Klaus Daimler (played by Willem Dafoe) is the German first mate of the Belafonte research vessel in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.  Klaus views Steve Zissou as a father figure, and becomes jealous of Ned Plimpton as the latter’s relationship with Steve grows.  Klaus always wears shorts, no matter the occasion, so this is a great costume option for someone who really wants to show off their legs.