Carbon Costume

In his 1976 cover of Cole Porter’s “True Love”, George Harrison unsuccessfully woos a parasoled lady with a romantic gondola ride and a plush heart. She remains unimpressed however and tosses the gift overboard. It’s only when she spots an aged cupid with a cigarette dangling from his mouth that she falls in love… with the angel.

Ashnikko, or Ashton Nicole Casey, is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. Her debut mixtape Demidevil is a mix of electronic pop, hip-hop, and alternative with a feminist edge to her lyrics. Several of their songs have gone viral on Tiktok, such as “Daisy” and “Stupid” with Baby Tate. Her flirtatious song “Slumber Party” featuring Princess Nokia was featured in the first episode of Netflix’s First Kill. Ashnikko uses she/they pronouns and is known for their Tokyo-street inspired fashion.

Glinda (formerly Galinda) is one of the main characters in the musical Wicked, which tells the backstory of Elphaba, better known as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.  Glinda begins her journey at Shiz University, where she is accidentally assigned as Elphaba’s roommate.  Despite the rocky start to their relationship, the two eventually become friends, though not every fairy tale in this case gets a happy ending.  While there are certainly more well-known costumes for Glinda in other media, the costume she wears when she arrives at Shiz is a classic white outfit with nods to vintage styles including oxford pumps and a white beret.

Rose Red is a character in the musical Ghost Quartet. Written and composed by Dave Malloy (who also wrote and composed Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812), the show is described as a “song cycle about love, death, and whiskey.” In this case, four friends/ghosts sing of interwoven narratives. Rose Red is the heroine and assumes multiple identities, such as Roxie Usher, Starchild, Dunyazad, and Rose the Photographer. She is portrayed by Brittain Ashford, who also portrayed Sonya Rostova in Comet. All the actors sing and play their own instruments, and she plays the autoharp, keyboard, and tambourine.

John Lennon is one of the singers and guitarists of The Beatles. He writes many of the band’s songs with Paul McCartney. His other band members include George Harrison and Ringo Starr. In 1968, they starred in the animated movie, Yellow Submarine. The plot revolves around the Fab Four defeating the Blue Meanies, and of course, riding in a yellow submarine. The aesthetic is very colorful and trippy. The band released an album under the same name featuring the songs in the movie. Iron on the pink flowers to the shirt and use the fabric paint for the lines down the pants.

Ringo Starr is the drummer of The Beatles. His real name is Richard Starkey, though he’s called Ringo for the many rings he wears on his fingers. His band members include Paul, John, and George. In 1968, they starred in the animated movie, Yellow Submarine. The plot revolves around the Fab Four defeating the Blue Meanies, and of course, riding in a yellow submarine. The aesthetic is very colorful and trippy. The band released an album under the same name featuring the songs in the movie. Use the fabric paint for the lines down the pants.

One of the most iconic music videos on MTV in the 1980s was Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love”. Behind Palmer stands a quintet of beautiful women in sheer black dresses and bright red lipstick. Even while grooving to the song, they keep stoic facial expressions.

Amber von Tussle is the secondary antagonist of the musical Hairspray.  Played by Brittany Snow in the 2007 movie and Cameron Dove in the 2016 live television special, Amber is a blonde beauty who often makes fun of Tracy Turnblad.  Hairspray is set in 1962, providing you with plenty of opportunities to recreate some classic vintage looks.  Finding exact matches for these kinds of costume pieces is almost impossible, so if you’re having trouble, be sure to focus on the classic silhouettes of the ’50s and ’60s to make your own one-of-a-kind look.  Though the most iconic looks for this character may be her chosen costume for the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition, there are plenty of vintage looks to choose from throughout the film or special, so don’t limit yourself and get creative!