Carbon Costume Music
Rem from Death Note: The Musical
Rem is a character that’s found in the anime/manga Death Note, and for this version the focus will be on the live action stage adaptation of the series, where she’s portrayed as a lot more human-like in appearance than her regular shinigami (death god) form. For this specific design I’ve gone with what I believe is Megumi Hamada’s portrayal of her, as there are variations of the character between each version of the musical.
Rem is the shinigami that Misa Amane has ties to, by way of her Death Note, and throughout the series came to care very deeply for her, despite the fact that Misa was human. This comes out even more strongly through the musical soundtrack, with much more love showing through how she sings about and with her.
In this particular version, Rem has pale, pearlescent skin with grey and blue highlighting tones, blue makeup, and long silver-white hair with blue strands trailed throughout it. The outfit she wears is a long, torn and draped robe/dress-like piece with a cloak over top, simple white pants underneath, and white shoes. One standout piece of this design that ties in nicely to the original shinigami form that she has is the extra-long fingernails, mimicking her long pointed fingers.
The Beatles at Shea Stadium
The Beatles performed at Shea Stadium in 1965 in matching khaki jackets. It set records for attendance as one of the most famous concert events of the 60s. From left to right, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. If you want to specifically dress as Paul, add a sheriff’s badge. Grab three friends to make a fab four!
Weird Al Yankovic in “Tacky”
In the parody of “Happy” by Pharrell, Weird Al Yankovic not only sings about fashion faux pas but dresses the part. Stripes with plaid, belt with suspenders, sandals with socks, Weird Al shows us in the music video for “Tacky” that no matter how badly it clashes, the uglier the better as long as you own it.
George Harrison from “True Love”
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
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 from Wicked
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 from Ghost Quartet
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 from Yellow Submarine
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 from Yellow Submarine
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.
Robert Palmer Girls from “Addicted to Love”
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.
