Carbon Costume

Christian Linke and Alex Yee’s Arcane debuted on Netflix in 2021. Based on the League of Legends franchise, the series […]

Botan is a character in the 90s anime, Yu Yu Hakusho. Flying around on her paddle, Botan is similar to the Grim Reaper. She is sent to advise Yusuke about the conditions of his resurrection. When he becomes a Spirit Detective, she teaches him how to use various detective tools and facilitates communication with Koenma. She becomes close to Keiko to protect her from any supernatural situations. Caring and sentimental, Botan uses her knowledge and powers for good.

Tootie is a minor character in the Nickelodeon cartoon series, The Fairly OddParents. She is Vicky‘s little sister, who has a huge crush on Timmy Turner. Well, a crush may be an understatement. An obsession may be a better word, as her bedroom is basically a shrine dedicated to him. However, as much as Tootie pesters him, she sticks up for him on many occasions where others would not. Despite her loud outbursts and shrill outbursts, Tootie does mean well, and deserves a much better older sister. Her style is reminiscent of a nerdy school uniform, in contrast to the stylish Trixie Tang.

The Grabber (played by Ethan Hawke) is the horrifying antagonist of the film The Black Phone, based on the short story of the same name.  The Grabber is a child abductor and serial killer who wears a terrifying white devil mask with a mouth that can change from smiling to frowning.  When he abducts his latest victim, the Grabber dresses as a magician with a black top hat and white face makeup.  To recreate his look, you’ll likely need to cut the arms off a red turtleneck sweater, as short-sleeved versions can be difficult to find, and layer it under a black polo shirt left unbuttoned.  If you want to wear a devil mask as part of your costume, you use some white spray paint to alter a more commonly available red one.  Alternately, a lower face mask designed for paintball can get the job done with some white face paint.

Secret Squirrel (voiced by Mel Blanc) is a secret agent in the same-named cartoon series.  Agent 000 of the International Sneaky Service utilizes all of the fun gadgets at his disposal to thwart enemy agents and fight crime.  To recreate the 60s cartoon character, you’ll definitely need a purple bucket hat and a grey trench coat.  You may have to cut a hole in the back of the coat to make sure everyone can see your furry tail.  To cap off the look, either don a squirrel mask under your hat, or forego the latex for a purple domino mask.

Gwen Stacy has graced the pages of many a Marvel comic book.  As the original love interest of Peter Parker, who met a tragic end both on page and screen, Gwen lives on in multiple iterations including as Gwenpool and Spider-Gwen.  Gwen Stacy has been played by several Hollywood actresses including Bryce Dallas Howard, Emma Stone, and Hailee Steinfeld.  In her comic form, Gwen has long blonde hair and bangs and often sports a pencil skirt and slouchy boots.

Levi Ackerman (voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya and Matthew Mercer) is a main character in the anime and manga series Attack on Titan.  Often referred to as Captain Levi, he is widely considered humanity’s strongest soldier, an especial feat given he is of such small stature.  Levi rarely shows emotion (unless it’s his proclivity for cleaning), which means he’s not close to many of his fellow Survey Corps members like Mikasa and Eren.

Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet) is the main character of Dune.  Paul is heir to a powerful family, the son of Duke Leto and Lady Jessica.  Paul has visions of the future in his dreams, including many of Chani Kynes, a Fremen from the desert planet of Arrakis. On his home planet Caladan, Paul is often seen wearing dark military-style suits with band-style collars and knee-high boots.  When his family is attacked and he and his mother seek refuge with the Fremen, they wear stillsuits designed to recycle their sweat and tears into drinkable water.  Recreating the complex suits can be tricky, so it will help to be a little flexible with the design.  Layering padded motocross armor can help achieve a similar look, and don’t be afraid to use some spray paint to get the color right.  Cut the sleeves off a hooded cardigan to finish the look.

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.

Loid Forger (voiced by Takuya Eguchi and Alex Organ) is an undercover spy with the codename “Twilight” in the anime and manga series Spy x Family.  Loid has a cold demeanor while working but has been shown to have a warm personality when it comes to his wife Yor and adopted daughter Anya.  Loid has blonde hair and wears a green suit with a gold dagger-shaped lapel pin.