Carbon Costume

When it comes to memorable commercial spokespeople (or spokesanimals), insurance companies are oddly at the top of their game. From the original GEICO gecko and Aflac duck, to the huggable Jake from State Farm, effervescent Flo, and slick Erin Esurance. The latest entrant is Liberty Mutual, with their dynamic duo LiMu Emu and Doug, an emu and a man in matching uniforms, sunglasses and all.

Sladderdask is a game of dueling where players use sticky hands to slap their opponents.  Flammadask refers to the red sticky hands that some players use, which are meant to represent the elemental power of fire.  Different colored hands may have different elemental powers associated with them.  In the Malvin Studios Sladderdask game, the Flammadask player avatar wears a red baseball cap and a red sweater with a yellow stripe across the chest.  While finding an exact match for this sweater may be difficult, using a sweater with a different colored stripe or painting one on yourself with some yellow fabric paint can achieve the same look.

Ray Palmer (played by Brandon Routh) was knighted Sir Raymond of the Palms by Queen Guinevere in the time of Camelot.  In the present time, he is also the real identity of the vigilante known as The Atom, as well as a successful businessman and friend to Sara Lance.  The Atom’s costume consists of a black and red exosuit.

Game of Thrones is a show full of mysterious characters. Few are as mysterious as the Three-Eyed Raven, however. Played first by Struan Rodgers and then by Max von Sydow, he is an ancient wielder of magic even older than he is. Though he walks in Bran’s mind – and through the past – he is confined in the roots of a tree and reliant on his ravens to act as his eyes and ears.

The Three-Eyed Raven is ancient enough that his concerns are well beyond the realm of fashion. And, being trapped in a tangle of roots for several hundred years, what clothes he does have are in disrepair. To recreate this look without trekking deep into a cave of your own, start with a black shroud costume. Use black “creepy cloth” wrapped around your shoulders as a shawl to add to the shroud’s tattered look.

Black medieval pants and boots go under the shroud while temporary white hair dye gives you the look of an ages-old mystic. Add some branches to your shroud and perch a raven on your shoulder to complete your costume!

Mr. John Boddy (played by Lee Ving) is – maybe? – the mastermind behind the blackmail that drives the plot of Clue. Then again he might be a butler who took the penalty his boss should have suffered. Who really knows?!

Mr. Boddy’s fashion sense, at least, is not a mystery. A combination pomade and temporary black dye will let you mimic his hair style. A black suit and faux Oxfords make up the majority of his look while a dark olive dress shirt is the final piece. Of course if you’re Mr. Boddy then you need gifts for all your party guests. So don’t forget your black boxes and decorative ribbon.

Lord Farquaad is the main antagonist in the first Shrek movie as well as the musical. In spite of his small stature, he is a ruthless ruler of Duloc. He banishes fairytale creatures from his kingdom so it’s a “perfect place.” In attempt to pursue and marry Princess Fiona, he sends Shrek and Donkey to rescue her from her tower. When Fiona becomes an ogre, he rejects her, but he meets his demise when the dragon eats him. If you want to get creative with the costume, try making a pair of little legs out. Slip the trousers and boots onto pool noodles or pipe, and stuff the ends of the boots with newspaper. Affix the legs to underneath the jacket, and wear a pair of black pants so the legs look believable. An easier route is to paint little legs onto the thighs of black pants. Kneel and drape the cape to hide your real legs, and the effect is complete!

In Groundhog Day, Phil Connors played by Bill Murray is a conceited TV weatherman. On February 2nd he covers the groundhog day celebrations in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The next day he awakens to realize it February 2nd all over again. He realizes he in an endless loop. At first he steals and manipulates people each day. Later he grows depressed from the isolation of reliving each day knowing the next won’t matter. After falling in love with his producer Rita he begins to commit acts of kindness instead of petty crimes. Finally, he breaks the loop. This costume is extremely warm and will be a great choice for fall if you live in a colder climate. If you live somewhere warmer I suggest wearing a short sleeve button down and substituting the winter trench coat with a raincoat.

Sirius Black, also known as Padfoot, is a character in the Harry Potter book and movie series. As a student at Hogwarts, he was part of the Marauders with Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Petter Pettigrew. When framed for murdering the Potters, he is sent to Azkaban, becoming the infamous Prisoner of Azkaban. He escaped by transforming into his Animagus, a large black dog. He is brave and loyal, but he has a temper and can be quite reckless. As his godfather, Sirius is protective and endearing towards Harry. Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.