Women
Calaveras from Sailor Moon
Calaveras is a frightening foe. She is the Black Moon Clan’s answer to Sailor Venus with the strength and drive to prove it Her fearsome whip is no easy weapon to face down and if she were to ever cooperate with her sisters, it would be a dark day for the Sailor Scouts.
The first step to developing a Calaveras cosplay is to get a long brunette wig and style the hair into a bun, then attach a large gold bow on top. You’ll then want black crystal earrings and face paint markers for the black crescent moon. Gold cuffs, a gold bustier, gold boots, and a red pleated skirt round out her look. And of course you’ll want your trusty whip. Just be sure and check convention regulations before taking it inside an event.
Anne Lister from Gentleman Jack
Anne Lister was a very real person whose life caught the eye of Sally Wainwright. A lifelong learner now known as one of history’s more openly queer figures, Lister is an LGBTQIA icon whose life has been dramatized for the show Gentleman Jack where she is played to perfection by Suranne Jones.
Lister’s style is very severe. She wears her hair curled up in small buns and often wears a top hat. A white shirt with a strong ruffle wears well under a short, fitted jacket and fitted skirt. Black button boots and a black cane round out the look of a woman who brooks no nonsense and knows her own mind well enough to follow it regardless of what others may say.
The Hag from Dead by Daylight
As a young girl, Lisa Sherwood was kidnapped by a village of cannibals. After being chained to a wall and slowly eaten for weeks, she broke free and ate her former captors alive. As the Hag, she sacrifices survivors to the Entity in the game Dead by Daylight, though she also occasionally eats them. The Hag’s costume is simple, but some patience will be required in order to apply the body paint necessary to achieve the finished look.
Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) returns for 2021’s The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn. A former psychiatrist turned crazed vigilante, Harley survives the attack on the original squad and finds herself joining a new team. In contrast to the first iteration, Harley is no longer romantically involved with the Joker. As oppose to previous films, Harley sticks to her classic red and black color palette, with inspirations from the Batman: Arkham City video game. Her second outfit is shown her, featuring a ruffled dress to match her playful, feminine aesthetic.
Blind Mag from Repo! The Genetic Opera
Sarah Brightman is best known for her music but she’s also taken a turn as an actress, most notably as Blind Mag in “Repo! The Genetic Opera”. An opera singer under a lifelong contract for the use of her bionic eyes.
The film has a very specific aesthetic and Mag’s costume is an excellent example of it. Large fake lashes, black lipstick, face paint, and white body paint copy her ghostly coloring while black thigh high boots, black fishnets, a black choker, and black wig make up the details of her look.
A little DIY is needed for the main portion of Mag’s outfit. Red and black feathers can be glued around the top and bottom of a black corset using Fabric Fusion glue. And though she doesn’t technically wear one in the film, a short black athletic skirt worn underneath the bottom feathers gives you more space to attach the feathers too and offers more coverage. Finally, a gauzy black shawl mimics the last of her costume.
Yelena Belova from Black Widow
Florence Pugh is new to the MCU but she hit with a bang as Yelena Belova. Equal parts sassy spy and the younger sister left adrift after her family dissolved, Yelena is another heartbreaking reminder of the effects the Red Room can have.
She wears several looks throughout “Black Widow” but the most iconic – and meaningful – is the white suit and green vest she wears during the film’s climax. Black fingerless gloves, black boots, and a costume pistol round out the look while a blonde wig can be styled into her rounded braid using YouTube tutorials. Of all the pieces to this costume, however, the vest is the most meaningful. It appears again later in the MCU, as a final link to the sister she lost.
Kagami Tsurugi from Miraculous Ladybug
Kagami Tsurugi (voiced by Faye Mata) is a supporting character on the animated series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. Kagami is a proficient fencer, and becomes a rival in the sport for Adrien Agreste, though she eventually becomes friends with Adrien and with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Kagami’s outfit consists of a red plaid pleated skirt and matching tie, red sneakers, and black tights, paired with a black shirt and white blazer with contrast piping.
Natasha Romanov from Black Widow
Natasha Romanov (Scarlett Johansson) has been the heart of the Avengers for more than ten years. She did her best to bring the team together and make the choices that would do the least damage, even in impossible situations. And in “Black Widow” we see that those traits have been part of her personality. Even as a child she tried to protect Yelena, her only real family.
Natasha has several looks throughout the movie. But her most iconic is the white suit. With her hair in braids, white gloves, and black boots, she is ready to take down the Red Room. A rifle and a pistol don’t hurt either. Neither does the arrow necklace reminding her of Clint.
Millie Kessler from Freaky
Millie Kessler (played by Kathryn Newton) is the meek teenage girl whose personality is swapped with the Blissfield Butcher‘s after being stabbed with an ancient dagger in the horror comedy film Freaky. Millie begins the film as a quiet and focused high school student, only to be turned into a rampaging slasher when the personality of her town’s local folk legend and serial killer takes over her body. Not only does Millie’s personality get a makeover, but her wardrobe too, swapping out frumpy dresses and oversized sweaters for a sexy retro look that includes a red moto jacket.
Hungary from Hetalia
Elizabeta Hedervary, also known as Hungary, is a supporting character in Hetalia: Axis Powers. She is known for her tomboyish interests and personality. In contrast to Italy, who had been thought to be a girl, she had been mistaken for a boy. Other countries fear her because they claim she carries bad luck. Despite her brazen and sometimes aggressive behavior, Hungary has a feminine side, hence her maid outfit. Austria is her ex-husband.