Carbon Costume

Elisa Esposito (played by Sally Hawkins) is unqiue among monster movie heroines for many reasons. She works as a cleaner in a secret military installation. And, of course, she can’t speak. Nobody is quite sure why – until the end of the movie that is. But her inability to speak doesn’t stop her from changing the world around her through her compassion.

Elisa has two costumes throughout the film. One is the uniform she wears at work. The other is the standard clothing worn by a working class woman in the 1960s.

For both costumes you will need a brown wig cut in a bob and a headband: a green one for her work uniform or one that matches the dress of her day to day uniform. You can also use makeup modeling wax and this tutorial to replicate Elisa’s mysterious scars.

When Elisa is at work she wears a dark green dress with a collar covered by a green apron. She usually wears an olive cardigan and shoes to match. When at work Elisa usually has hard boiled eggs as her lunch, so you can carry a few fake ones like those listed above. Or, if you can keep them fresh, take a few as a snack at the convention!

Elisa’s personal clothing is a little more colorful. A red dress with matching headband and a cardigan in a slightly darker color with matching shoes is a look she wears toward the middle of the film. These are also great cross-cosplay pieces that small details – like the scars and the eggs – can lock into one character or another!

Jadis, also known as the White Witch (played by Tilda Swinton) is the primary antagonist of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  She is the person responsible for freezing Narnia in its one Hundred Years Winter.  Jadis’ clothing is typically white and grey, and she wears a crown of ice with a long wand.  It can be difficult to find an exact replica of her more specialized accessories, but a similar look can be achieved with smaller and more understated crystals.

In Dark Souls, the Soul of Cinder is a being made up of all previous lords of Cinder. This not only makes it incredibly hard to beat but also terrifying to behold. Getting the exact look takes some painting skill and possibly wearable pyrotechnics (which we really don’t recommend).  But we’ve found pieces that will get you close!

To start you’ll want a black compression shirt and compression pants. They’re tight fitting and breathable so your clothes won’t get twisted up under your armor and you won’t overheat too quickly. On top of that you’ll want a set of knight’s armor, though we recommend plastic over metal for ease of movement. You’ll also need a set of swords to deal with the challengers you’re sure to encounter. If you’ve got a bit of extra money to spend you can get a Cinder replica helmet. They aren’t easily affordable, however, and with some paint a standard knight helmet should do the trick. And finally a can of chalky gray spray paint topped with an oxidizing effects paint kit should help give your armor the eternally burned look Soul of Cinder is known for.

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!

In Game of Thrones, the Night King is the master and the first of the White Walkers, having existed since the age of the First Men. He appears in Bran Stark’s visions and faces off against Jon Snow, who cryptically warns the rest of Westeros that “Winter is coming”.

In the BBC series of the same name, Merlin (Colin Morgan) is a sorcerer, Dragonlord, and beloved friend/advisor to Prince Arthur Pendragon (Bradley James), the young heir to the throne. The series follows him and his adventures following his destiny in the kingdom of Camelot. His costume is often a combination of red, blue, and brown, although the blue and red pieces sometimes switch.

Being The Childlike Empress comes with a lot of pressure. The monarch essentially has to wait for little kids to give her a new name lest she die and take the kingdom with her. While dressing like her doesn’t come with any ruling power, you will at the very least have a back up outfit for your wedding day. All you need is a white dress and a beaded headpiece. It also helps if you look young for your age.

Bastian may have conjured up his fantasies in “The Neverending Story” but little did he know he was also channeling the ’90s skater boy look way before anyone else. Chances are you probably have a few of these items in your closet already. However, what really makes this costume is the book. Luckily for you we live in a world of technology, so you can skip the hardback copy and go straight for “The Neverending Story” Kindle cover.