Carbon Costume

Gimli is a character in The Lord of the Rings. He is part of the Fellowship of the Ring, the group that journeyed to Mordor to cast the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. He is a dwarf, namely the son of Glóin, who had been one of Bilbo Baggins‘ companions in The Hobbit. As a result of his friendship with Legolas, he is one of the only dwarves who willingly fight alongside the elves. His preferred weapon is an axe, and he seems to enjoy battle. After their victory, he was given lordship of the Glittering Caves at Helm’s Deep. John Rhys-Davies plays this role in the film adaptation.

Elrond is a minor character in The Hobbit. He is the wise and noble half-elf who rules Rivendell, as its original founder. He is also the father of Arwen. He offers shelter to  Bilbo Baggins and his company of dwarves. He befriends Bilbo and gives him advice for his quest. When Bilbo leaves The Shire for good, Elrond gives him permanent residence in Rivendell. In the film adaptation, Hugo Weaving plays this role. Elrond appears again with a more pivotal role in Lord of the Rings. 

People all over the world have fallen in love with Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, the elves of Lothlorien and Rivendell, and the fierce Dwarves of Middle Earth. And if it weren’t for J.R.R. Tolkien, none of those beings would exist at all.

Born January 03, 1892 Tolkien lived through the most tumultuous times of the 20th century. It was not an easy period and Tolkien used every bit of it to inspire his books. They, in turn, have gone on to inspire millions.

This year on his birthday – or for Tolkien Reading Day on March 25th – you can honor Tolkien by dressing up as him or one of his many characters and enjoying a Lord of the Rings-themed party!

If you choose to dress as Tolkien your costume will be pretty straight-forward. You’ll need a three-piece tweed suit and white shirt, a ties, and some Oxford shoes. Slick your hair back with a little pomade and grab some round glasses, then find your favorite writing pen and a nice book of blank paper.

Boromir is a supporting character in Lord of the Rings. Heir to Denethor II, Boromir is a noble man who loves his kingdom, Gondor. His stamina and physical strength make him a fierce warrior and commander of the Gondorian army. His father preferred Boromir to his other son, Faramir. But despite the admiration from his father and fellow soldiers, his desperation to save his country ultimately drives him to try and seize the Ring from Frodo. Spoilers: He dies at the start of the second book, but he does apologize for his betrayal. In the film adaptation, Sean Bean plays this role. You’ve probably seen him in the “One does not simply walk into Mordor” meme.

Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck is a main character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is a Hobbit who joins the Fellowship of the Ring and its quest to destroy it and defeat Sauron. Although Merry is actually one of Frodo‘s cousins, Pippin is his constant companion. They like to adventure and pull pranks together, and while more silly than resourceful, they’re the ones who form an alliance with Treebeard. Merry himself even fights in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and helps Eowyn kill the Witch King. He likes boats and ponies, while also taking interest in the maps of Middle Earth. In the movie adaptations of Tolkien’s novels, Dominic Monaghan plays this role.

Elrond is a minor character in Lord of the Rings. He is the wise and noble half-elf who rules Rivendell, as its original founder. He is also the father of Arwen. When Gandalf resists asking more from Frodo, he persuades Fellowship to continue its journey of destroying the Ring. This leads to his formation of the Council of Elrond. In the film adaptation, Hugo Weaving plays this role. This look requires some minor crafting, as you’ll need the silver puff paint to draw the pattern on the coat. Tuck the red scarf into the brown cummerbund so it drapes over.

Éowyn (played by Miranda Otto) is the sister of Éomer in The Lord of the Rings.  She is a minor character introduced late in the series.  She is at first enamored of Aragorn, though she eventually goes on to marry Faramir.  Éowyn is incredibly strong-willed and eventually impersonates a man in order to fight with her fellow countryman.  She saves King Théodon’s life and kills the Witch-King of the Nazgul, who a prophesy had said could be killed by no man.  If you’re willing to really commit to your costume, feel free to dirty up your outfit and tatter your cloak for a more authentically used look.

Éomer is a minor character in Lord of the Rings. As the son of King Theoden, he leads the Riders of Rohan, who serve as calvary to the army of Gondor led by Aragorn. He is an ally for the forces of good, as he fights alongside the Fellowship and other men against Mordor. When his father dies in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, he becomes King of Rohan. His sister is the shieldmaiden Éowyn. In the movie adaptations, Karl Urban plays this role. For this costume, sling the brown belt around your shoulder to cross over your body.