Carbon Costume

Duncan Idaho (played by Jason Momoa) is a swordmaster in the service of House Atreides.  In Dune, Duncan helps train Paul Atreides before his death.  In the 2021 film, Duncan has long wavy hair and a muscular build.  He often wears a stillsuit after moving to Arrakis in the service of Duke Leto.  To make your own stillsuit, you may need to get a little creative, as padded pieces that look the part are often the wrong color.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with a little spray paint to get the look you want.  Duncan also wears more casual clothing when training Paul, and any costume will be enhanced with a short, straight sword to help look the part.

Lady Jessica (played by Rebecca Ferguson) is the mother of Paul Atreides in Dune.  Lady Jessica and her son must flee their home and try to survive by seeking refuge with the Fremen of Arrakis.  Lady Jessica wears a plethora of luxurious clothing suiting her status as the wife of a Duke.  One of her most memorable costumes is a gold ensemble complete with a long train and body chains.  To recreate her appearance, don a gold face chain and layer a rhinestone mesh long-sleeve shirt under a dress, with a gold bib necklace over top.  A sheer gold scar will complete the look.  Some of Lady Jessica’s other costumes include an elegant red gown paired with a simple gold finger chain, and her dark cloak worn when interacting with others in the Bene Gesserit sect of which she is a part.

Chani Kynes (played by Zendaya) is a Fremen from the planet of Arrakis in the sci-fi movie Dune.  Chani’s people have lost their lands to colonizers in search of spice melenge, and she appears in visions had by Paul Atreides long before they meet.  Chani’s primary attire consists of a stillsuit, designed to help a person survive the difficult climate of Arrakis by recycling sweat and tears into drinking water.  You can make your own stillsuit using padded tactical pants and gloves, as well as a motorcycle or paintball jacket.  Your scarf can help strategically cover the parts of the jacket that don’t match the original as well.  In Paul’s visions, Chani often wears a long white robe or dress.  One of the Fremen’s defining features are their bright blue eyes, a side effect of long-term exposure to spice.  If you plan to wear blue contacts as part of your costume, it’s best to have yourself fitted by an eye doctor to make sure you have the right size and they don’t cause any damage.

Jame Dale (played by Jack Nicholson) is the ill-fated President of the United States when aliens invade Earth in the sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks!  President Dale believes the Martians to be rational and seeks to make first contact in a bid for peace, a plan which quickly goes awry.  President Dale dresses as most Presidents–in dark suits.  He wears several different ties throughout the movie, but you can’t go wrong with something vaguely patriotic or merely striped.  If you don’t quite have his distinguished hairline, an old man wig can do the trick.  Less noticeable than his widow’s peak, President Dale sports a wedding band, gold watch, and a signet ring.

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.

Played to perfection by Sigourney Weaver, Gwen DeMarco is the perfect “Galaxy Quest” parody to every communications officer in Star Trek. Woefully under-appreciated despite a talent for alien languages, communications officers are usually accused of just “repeating the computer”. And DeMarco is sick of it!

You might not be headed for a starship, but you can still get DeMarco’s look. Start with a blonde wig, a red tank top, and grey boots. Snag a grey flight suit and some red paint for the details of a Galaxy quest suit. Add on a Galaxy Quest patch, grab your communicator, and you’re ready to go.

A football player isn’t the most likely interplanetary hero. But he might just be the one Earth needs with Ming the Merciless pushes the moon closer to our planet in an attempt to destroy it. Thankfully Dr, Zarkov finds Flash Gordon (played by Sam J. Jones) and takes him to the planet Mongo to save all of humankind!

It might sound like a stretch. But, hey, it was the ’80s. And it makes for a really great closet cosplay.

You’ll want to start with a blonde wig, tan slacks, a brown leather belt, and white sneakers. After that all you need is the signature Flash Gordon t-shirt and you’re ready to save the galaxy!

Alison Pill plays Agnes Jurati, a human cyberneticist on the television sci-fi drama Star Trek: Picard.  She is the leading expert on Earth when it comes to the science of synthetic life forms, which makes her a useful addition to Picard’s crew.  Agne’s outfit changes throughout the show’s episodes, but she can often be found wearing a cozy-looking sweater under a white lab coat.