Halloween Cosplay Makeup and Outfit Ideas - Part 1

Easy to recreate makeup and outfits for men and women to get inspired for Halloween!

Can't Decide What To Go As For Halloween? Let Game Beauty Inspire You


We’re in Spooktober which means the infamous All-Hallows Eve is just around the corner! Whilst many people enjoy this eerie time of year full of festivities, trick or treating and binge-watching horror movies, others find it stressful due to lack of inspiration when it comes to dressing up for the inevitable fright-night party. Fear not though my little gremlins, as Game Beauty are happy to present to you part 1 of our pick of cosplayers to give you some guidance or draw ideas from to create your own terrifyingly tantalizing, ten out of ten outfit. Do not let the spectre of doubt haunt you!


Cosplayer: Akrcos
Biography: Akrcos Twitter | Akrcos Instagram | Akrcos Links
Outfit Inspiration: Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon

Akrcos is a gender-swapping Cosplayer proving that Cosplay and outfit creation is for anyone who has a spark of creativity and confidence. This pick for inspiration has a slight price tag on it unless you can be savvy and find cheap alternatives such as in thrift stores or even borrowing from a gracious benefactor! (Everyone should own at least one dinner suit but that’s another story).

Finding a mask can be a lot of fun and something you can be quite liberal with especially picking from the plethora of masquerade masks online, but if you can’t find a similarly pointy eyeless one akin to what Tuxedo Mask wears - although a quick google of Tuxedo Mask Cosplay Mask will show you there are plenty of options - you could buy some retro white glasses (cat eye glasses) and just knock the glass out.



Main Outfit Items

  • A plain black top hat which you can usually pick up at thrift stores or find typically sitting in people's closets gathering dust as they are used only for one off special occasions, so ask nicely to borrow!
  • The next pièce de résistance is the signature black cape with red underlay. Due to this being very particular though, we would suggest any black cape would do and if you are so inclined - even sew your own silk red material on the underside.
  • The gold clasps and chain are easy enough to create, simply sew the clasps onto each side of the cape where it meets your shoulders and simply link a chain through or glue. Although glue shouldn't be required as suggests in the name, clasps will have their own locking mechanism.
  • A white, grey or silver high waisted dinner waistcoat or tuxedo waistcoat with sparkly trim. Although don't get too stressed about this item as once again you can really rock your own style, as long as it's shiny and/or glitters!
  • A ruffled white dinner shirt or simple white shirt
  • Black dinner jacket - for the added touch you can sew your own gold chunky buttons onto
  • Black suit trousers or just a normal pair of smart trousers
  • Black dress shoes

Accsesories

  • White silk gloves
  • A gold pocket watch (real or fake)
  • A white or red bowtie
  • A red Rose (take the thorns out though! ouch).

Essentially this look is all-encompassing high-style and is an instantly recognizable classic from anyone who grew up watching anime - Sailor Moon was and still is incredibly popular. The only cautionary advice we would give is to stay in a room with some decent air-con as we imagine this multi-layered outfit can get very hot!


Cosplayer: April Gloria
Links: April Gloria Twitter | April Gloria Instagram | April Gloria Linktree
Outfit Inspiration: Daphne Blake from The Scooby-Doo Show

A Cosplayer list wouldn’t be complete without resident Game Beauty friend: April Gloria, who makes outfits look effortless (although we unequivocally know that these looks do, in-fact, require vast amounts of effort!). We want to shine a light on one character that April cosplayed in 2017 which we think not only fits nicely into a Halloween theme, but also constitutes a last-minute and easy to do Halloween outfit and especially pertinent as it's from a cartoon with an incredible legacy steeped in 'spookyness', Jinkies!

The focus of this outfit is the red wig accompanied by purple headband and purple dress which is far easier to achieve as a quick Google Search of ‘Daphne Wigs’ yields a surprising amount of results; rather cheap too! Additionally the main motif is purple, which means you can wear whichever style of dress you wish and it'll still be an instantly recognizable and faithful render of Daphne - why not bring her into the 21st century?



Main Outfit Items

  • A purple headband to accompany the 'red/ginger' long hair. Daphne's hair color can be achieved by hair dye although we would recommend getting a wig, as reiterated there are plenty on the market if you do a quick Google Search. HOWEVER if you have naturally red/ginger hair, then congratulations you've gamed the system!
  • A simple purple dress or jumper will set the foundations nicely of this costume; and whilst it is accentuated by two lilac stripes towards the bottom of the dress, we feel this isn’t necessary unless you are au fait with stitching or small material alterations. Perchance you stumble upon a lilac belt or simply paint a leather one you own, fastening this around your waist would be a great alternative.

Accsesories

  • A pair of lilac stockings / tights.
  • A simple green scarf, alternatively you can also tie a green hoodie or jumper, a green bandana or a cravat around your neck.
  • Finish with a pair of lilac or purple high heels. This is the trickiest aspect of the outfit but you may find some funky colours in local thrift shops, failing that a green pair of shoes would compliment the green accent of the scarf nicely.

We love this look as the Scooby Doo show has been a staple favorite cartoon wherein themes of horror, mystery and intrigue are plentiful - perfect for this time of year! In fact if you have a group of friends you could all go as the Mystery Gang: Fred, Velma and Shaggy are very easy to copy as they wear very simple clothes and colors we just feel sorry for whoever has to go as Scooby Doo or Scrappy Doo.


Cosplayer: Djarii
Links: Djarii Twitter | Djarii Instagram | Djarii TV

Outfit Inspiration: Harley Quinn from Batman / DC Universe

Djarii is the foremost popular UK broadcaster on Twitch and a prominent figure within the Cosplay, Content Creation and Makeup industry! Djarii (real name - Sophia White) is an expert bodypainter and so we had to include her on this list as her application and creations through makeup are utterly awe-inspiring. Additionally we're including this super-star not to put you off with her grand-mastery skill in makeup, but rather to show how it can accentuate your entire look; nail the makeup and you're already 50% there!

So to reiterate: you don’t need to be intimidated by some of her more complex creations, on this list we’ve included one of the more accessible and popular looks: Harley Quinn.



Main Outfit Items

  • The prominent focus on Harley Quinn is the mirrored Blue and Pink eye-shadow and hair which is split into two halves. We wouldn't recommend trying to achieve this by dying your hair, you can easily find a Harley Quinn wig online or simply buy some colored hair spray from a local store and go wild! (of course this is a handicap if you aren't blonde although there's nothing to say you have to be blonde it's just that the colored spray won't show up as well if you have darker hair).
  • Harley is often seen carrying her signature Mallet or Baseball bat, the latter being the most accessible, however we would not recommend carrying a baseball bat around in public spaces, perhaps keep this for private events with friends and family.

Accessories

Harley Quinn accessories are based off a 'rock-n-roll' / grunge based look so you can really go wild with how to compliment your depiction of Harley:

  • Fishnets or ripped pantyhose
  • a Studded choker or a color adorned with filigrees
  • Bracers or studded/spiked leather wrist straps
  • A pair of long black and white lace up boots - we understand how difficult this might be to obtain, but if you have a pair of black and white trainers or even a pair of Converse laying around this'll be a brilliant substitute.

The beauty of dressing as Harley Quinn too is her outfit flexibility. Throughout her depictions within the DC universes’ animated series, video games and movies as well as guest appearances and spin offs she dons a number of different garments, which means you can practically put your own spin on the original character making Harley a great last minute Halloween costume choice. Although should you wish to try and stick true and capture her iconic look, you can easily don a pair of fishnets and buy a replica Harley Quinn top from a variety of costume outlets.

If you want to branch out we've included some of Harley's different looks, we particularly like the red dress get-up!


Cosplayer 5: Pretzl Cosplay
Biography: Pretzl Twitter | Pretzel Instagram | Pretzl Links

Outfit Inspiration: Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil Village

Possibly one of the biggest memes in 2021, Lady Dimitrescu forced her way into social for being the ‘pin-up’ of Survival Horror and Gaming, although we won’t go into some of the more…questionable reasons as to why she became an overnight sensation, some things are better left unsaid.

We’ve included Pretzl in this list because she also boasts her own detailed make-up and cosplay tutorials which you can find posted in the link above. Here at Game Beauty we are really enamored by her soft approach to the Cosplay world and is without a doubt an inspiration to anyone looking to get into the world of Cosplay or even the more experienced Cosplayers to pick up some tips!



Main Outfit Items

  • A MASSIVE HAT. Simply Google ‘Kentucky Derby Wide Brim’ or ‘Big Floppy Woman’s Hat’ and you’ll find a vast array of different colors, styles and sizes that emulate Lady Dimitrescu’s signature headwear. Although don't go too wide because this could get quite awkward in crowded parties!
  • Unless you make the dress by hand or order it from a Cosplay store it’ll be very difficult to find a dress similar to Lady Dimitrescu, but that doesn’t mean that wearing a long cotton dress with sleeves will detract from the overall outfit, in fact it’ll be a fun exercise to be able to put your own unique spin on the outfit without detracting from the overall look and theme. Note that Lady Dimitrescu’s dress reaches the floor, but again this is optional as if you can’t find one; it gives you the opportunity to find some killer heels!

Accessories

  • A pair of velvet black gloves - we do take note that a lot of Cosplayers recreate Lady Dimitrescu's claws but we're more concerned about how you'll hold all your candy with 2 foot talons
  • A pearl necklace (doesn’t have to be real of course)
  • A purple or black flower wrist corsage pinned in between your breast and shoulder (left side)
  • A couple of pearl earrings (again doesn't have to be real)
  • A cigarette holder or a glass of wine!

But what should be said is how glamorous this Cosplay is and how easy this look is to recreate - more than likely to be laying around in your Grandmother's Wardrobe - easily within reach of costume shops and thrift shops as the 1940’s flapper-esque style has come back in fashion due to a boom in ‘Great Gatsby’ parties and social dress-up events. What's more is how achievable and simple the makeup is; a dash of red lipstick, big smoky eyes with thick mascara and foundation or powder to give your skin a paler, more deathly tinge.

This outfit is 100% certified Halloween appropriate, undead, fierce and elegant what a match made in heaven!


Cosplayer: Jasikyu
Biography: Jasikyu Twitter | Jasikyu Instagram | Jasikyu Links
Outfit Inspiration: Ahri from League of Legends (or cat lady/gentleman)

We’re super stoked to host this on our list because akin to Djarii, our pick from Jasi is mainly about the makeup and this is a last minute, easy to create look if you're struggling for a Halloween get-up. She elevates the classic anthropomorphic ‘cat-girl’ look, making it seem like Ahri from League of Legends could tangibly exist in real life.

The beauty of this cosplay is the subtlety in which she’s applied her make-up and accessories; typically people tend to go very over the top to accentuate animalistic features when deciding to dress as an animal and whilst we’re focusing on her Ahri look, this generally can be applied across the spectrum of animal dress up.

It’s difficult to discern exactly what to do to complete this look but we can point out some accessories and elements that’ll make any outfit you choose, pop to the nth degree.



Main Outfit Items

  • A decent pair of robust cat ears - covered by your hair or ideally clip on extensions to add extra volume, also hiding the head/ear band. You can get these from practically any local store, costume shop, online Cosplay store and global online retailers.
  • Beautifully silky and straight blonde hair with pink tips - if you naturally have a lot of long, luscious hair; congratulate your parents for your good genes! If you aren't so gifted a simple wig or hair extensions would suffice to help achieve this style. To achieve the pink tips you can simply dye them yourself with a kit or buy colored hair spray.

Accessories

  • A pair of colored contact lenses or 'cats-eyes'
  • Collar with Bell or Choker
  • A homemade Cat Tail - Here is a really easy tutorial using just some fabric and a clothes hanger!

As with other Cosplayers on this list, whilst this look is quite simple as the emphasis is all about the makeup. To emphasis feline features you need to make everything look sharper and thinner. So contouring your Dorsum Nasi (side of the nose) can give the appearance of a very feminine and slender shape. To give your overall eye shape a slender and greater feline appearance, simply slip on a pair of eyelash extensions and with an eye pencil give yourself some winged tips, not forgetting to accentuate the point around your tear ducts.



Are you now inspired to create your own costume ready for Halloween 2021 festivities?


We thoroughly hoped you enjoyed our first part in Cosplayers to follow for Halloween inspiration for all genders, be sure to look out for part 2 in this series along the way. If you have any great tidbits about getting ready for the spooky season we’d love to hear from you, simply leave a comment on this Blog and let’s start sharing costume and makeup ideas! Similarly if you think we’ve missed out some key Cosplayers or simply want to show support for your favorite feel free to shout about them!

Did you know!? Game Beauty have also recently released Harbinger; a palette with 10 dangerously dark and luminescent light shades which are perfect to compliment your chosen Halloween look.

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