How-To: Dress Up Like Our Fav Queer Characters

Graphic by Sarah Wong

With Halloweekend fast approaching, we know the pressure to scramble together costumes on a college budget is real. So, in order to help out–and celebrate some famous fictional queer icons–we’ve made a one-stop-shopping list of enough costumes to last an entire chaotic weekend of fratting! Plus, all of these make for a super cute Halloween photo dump, so there’s that.

For the most versatile costume on this list, there’s the tried and true white-lab-coat-and-name-tag (and stethoscope, to go the extra mile). This can be used for pretty much any character in a medical show, like Grey’s Anatomy; we recommend Callie Torres, Casey Parker, or Arizona Robbins. Maybe even break out Arizona’s classic heelys for an excuse to glide down frat row, we won’t judge! Easy, cute, and gay. The best combination.

For our superhero stans out there, consider Anissa Pierce from Black Lightning or Nia Nal from Supergirl. We totally get that full body leather can be intimidating–there’s nothing wrong with foregoing the trademarked costumes and just matching their vibes. Feel free to channel the energy of these badass women however it feels right. :)

If any Gleeks still exist out there (no shame), these next ones are probably expected. Santana Lopez and Blaine Anderson were a huge part of making Glee, messy as it was, into the pop culture phenomenon it became. The iconic Cheerio and Warbler uniforms are synonymous with the show, and for those in a time crunch, even a red skirt and ponytail or some hair gel and a bowtie will do.

If what you can find in your closet is what we’re working with, we would suggest characters like Supernatural’s Castiel and Legends of Tomorrow’s John Constantine, with their signature beige trench coats, or Shadowhunters’ Magnus Bane. Creative freedom is everything for the latter: basically anything sequined or animal print paired with black eyeliner is a safe bet. We know you must have at least some cheetah print back there.

Unwilling to buy any new clothes for this holiday? Understandable. Luckily, the magic of makeup can turn most ordinary outfits into the characters we know and love. Practically any dark shirt, jacket, and jeans can become an emanation of The 100’s Lexa with the addition of her famous raccoon warpaint. Try being Euphoria’s Rue with any pair of sweats (which is definitely not just as an excuse to wear pajamas out, if anyone asks). For those willing to put in a little more effort, Rue’s (ex?) girlfriend Jules is another option: a brightly colored skirt or shorts and a few eye crystals are all that’s needed.

Now that we’ve explained how to dress for success, we wish everyone a safe and ~spooky~ halloweekend. Happy costume hunting!