By: Katherine Rushby
Redheads put up with a lot. Let me be the first to say that their eye-catching locks are unlikely to have been caused by devil-worship, a penchant for soul-stealing, or by the consumption of a few too many carrots in their youth! So here is a fact to make up for each time a redhead has been called “carrot-top” or likened to Lindsay Lohan:
It ROCKS to be a redhead come Halloween! If only because when a person, character, or cartoon character has red hair, he or she is absolutely known for it. This yields some highly entertaining, albeit occasionally obvious, costume ideas.
If you like Disney:
The Little Mermaid: It had to be said… But it’s so simple that it cannot be left out!
What you need: a maxi skirt; a flower (or a fork, if you’re feeling whimsical) for your hair; and a seashell bra or a swimsuit top, OR a glittery regular bra, which let’s face it, we all probably already have somewhere in our underwear drawer
Merida from Brave: The lesser-known of the two redheaded cartoon princesses, but equally easy to recreate.
What you need: a long green dress (or short green dress with long sleeves); toy bow and arrow; and a crown
Kim Possible: Massive respect for this throwback to the early 2000s… Bonus points if you change your ringtone to Kim’s, and have people call you throughout the night so you can answer with “What’s the sitch?”
What you need: cargo pants; black long-sleeved top (or crop top); gloves; and straightened hair
Period looks:
Joan from Mad Men: If you’re feeling feisty!
What you need: a sleek updo, and any boldly-coloured, ’50s-style dress, flared or fitted
Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman: For something a touch more provocative…
What you need: a cut-out dress, or simply that bandage dress hanging in your closet right now, with thigh-high black boots (these are the outfit-maker!); BIG hair
If you’re into comic books:
Poison Ivy: A villainous option… (Follow Kim K’s lead for a dressier approach!)
What you need: wild hair (maybe throw in some fake leaves); green tights and green leotard; or even shorts with either a tank top or a corset… as long as it’s all green!
Mystique: Admittedly, not for the unadventurous…
What you need: slicked-back hair, and either a blue unitard (morph-suits are pretty commonplace in university, so see if a friend has one you could borrow!), or a LOT of blue body paint!
Archie Andrews: Bonus points if you convince two friends to acompany you as Betty and Veronica!
What you need: Orange pants or even jeans, paired with either a letterman jacket, or a collared shirt with a sweater vest – just make sure to attach an “R” for Riverdale to whichever top you choose!
Honorable Mentions: Pepper Ann, the Weasleys, Geri from the Spice Girls, or Rihanna in any of her red-haired phases!
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