Jem is Outrageous! Halloween Costume

I've been on a nostalgic Jem kick for the last few days. Yes, Jem and the Holograms is the show of my childhood (that and Batman) -- it was their Halloween episode that always stood out the most:


Part 1 - Trick or Techrat

I'm starting my Halloween costume planning NOW; I had a lot of fun and success the one other time I tried to be a known character for Halloween (Bellatrix), so maybe this year I'll forgo my beloved creeps and ghouls and go for something "truly outrageous."

Dress - Jem wears a pink faux-wrap dress with 3/4 length sleeves.

Burda has a decent pattern here (you'll have to sign up, but the pattern is a free printable -- it's a one-size only. I'm not saying it's the best or only option out there, just that's it's free and a great start!). One more note: Jem's skirt is short and asymmetrical (it's longer on her right side than her left).

You'd need to find a shiny pink fabric for the dress; something sparkly would be nice -- take note that the pattern is intended for a knit fabric.

Jem's Hair - Buy a long, blond wig (or pink, if you can find one). If it already has a lot of volume and rock-star layers, great! If not, you'll need to carefully cut it so it has long bangs and chunky layers. You'll want it to be (light) pink -- you can 'dye' a synthetic wig by coloring it with sharpie markers, though it takes time. You may want to just color chunky little streaks to save yourself time but still get the right feel (see the Make-up video for a reference -- this can look really great!).

Yes, Sharpie now makes PINK MARKERS!

Make-up - Jem's Make-up is pretty straight-forward. You need pinks for your lips and eyes, maybe a soft brown for your eyebrows. If you're more daring and complex with your make-up, try the video tutorial below:

Belt - she wears several colors, all the same style. White or Silver are the best options. If you're not much of a sewer (because heave knows there is no pattern floating about for this that I can find), tie a triangle of fabric around your waist with the long end on your left hip. Cut the back edge to give it fringe.

Earrings - the Jem Star earrings are definitely the most important piece to the costume. Jem can literally not be Jem without them. Sparkly, large, red stars:

• http://www.cosplay.com/photo/1796421/

Tights - regular nylons are okay, but try dip-dying them pink!

• How to dye gradient tights
• Rit Pink Dyes Guide

Shoes - heels! pink to match the dress, or white. If you can't find pink shoes to match your dress, may I suggest decoupaging some old ones with pink paper or leftover fabric? We've talked about this before, but pink glitter is also an option.

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And there you go. My starting point for turning into Jem on the 31st of October.

My other thought for this year? Elsa Lanchester.