Cosplay Ideas: 30 Classic Characters and How to Choose Yours
The best cosplay is a character you love and can actually finish. Thirty well-known characters sorted by difficulty, plus how to choose the right one for you.
Looking for cosplay ideas? Cosplay, a word formed from "costume" and "play", means dressing as a specific character rather than wearing a general costume. The term was coined in Japan in the early 1980s, but fans have been costuming at science fiction conventions since at least 1939. The most important rule has not changed: pick a character you genuinely love. You will spend hours with them, and that enthusiasm shows. Below are 30 long-loved characters, sorted by how much work they take.
How to choose a character
- Love first. Pick someone whose story you know well; you will enjoy the details more.
- Check the silhouette. Characters with one strong shape, color or prop are recognized fastest.
- Be honest about time. A weekend? Choose something from the "easy" list. A few months? Try armor or a big prop.
- Think about the venue. Long capes are lovely for photos and awkward in crowds. Large props may be restricted at events.
- Anyone can be anyone. Cosplay is open to every body type, age and gender. Playing a character of a different gender even has its own name: crossplay.
Easy: closet and thrift builds
- Velma Dinkley (Scooby-Doo): orange turtleneck, red skirt, knee socks, square glasses.
- Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo): white shirt, blue trousers, orange ascot.
- Ash Ketchum (Pokémon): cap, short-sleeve jacket or vest, gloves, a toy Poké Ball.
- Wednesday Addams: black dress, white collar, two braids.
- Charlie Brown (Peanuts): yellow shirt with a black zigzag.
- Carl Fredricksen (Up): bow tie, square glasses, a cane with tennis balls on the feet, a bunch of balloons.
- Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service): dark dress, big red bow, a broom.
- Indiana Jones: fedora, leather-look jacket, satchel, a coiled rope as a "whip".
- Marty McFly (Back to the Future): red puffer vest, denim jacket, jeans.
- Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus): a patterned dress, a toy lizard on your shoulder.
More ideas like these are in our list of easy cosplay ideas.
Medium: some sewing or crafting
- Link (The Legend of Zelda): green tunic, pointed hat, belt, foam sword and shield.
- Princess Zelda: long gown, gold-painted foam jewelry and crown.
- Mario and Luigi: red or green shirt and cap, blue overalls, white gloves, mustache.
- Princess Leia (Star Wars): white robe-style dress, belt, side buns.
- A Jedi: layered tunics, a brown robe, a toy lightsaber.
- Hermione Granger (Harry Potter): school uniform, robe, a house scarf, a wand.
- Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings): gray robe, pointed hat, long beard, staff.
- Sailor Moon: sailor-collar leotard and skirt, red bows, long pigtails.
- Wonder Woman: red and gold armor top, blue skirt, gold tiara and cuffs.
- Mary Poppins: long skirt, blouse, flower hat, umbrella, carpet bag.
Advanced: armor, wigs and big props
- A Star Wars bounty hunter: foam armor and a helmet over a flight suit.
- Iron Man: full foam armor and a helmet.
- Samus Aran (Metroid): rounded power suit and arm cannon.
- Goku (Dragon Ball): a gi plus a gravity-defying spiked wig.
- Elsa (Frozen): a gown with sheer cape and a long braided wig.
- Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda): heavy armor and cape.
- A Ghostbuster: coveralls plus a proton pack built from foam and tubing.
- Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon): a full creature suit.
- Belle (Beauty and the Beast): a layered gold ball gown.
- The Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland): oversized hat, patterned coat, wild wig.
Ready for armor? Start with our guide to EVA foam armor. Hair is often the hardest part of an advanced cosplay; see how to style a cosplay wig.
Ideas by occasion
| Occasion | Good picks |
|---|---|
| First convention | Velma, Ash Ketchum, Kiki, Wednesday Addams |
| Halloween cosplay | Wednesday Addams, Ghostbuster, the Mad Hatter, Gandalf |
| Hot weather | Charlie Brown, Fred Jones, Mario |
| Group or family | The Scooby-Doo gang, Mario and friends, a Ghostbusters team |
| Photoshoot | Belle, Elsa, Link, Wonder Woman |
For groups, see our full list of group cosplay ideas.
Cosplay for every body
Every character on this list can be cosplayed at any size. A few practical tips make plus size cosplay ideas easier to pull off: build or buy pieces in stretch fabrics, adjust patterns rather than relying on one-size costumes, and focus on the elements that make the character recognizable, such as color, hair and the prop. The best cosplay is the one you feel good in.
Questions
What is the best cosplay for a beginner?
A character you love whose outfit is mostly ordinary clothes plus one key item, such as Velma, Ash Ketchum or Kiki.
Do I have to make my own cosplay?
No. Many cosplayers combine bought, thrifted and handmade pieces. Some costume contests do require the costume to be self-made, so check the rules if you plan to compete.
Can I cosplay a character of a different gender?
Yes. It is called crossplay and is a long-standing, widely accepted part of cosplay.
Is cosplay the same as a Halloween costume?
Cosplay means representing a specific character, often in detail. A Halloween costume can be anything, but any cosplay works as a Halloween costume too.
