Just a note that we hope to resume our costume contest in 2023.
Until then, happy costuming!
Our 2020 Costume Contest was interrupted for three months by COVID and my work, so only now, three months later, are we posting the winners. I am so grateful for everyone’s patience and good humor through this long, bizarre situation. What a year.
I will be emailing the winners their Amazon gift certificates over the next couple of days. (For reference, here’s the original contest announcement.) All the winners have been posted on our Facebook page and uploaded to our 2020 Costume Contest Winners album. You can also review all the entries this year in our 2020 Costume Contest Album.
Okay, let’s get to it! Here come the prizes!
Division I: Category Costumes
These are the prize categories that we award every year. They’re based on our own costume categories here on the website: queens, goddesses and mythological figures, notable historical women, and glamorous stars.
Best Queen Costume
Winner, expert class: Gayle Dowdle as Elizabeth I.
Feast your eyes on the magnificence! Gayle spent a couple of years working on this dress, which is modeled after the Ditchley portrait. The detail is absolutely incredible. I bet if the real Elizabeth R had had to make her own dresses they would have been one heck of a lot simpler. Smocks, maybe. Anyway, Gayle has photos of the dress construction over at her Dowdle’s Costumes Facebook page.
Winner, amateur class: Janice Strickland as Tin Hinan.
Janice strikes again! This is the third time Janice has taken one of our older costumes, from before we had models, and brought it beautifully to life. This is Tin Hinan, legendary queen of the Tuareg, as depicted in the wonderful painting by Hocine Ziani. Janice looks every inch the part.
Winner, junior class: Cecilia Weiss as Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Is this incredible or what? Cecilia is only 15 years old and made this costume herself, based on Eleanor of Aquitaine’s tomb effigy. She created the pattern through the draping method and hand-painted the fabric. That’s some serious costume chops!
Best Notable Woman Costume
Winner, expert class: Gabriela Salvador as Mercy Otis Warren.
Mercy Otis Warren was a stone cold genius who perhaps more than any other person is responsible for the Bill of Rights. Even Jefferson was in awe of her intellect. Gabriela portrays her in 1780s high style, which is exactly appropriate. Every bit of this is perfect and beautiful. (Also, there is nothing on this earth more lovely than cream colored silk.)
Winner, amateur class: Kelly Czermerys as Mary Anning.
Kelly is a science teacher and says it’s a tradition for her to dress as a woman scientist each year for Halloween. This is a wonderful depiction of the great Mary Anning, fossil hunter extraordinaire. Bonus points for the stuffed Dalmatian in the role of Tray, Mary’s beloved dog.
Best Glamour Grrl Costume
Winner, expert class: Debra Redfern as Marilyn Monroe.
For future archaeologists attempting to make sense of this contest: let it be known that if Debbie had wanted to create a perfect replica of Marilyn’s green gown in “River of No Return,” she certainly could have. She’s an expert! But this particular costume was created for a contest (not this one) where the challenge was to make an outfit in 30 days for under $30. This whole outfit is strung together from cheap table runners, shoelaces, zip ties, and orange shower poufs. Which frankly makes it all the more amazing.
Winner, junior class: Katie Sue Hamilton as Dolly Parton.
We don’t actually encourage “glamour” for 7-year-olds. Glamour Grrls is just the category we use for Hollywood stars and modern celebrities. Little Katie Sue is precious as Dolly Parton, and her mom Anne says she “wowed her fans with her renditions of ‘Jolene,’ ‘9 to 5,’ and ‘Coat of Many Colors’!”
Best Mythological Costume
Winner, expert class: Carol Lewis as Calypso.
Calypso is the sea nymph who keeps Odysseus captive for seven years in the Odyssey; I’ve always pictured her as a Greek goddess on a sunlit Mediterranean isle. Carol takes a cue from Pirates of the Caribbean and re-imagines her as a baroque shipwreck, with a lobster pot for a bustle and a pool noodle coming out of her head. It’s a vision both hilarious and unsettling.
Winner, amateur class: Janice Strickland as The Morrigan.
This has never happened before: the same person has won both Best Queen Costume and Best Mythological Costume. It’s like the Academy Awards! Janice Strickland is our very own Scarlett Johansson, though I don’t know if Scarlett will be as successful. Both of Janice’s costumes this year were just unbeatable. The Morrigan is one of our favorite costume designs, and Janice has taken it up a notch with the addition of huge wings instead of feathers around the neck. Truly spectacular.
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Kellie Hanson as Nemesis.
Need an avenging angel? Kellie’s got you covered. Be careful of her when she’s wearing that blindfold, though. No telling where that sword will end up! In all seriousness, this is a terrific costume. I love the simplicity of it, the stark contrast with the white and black, the humongous wings, the, um, leather attire that lends a foreboding air. She may have angel wings but buddy, if you have done wrong she is going to slice you up.
Winner, junior/expert class: Ava Jean Duncan as Demeter, costume by Eshta Amar.
The “junior/expert” entry class here is because Ava Jean’s mom, Eshta Amar, is a professional costumer. (You can tell.) What’s revelatory about this costume is that Eshta has chosen to present Demeter in the way that Hindu gods are typically portrayed. I don’t think I’ve seen that before, and it’s marvelous. The bejeweled gown and headpiece are exquisite, and the slender sheaf of wheat and wildflowers is the perfect finishing touch.
Winner, junior class: Pat M. Yulo’s daughter Callie as Tala.
This is our “regular” junior class winner: a delightful costume put together by Pat and her daughter Callie. Tala is the demi-goddess of the night stars in Philippine mythology, and Pat explains that “in stories, she is depicted holding a light orb or sphere to guide travelers home.” I hope Pat and Callie will forgive me for adding a tiny lens flare to Callie’s orb. I couldn’t resist!
Best Realization of a Take Back Halloween Design
Winner: Jennifer Simonovich and Karl Schults as Persephone and Hades.
Somebody once commented that the only thing our Persephone costume needed was a Hades, and here Jenn’s gone and done it. Not only is Karl a most excellent Hades, but Jenn has gone a step further and crafted a Cerberus out of three stuffed dog toys. Perfect!
Division II: Masquerade
This division includes Fiction, Fantasy, Period Costumes, and Historical Recreations. Our Fiction and Fantasy categories sort of collapsed in on each other, because virtually every fictional character is also some sort of fantasy creature or magical being or sci-fi hero. People aren’t dressing up as characters from Edith Wharton novels is what I’m saying. For the purpose of prizes, we put science fiction and classic fairy tales in the Fiction category, and everything else in the Fantasy category.
Best Fictional Character Costume
Winner, expert class: Brooke Jessop as Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
Brooke re-interprets Belle’s iconic yellow dress in a beautiful buttery gold, and then kicks it into the stratosphere with a breathtaking train of roses. This is a marvelously inspired design—perfect for the fairy tale in every way—and flawlessly realized. Just outstanding.
Winner, amateur class: Angel as Captain Marvel.
Disney princesses are beautiful, but it’s great that we’re now starting to have some female movie heroes who wear pants, have jobs, and kick ass. None is more popular than Captain Marvel, and Angel does a great job here with the costume. The hair is perfect! And the flerken (with an egg!) is a winning touch.
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Laura Mayer as the Grandmother/Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood.
I just think this is adorable. And so clever! We can think of this as the Wolf in disguise as the Grandmother, but we can also imagine that we’re witnessing the terrible moment when the wolf swallows the grandmother whole. There she is, peeping out from his gullet! Man, fairy tales are gruesome.
Winner, junior class: Bobby Fischer’s daughter Olivia as the Rocketeer.
Doesn’t this picture just make your heart sing? The costume is pretty good too. The helmet and jetpack were 3D printed and finished by Bobby with some help from Olivia, and the whole thing is a beautiful tribute to father-daughter teamwork.
Best Fantasy Character Costume
Winner, expert class: Caroline Chinitz as Raven Queen from Ever After High.
We put Raven Queen in the Fantasy category because, even though she’s supposed to be the daughter of the Evil Queen from Snow White, she’s not a classic fairy tale character. Actually, she’s a doll. Mattel created the Ever After High doll franchise as a spin-off from its super-successful Monster High doll franchise. Splitting hairs, I grant you, but we had to find a way to divide things up. Anyway, this is a fabulous costume! Caroline absolutely nailed it. A sewing genius!
Winner, amateur class: Beckie Geddes as “Edwardian Beetlejuice.”
This whole costume is terrific, but my favorite part is the hat. The skeleton hand! The skulls with pearls for eyes! The spiders! The, um, stripey things! What are those stripey things, Beckie? Anyway, great costume. Gender-bent and dislocated in time, but still Beetlejuice.
Winner, junior class: Emily Langer’s daughter Juliette as Lyra Belaqua from the Golden Compass.
I love this mother-daughter effort. Emily made the overalls, the mask, the adorable stuffed Pantalaimon, and modified a second-hand coat and shirt; Juliette made the truth-telling alethiometer prop out of a vintage compact, foam, gears, and found objects from the button box. Beautiful!
Best Period Costume
Winner, expert class: Monica and Arthur Griffith in “Tudor Christmas,” costumes by Monica De Souza-Griffith.
Monica has outdone herself this time. This should be a Christmas card! Just look at these outfits: aren’t they perfect? Aren’t they exquisitely designed and finished? I’m no good at Facebook analytics, but I do know that Monica and Arthur’s Tudor Christmas is one of the most popular contest entries we’ve ever posted. (Hmmm…maybe somebody *is* using it as a Christmas card…?) Not that this is a popularity contest, but it does go to show what a chord these costumes struck. Monica, you are a talented lady.
Winner, amateur class: Abbie Burt in Regency period dress.
And here’s another talented lady, who’s only 20 years old but is already sewing up a storm. This is Abbie Burt in a charming Regency period costume she made herself. Very clever of her to find a forest to match her dress!
Winner, junior class: Cecilia Weiss in mid-14th century dress.
Cecilia is 15 years old, and not only did she make this outfit herself, but she made the pattern for it as well. And it was her first attempt at flat pattern-making! So, in case you’re older than 15 and feeling inadequate, just…yeah. In all seriousness: Cecilia, you are fabulous. I can’t wait to see all the amazing costumes you’re going to design and create.
Best Historical Recreation
Winner, expert class: Johanna Nybelius as Christina Gyllenstierna.
What Johanna is recreating here is the kind of court dress Christina would have worn around 1520, particularly her gold hood. It seems that Swedish noblewomen in the early 16th century liked to embroider their caps with pure gold, which is…not the weirdest way wealthy elites have chosen to show off their status. Certainly gets the message across. “Look at all the gold thread on my head!” Anyway, Johanna did an enormous amount of research and mastered new embroidery skills to pull this off. The whole outfit is magnificent.
Winner, amateur class: Laura Gill as the “Ladies in Blue” at Knossos.
This is fun! Laura Gill is all three of the Minoan “Ladies in Blue,” as excavated by Arthur Evans and imaginatively (*cough cough*) reconstructed by Emile Gilliéron. Laura has a real knack for these archaeological recreations, and has taken home the prize several times. Laura, do the bull leapers next!
Winner, junior class: Lindsay Falke’s son and daughter as Paul Revere, his horse, and the Old North Church.
“Historical Recreation” is supposed to be for clothes, not buildings and horses! Just kidding. This entry is utterly charming and thoroughly ingenious. The whole thing is basically made out of cardboard and hot glue. It’s brilliant. Kudos to the Falke family! (By the way, the horse’s name is Brown Beauty.)
Division III: Zeitgeist 2020
This division is for our special 2020 costume prizes. We have Trailblazer Tributes, Quarantine Creations, and Marvelous Masks.
Trailblazer Tributes
Winner, expert class: Prentice Watson as Amelia Bloomer.
I LOVE THIS COSTUME! I love that it’s Amelia Bloomer, I love how well done it is, I love seeing the dress reform style in real life, and I love the beautiful outdoor photo shoot. Do you ever think about how brave those women were? And imagine if we had a time machine and could show them how we live now, in the Age of Sweatpants.
Winner, amateur class: Rossilynne Skena Culgan as Carry A. Nation.
People remember Carrie Nation (or Carry A. Nation, as she liked to style herself) as a saloon smasher, but fewer remember that the temperance movement was a huge part of Feminism version 1.0. Nowadays we’re more likely to see fundamental power structures as the central issue, with substance abuse an aggravating factor (or symptom, as the case may be). But things weren’t so clear in Carrie’s day. In a world where women were almost 100% at the mercy of male whims (physically, financially, socially, legally), getting rid of drunkenness seemed like an outstanding idea.
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Lindsey Marth as Inez Milholland.
What would our trailblazer tribute be without Inez Milholland? Inez was the real deal: a labor lawyer, socialist, free love advocate, and redoubtable suffragist who was famous for showing up at marches on her horse. She was only 30 when she died from exhaustion and pernicious anemia—four years before the 19th Amendment FINALLY granted American women the right to vote.
Winner, junior class: Erika Schulten’s daughter as “Miriam, Sister Suffragette.”
Squeeeee!!!! So precious! Erika created such a beautiful costume for her little girl. She writes: “All the colors represent the colors used by the American suffragists to denote loyalty (purple), quality of purpose (white), and the torch of guidance (gold). I also opted to include a green ribbon, representing hope, to additionally pay homage to the Sisters in Britain who came first.” Wonderfully thought out and put together.
Quarantine Creations
Winner, expert class: Gabriela Salvador recreating Rossetti’s “Proserpine” (1874).
Ah, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Or as I think of them, Brotherhood of Dudes Obsessed with Jane Morris. One of the things I love about the quarantine art genre is the way it exposes the deep weirdness in famous paintings. “I just want to be alone with my pomegranate, okay? OKAY???”
Winner, amateur class: Aimee Lim recreating Evelyn De Morgan’s “Cassandra” (1898).
The burning question in my mind whenever I look at this painting is, “what the heck is going on with that fabric? What’s making it bunch up like that in the middle?” I feel that Aimee has wrestled with this issue as well, and has very sensibly just tucked a piece of gold lame into her waistband. God knows what De Morgan did in the studio. A rubber band?
Marvelous Masks
Winner, expert class: Ainsley Hawthorn as a Plague Doctor.
You knew this was coming, right? Not only did Ainsley create her own Plague Doctor outfit, replete with period-appropriate mask, but she organized a whole March of the Plague Doctors in her town (and then again in another town). All the feels. Instant winner.
Winner, amateur class: Emily Robertson as Edgar Allan Poe’s Raven.
Wowza! The pictures Emily originally sent with her entry were kind of small, so I emailed her to see if she had any bigger ones. Imagine my reaction when I opened this up.
Winner, junior class: Angie Glynn’s daughter Emma as an extremely safe fish.
Folks, it just doesn’t get any safer than this. Not only is Emma wearing a mask inside the fish costume, but the fish is wearing a mask too. Personal protective equipment for all vertebrates!
Zeitgeist Fashion
Winner, expert class: Angelica Roque in “the Strawberry Dress” re-imagined for Halloween 2020.
Surprise award! This isn’t a costume; it’s the very essence of our 2020 hopes and fears distilled into one tea-length dress with matching hat and mask. I love everything about this. The best of the strawberry dress, a beautiful Halloween palette, exquisite net work, romantic tulle or chiffon on the hat, and the gorgeous mask that picks up the same fabric as the dress. Plus cemetery, plus death, and we’re there. 2020.
Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965) was a dynamo of talent and beauty who became the first African American nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Her starring role in Carmen Jones launched her into the Hollywood stratosphere, but the racism of the era meant that there was still no real place for her in mainstream pictures. She was a brilliant performer and a box-office draw, yet her talents were ultimately wasted by the white movie industry. Sadly, she died much too young, but her memory—and her mesmerizing screen presence—lives on.
The easiest way to dress like Miss Dorothy Dandridge is to rock that iconic Carmen Jones look. It’s unmistakable! Here are the pieces you need to look for:
1. Red pencil skirt or narrow wrap skirt.
2. Off-the-shoulder black top.
3. Red rose hair clip.
4. Silver-tone hoop earrings.
Hair and makeup: Ebony McCrary did a gorgeous retro glam look à la Dorothy Dandridge on her Colored Beautiful YouTube channel a few years ago:
And this is the wig-styling video she’s talking about:
Now you just need a man who looks like Harry Belafonte…
When Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) appeared in white tie and tails in the 1930 film Morocco, audiences were mesmerized. It’s an incredible entrance: she strolls onto the stage with insouciant glamour, sings a song in French, throws back some champagne, and then steals a kiss from a lady in the audience. What a way to make a Hollywood debut! She was nominated for an Oscar for that film, and her status as an icon was sealed. (Head over to Turner Classic Movies to see the clip.)
To channel Marlene Dietrich, you need full white tie: that means a tailcoat, top hat, etc., etc. Here are the individual pieces:
1. Black tailcoat.
2. Top hat.
4. Women’s wing collar tuxedo shirt.
5. Women’s black tuxedo pants.
6. Dark blonde wig. Marlene Dietrich did not actually have blonde hair; it was light brown. But she was photographed in such a way that the light made her hair appear blonde. A dark blonde wig like this will give more or less the right look.
Many stars have died before their time, but they were usually felled by drugs or alcohol. Not Madhubala (1933-1969). Her tragedy was of a different sort: she was born with a heart defect that doomed her to an early death. Even in her twenties, before she had to retire completely from acting, she suffered on set from exhaustion and weakness. Yet her beauty and expressiveness were—and remain—incomparable. She lit up the Bollywood screen like no other.
The defining peak of her career was her role in Mughal-e-Azam as Anarkali, the dancer who loves the son of Emperor Akbar and offers to sacrifice her life for him. An entire fashion trend—the “Anarkali” suit—was inspired by the costume she wore for the song “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” (our main illustration above, and video below). If you have a party-wear suit in the Anarkali style, you can turn yourself into Madhubala with the addition of a few accessories. Here are the pieces you’ll need:
1. Anarkali-style kameez. This is the gold standard to shoot for: full skirt, chiffon, light minty blue or green.
2. Red churidars or leggings.
3. Turkish scoop vest in burgundy velvet.
4. Anarkali cap with feather. Also called a qawwali cap. If you’re in India you can probably order one of these online, but here in North America you’ll need to rig something up. This page provides a little tutorial on making one from scratch. But if you want to save time, we suggest putting together some pre-made items. Start with a dark red kufi hat:
Stick on a border of self-adhesive jewel trim in whatever color you like (this is literally peel and stick, no ironing or gluing required):
Finish it off by pinning a white feathered brooch to one side of the cap towards the front:
5. Red chiffon veil. You can pin this inside your cap and let it flow down your back.
6. Bollywood jewelry set with maroon stones. The more spectacular, the better!
Additional jewelry: Pretty much everything you can lay your hands on. Haul out all your party pieces (and anybody else’s you can borrow as well).
The “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” scene from Mughal-e-Azam:
Xi Wang Mu, the “Queen Mother of the West,” is the fairy goddess of Chinese lore. She lives in a jewel-encrusted palace on a solid gold mountain far to the west, where she is attended by jade maidens. She flies on the back of a crane, keeps bluebirds as messengers, and grows the Peaches of Immortality in her garden. Though you can’t tell from the picture above, she’s believed to have long white hair, symbolic of longevity.
Our costume design approximates the look of ancient Hanfu by layering a kimono-sleeve robe and wide belt over inexpensive nightgowns. The pieces we suggest:
1. Two long satin nightgowns. This is your base layer. You’re going to wear both of them: the coral over the flower print. These will show beneath your robe, giving you a full-skirted multi-layer look.
2. Champagne pink robe with crane print. It’s perfect for Xi Wang Mu! Wear this over your nightgowns.
3. White cinch belt. This goes over the robe and holds everything in place.
4. Phoenix crown. This is a modern bridal crown, but it will work fine for the Queen of the West.
5. Long white costume wig. Let it flow down your back and over your shoulders.
Version 1.0.0
6. Peaches of immortality. Carry this lovely branch of faux peaches with you.
Dressing up as Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) is easy, since there’s a licensed costume that perfectly duplicates her fabulous ensemble in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Her role as Holly Golightly was iconic, and everybody still recognizes that amazing black gown and beehive hairdo. But Audrey was much more than just a movie star. Her experiences during World War II (her family ate tulip bulbs to survive the Nazis) inspired in her a lifelong commitment to humanitarianism. After her retirement from films she became a worldwide ambassador for UNICEF.
But on to the costume! Here are the pieces you need:
1. Holly Golightly costume. Includes the dress, gloves, and sunglasses.
2. Accessory set. This set includes a costume necklace, modeled after the fabulous one Audrey wore in the move, along with earrings, a little tiara, a cigarette holder, and (again) sunglasses and gloves. These gloves are probably better than the ones that come with the dress (#1).
3. Holly Golightly wig. If you don’t have hair that you can fix into a beehive, this wig will do the trick.
Anna May Wong (1905-1961) was Hollywood’s first Chinese American movie star. In fact, for several decades she was Hollywood’s only Chinese American movie star, such was the pervasive racism of the era. The studios preferred Caucasians in “yellowface” over Asian actors, and strict rules prohibited on-screen romance between whites and non-whites. Most of the movies with Chinese characters were incredibly ridiculous anyway: endless Dragon Lady stereotypes and opium dens and Fu Manchu stuff. When Hollywood finally set out to make a serious film about China—Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth—Anna May campaigned hard for the lead. She lost the part to an Austrian.
Nevertheless, Anna May Wong somehow rose above it all to become an international star. She was glamorous, beautiful, and utterly magnetic on the screen. She was a fashion icon too, introducing the new Shanghai-style cheongsam (also known as a qi pao) to Western audiences. In her fashion shoots at the height of her popularity in the late 1920s and 30s, she often chose to be photographed in cheongsams. The pieces we suggest for the costume:
1. Long red cheongsam. This dress is calf-length or ankle-length depending on your height; they also have other styles and colors.
3. Retro 20s flapper shoe in red satin. The perfect style for a 20s or 30s era outfit.
4. Red and gold crystal chandelier earrings. Anna May wore gorgeous Art Deco earrings. These red and gold crystal earrings are inexpensive but totally fabulous.
5. Faux pearl necklace, 70 inches long. She also wore long strands of pearls, knotted flapper-style.
6. Wig with bangs. Anna May introduced the smooth bangs look, which became her signature style. The rest of her hair was long, and she usually wore it up in a bun or chignon at the back of her neck. If your own hair isn’t the right length for that, you can try an inexpensive wig like this. The bangs are fine; just gather the rest of it into a bun.
Audiovisual aid: Search on YouTube or social media for the 1937 Technicolor short Hollywood Party. This may be the only color film of Anna May Wong from the pre-war period. The movie itself is dreadful, but at least we get to see Anna May modeling a couple of the cheongsams she’d picked up in China.
This costume should really have its own category: Costumes For When You Have A Halloween Party Tonight And It’s Already 5 O’Clock. Yes, it’s extremely simple, but that’s the appeal. You can stop by a costume store and pick up a Medusa wig, combine it with your own cool clothes, and voilà! You’ll look exactly like Uma Thurman.
Seriously, we haven’t seen The Lightning Thief, so we have no idea if it’s any good. But the costumes look cool. Uma Thurman plays Medusa, the snake-headed Gorgon of Greek mythology, but she’s dressed in Matrixy-type modern duds. That’s what makes it easy to duplicate. The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Medusa headpiece. We suggest one like this that looks really reptilian. It’s okay that the bottom is ugly because all that will be covered by the turban.
2. Black stretch knit turban headband. You need an open-crown turban like this, or just a black scarf, to wrap around your head and hide the latex edges of the snake headpiece. The little reptiles will peek out over the top.
3. Black steampunk tailcoat. This one even has laces in the back, which is exactly what Uma’s coat looks like in the movie.
4. Black sunglasses.
Other stuff: Wear all black under your tailcoat—black pants and top, black boots if you have them.
UPDATE 10/26/2020: The deadline for entering the contest has been extended to November 15! Due to real-life circumstances, we’re going to have to delay the judging by about two weeks, so we’re also extending the deadline to enter. We’ll plan to get the prizes awarded the week of Thanksgiving. Thanks for understanding!
After a one-year hiatus, the contest is back! We took last year off because we’re in the process of creating a new website and re-branding (see here). We thought we’d be ready in 2020, but then COVID-19 happened. So the re-launch is now tentatively planned for 2021.
In the meantime, we asked our community if people wanted to go ahead and have a contest this year, in the midst of all this craziness. Everybody said YES! So here we go — with a few new prizes to capture the spirit of the times.
And just as we promised last year, you can definitely enter your 2019 costume as well. In fact, you can enter up to six costumes from the past three years.
[Edited to add because people asked: We don’t impose any rules that you have to personally construct some or all of your costume. You are free to use pre-existing garments and store-bought items. We’re just interested in the final effect.]
Send your photos to contest@takebackhalloween.org, and we’ll upload all the entries to our 2020 Costume Contest Album on our Facebook page. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, November 1 November 15, 2020.
This year we have 12 prize categories spread over three divisions:
Division I: Category Costumes
This is our traditional division, the one we’ve had since our very first contest. As ever, we’re looking for costumes that fit into our own costume categories here on the website. That means a goddess or mythological figure, a great queen, a notable historical person, or a glamorous star. These should be specific people, not generic costumes.
Best Goddess or Mythological Figure Costume
Best Queen Costume
Best Notable Woman Costume
Best Glamour Grrl Costume
Best Realization of a Take Back Halloween Design (this prize is about faithfully recreating one of our specific designs here on the website)
Division II: Masquerade
We added this division to our contest in 2017. With these categories, there’s no requirement that you embody a real person or specific mythological figure. You can just recreate a historical artifact, wear period clothing, or dress up as a character from fiction. This year we’ve tweaked the rules for Fictional Characters and Sci-Fi/Fantasy to try to allow for the kinds of costumes people seem to really enjoy doing.
Historical Recreation: This is for costumes that are based on an actual garment, design, statue, painting, photograph, or illustration. The costume you’re copying or recreating should date from no later than 1970.
Period Costume: This is for costumes that look as if they date from a certain period of history (though it’s fine if they’re made using modern materials and techniques). Tudor England, Heian period Japan, Mughal India, Viking Age Scandinavia, and the American Civil War are just a few examples of costume periods. The time period should be no later than 1970.
Fictional Characters: This category is for fictional characters from literature, art, film, or other media, but it can also be a fictional character you have invented yourself. The costume can be from any time period, but it should be distinctive to that character/work of art and ideally different from modern street dress.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy: How is this different from fiction? The overlap is undeniable, but mostly we intend this category for things like superheroes, fantastical beings, and so forth. Stuff that does not and has never existed in the real world. No limit on the time period.
Division III: Zeitgeist 2020
These are special prize categories we’ve created just for this year. This crazy, crazy year. We all need something to feel cheerful and hopeful about, and maybe something to strengthen our resolve for whatever lies ahead. We’re inviting entries in the following categories (and we may add additional prize categories depending on what people send in):
Quarantine Creations: In the spirit of the #GettyMuseumChallenge, your goal here is to recreate a costume depicted in a work of art using only household items. (Work of art = painting, illustration, or photograph.) You’re in quarantine, so you can’t go buy a bunch of new fabric or special stuff or anything. Just use what you’ve got! For inspiration, follow the Getty hashtag on Twitter or check out this great blog post: People Recreate Works of Art With Objects Found at Home During Self-Quarantine. When you submit your entry, make sure you include a picture of the artwork you’re trying to recreate.
Marvelous Masks: MASKS SAVE LIVES. Everybody should wear a mask! This prize is for the best costume mask, and we’re going to leave it pretty open as to what that means. Carnival masks? Historical masks, like the plague masks of a few centuries ago? Clever incorporation of masking into an otherwise regular costume? Fantastic masks that transform you into an otherworldly creature? It’s up to you — have at it!
Trailblazer Tributes: From Sojourner Truth to Kamala Harris, from Seneca Falls to Black Lives Matter, women have been at the forefront of what President Obama once called “the hard work of making sure our nation makes progress on its road to becoming a more perfect union.” This year feels epochal in so many ways, and we invite you to honor and celebrate the abolitionists, suffragists, civil rights leaders, feminists, womanists, and glass ceiling breakers who’ve brought us this far. Yes, all of these people also fall into our Notable Women category, but this is an extra category this year to specifically salute civil rights, women’s rights, and indeed everyone doing the brave and necessary work of nurturing democracy.
Entry Classes
We award prizes in three classes: Amateur, Expert, and Junior (age 15 and under). This is so everybody can compete at their own level. Each of the categories above will actually result in up to three prizes, assuming we get entries in all three classes:
- Amateur class = $50 Amazon gift certificate
- Expert class = $50 Amazon gift certificate
- Junior class = $25 Amazon gift certificate
When you send in your entry, tell us which class you think is appropriate.
Hang on, what does expert mean?
Expert class is for folks who are highly skilled at costuming. You know who you are: experienced cosplayers, RenFaire people, historical reenactors, theatre types. If you’re not sure, ask yourself the following:
- Have I (or the person who made my costume) competed at the Master or Journeyman level in a cosplay contest or other judged costume competition?
- Am I (or the person who made my costume) a skilled and experienced seamstress, artist, cosplayer, Renaissance Faire performer, historical reenactor, or theatrical costumer?
- Is my costume of professional quality, suitable for Renaissance Faire performances, historical reenactment, or a theatrical performance?
If the answer to any of those is “yes,” your entry may belong in the expert class. (But if you’re still not sure, just let us know. We’ll work it out. It’s not unusual for people to feel like they’re on the borderline.)
General Rules
1. Your entry must include the following information: your name, who or what the costume represents, your entry class (amateur, expert, junior), and at least one photograph of the costume.
2. Please also tell us which prize category or categories you are aiming for, such as Notable Women, Historical Recreation, Quarantine Creations, etc. This will help us understand your intention for the costume. But obviously there is overlap between the categories, and many costume entries will fall into more than one. Rest assured that when it’s time for judging the contest, we’ll put you in the category where you have the best chance to win.
3. Your entry photograph(s) should show the costume in full, and should be clear and well lit. Avoid distracting backgrounds that don’t contribute to your costume. You are welcome to send in multiple photos to help us appreciate the full glory of your creation.
4. By submitting your photo, you are giving us permission to publish it on the Take Back Halloween website, our Facebook page, our Twitter account, and our Instagram page.
5. If you’re submitting a contest entry on behalf of someone else, you must have that person’s permission to submit the entry and publish the photo. If other people appear in the photo, you must obtain their permission for us to use and publish it.
6. The costume may be from any time in the past three years. (We’re extending this since we didn’t have a contest in 2019.)
7. You may enter up to six costumes for consideration. (This is also expanded, since we didn’t have a contest in 2019.)
8. Submissions should be emailed to contest@takebackhalloween.org.
9. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, November 1 November 15, 2020.
We expect to publish the winners about a week to ten days after the submission deadline.
Tips
If you’re new to Take Back Halloween, it might help to look at our contest winners from past years to get a sense of what we like:
2018 Costume Contest winners
2017 Costume Contest winners
2016 Costume Contest winners
2015 Costume Contest winners
2014 Costume Contest winners
2013 Costume Contest winners
2012 Costume Contest winner
Happy costuming!
Hi everybody –
Just a quick note that we’re not having a contest this year because our new website isn’t ready yet. (This one is barely creaking along.) We plan to re-launch in 2020, and we’ll have the contest again next Halloween.
But if you’ve got a great costume this year, never fear—just get some good pictures and enter it next year. We will absolutely accept entries next year from this Halloween as well as next year’s Halloween.
Happy Halloween and happy costuming!
Every year the entries to our contest get better and better. I want to give everyone a prize. So many beautiful costumes, so much creativity, so many agonizingly difficult decisions. I’m just in awe of all this heartfelt handiwork.
Some of the categories were brutally competitive this year. If you didn’t win, don’t be discouraged! Try again next year! Seriously, some of these decisions were painful and I kept wishing I had more prizes to go around.
As ever, we reworked the prize money pot a little bit to match the entries we received. The basic pattern we’re going for is to award prizes at the amateur, expert, and junior levels, but some categories had a ton of entries and some had only a few. We added in a handful of Judge’s Choice awards to round things out. For reference, here’s the original contest announcement.
All the winners will be uploaded to our 2018 Costume Contest Winners album on Facebook. You can also review all the entries this year in our 2018 Costume Contest Album. I will be emailing the winners with official notifications and Amazon gift certificates over the next couple of days.
Thank you all so much for sharing your creations and making this year’s contest so inspiring.
Division I: Category Costumes
These are the prize categories that we award every year. They’re based on our own costume categories here on the website: glamorous stars, goddesses and mythological figures, queens, and notable historical women. These should be specific individuals, not generic costumes.
Best Glamour Grrl Costume
Winner, amateur level: Cheryl Blakemore as Dorothy Dandridge.
As somebody said on Facebook, “Nailed it!” Cheryl is the very image of Dorothy Dandridge in the movie Carmen Jones. Everything is perfect, from her toenail polish to the brick wall photo shoot. Just gorgeous and beautifully done.
Winner, expert level: Debbie Redfern as Helena Bonham Carter.
Debbie recreated the Dolce & Gabbana couture gown worn by Helena Bonham Carter in Ocean’s 8 to beautiful effect. She writes: “I created the dupioni poly-silk gown by draping onto a dressform (no patterns used), and the dress is only comprised of three pieces of fabric with horsehair braid on the hem. I then hand stitched on a bazillion flowers, mostly cut out from embroidered mesh lace but some are 3D chiffon and there were also two large appliques. I used bought paniers and underskirt & corset that I made from another project to wear under the gown. I made the headpiece using some wire, branches from a vine wreath, silk flowers and birds.” You can see construction photos with lots of details on Debbie’s Facebook cosplay album.
Winner, junior level: Miriam as Lindsey Stirling.
Mom Sandra Zeigler tells us that Miriam designed and created this costume completely by herself. It’s a recreation of the look from Lindsey Stirling’s “Shatter Me” video. Miriam did a wonderful job! It looks just like the video.
Best Mythological Costume
Winner, amateur level: Ann Anderson as Mother Earth.
What a clever idea! Ann writes: “Attached are photos of the costume I wore for work this Halloween. I went as Mother Earth and cycled through the four seasons throughout the day. The last two photos are because climate change throws things out of whack.” In our montage above, the seasons go clockwise beginning with Spring in the lower right. The photo in the middle is one of the “out of whack” situations.
Winner, expert level: Jodi Doster Giacalone as a Valkyrie.
Now this is hardcore. Girl even makes her own chainmail! Jodi writes: “I’ve been part of reenactment group for the Viking Age for about two years and did my best to represent a Valkyrie as they are described in the stories. Sometimes depending on the translation they are said to fly into battle either on horses or growing wings, so I made a cloak of feathers as the fantasy element. The rest is as accurate as I could make it and everything was handmade, from my boots to my mail and weapons.”
Winner, junior level: Annie Izumi’s daughter as Medusa, costume by Annie Izumi.
This is the most beautiful Medusa costume I’ve ever seen. I don’t usually care for Medusa because, you know, snakes, but this is gorgeous. Annie is an incredible artist.
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Ainsley Hawthorn as Ereshkigal.
Ainsley is a professional Assyriologist and a professional dancer, which means she’s uniquely prepared to pull off a fabulous look as an ancient Mesopotamian goddess. Here she’s protraying Ereshkigal, the goddess of the Netherworld. She writes: “The costume is based on texts that describe Ereshkigal as having black lips and skin as yellow as a tamarisk, and on the Burney Relief (also known as the Queen of the Night) ca. 19th-18th century B.C.E.” As for those great talons: “I cut the fingers off skeleton gloves I bought at the Hallowe’en store, spray painted them black, dry brushed them with bronze to match the horns, stuffed them with cotton, and glued them to an old, spray-painted pair of shoes.”
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Lindsay Cee as Baba Yaga.
This is the scariest Baba Yaga I’ve ever seen. Incredible makeup and acting (that photo on the left is downright menacing). Lindsay writes that she “made the skull on a staff with death-fire eyes and tried to represent the chicken-legged house by wearing a miniature made from an adapted birdhouse and dinosaur legs.”
Best Notable Woman Costume
Winner, amateur level: Tara Osler as Sappho.
This costume is delightful: simple yet flawlessly executed. Tara writes: “I used a bed sheet to make a Doric chiton, and a pashmina tied around a belt to create a wrap to hold my scroll. I made the scroll myself by weathering paper with tea, and transcribed Sappho’s poetry in the original Greek onto it. I also made a crown of fake violets and other flowers because of the importance of the violet and general flower symbolism in Sappho’s poetry.”
Winner, expert level: Prentice Watson as Madam C.J. Walker.
It’s like Madam Walker came to life! Madam Walker was a phenomenal lady, and this is marvelously well done. Prentice writes: “I created a 1910-14 woman’s tailored suit. My thought process was that as business woman this is something that she could have worn during the day while visiting her company building or having a business meeting. I made the undergarments and the toque hat as well.”
Winner, junior level: Angie Glynn’s daughter Emma as Eleanor Roosevelt, costume by Angie Glynn.
The buttons! This costume is incredible—of course Emma is absolutely precious, but I can’t stop staring at the buttons. Every detail of the outfit is perfect.
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Kathryn Hamilton, Barb Parnarouskis, Liz Greene, and Diane Tucker as the Supremes.
Barb writes that the four of them wore these outfits to their office costume party this year. I like to think that they spent the whole day sitting in that conference room just like this, recreating the Nelson Shanks portrait, silently receiving admirers.
Best Queen Costume
Winner, amateur level: Amber Nichol as Boudicca.
Very, very tough category this year with lots of great entries, but Amber takes the prize with her absolutely splendid Boudicca. Amber writes: “My take on Boudicca showcases a Welsh-inspired shield of original art, and her mighty spear.” That shield is dazzling, and Amber’s face paint and golden circlet pick up the gold and black magnificently.
Winner, expert level: Lisa Ashton as Mary Tudor, the French Queen.
History geeks know this already, but: Mary Tudor was Henry VIII’s kid sister. She was married off to the King of France, who promptly died. Mary came home and married the Duke of Suffolk, but was forever known as “the French queen.” There she is in her famous portrait, and there’s Lisa looking like her spitting image. Absolutely incredible costume.
Best Realization of a Take Back Halloween Design
Winner, amateur level: Marguerite Ahl as Hecate.
I gotta be honest: if this was the vision that greeted me at the gates to the underworld, I’d be pretty psyched. Doggos! We have doggos in the underworld! Also, Marguerite’s version of our Hecate costume is just beautiful. It’s actually better than the original. She describes her costume as: “Hecate, with her black dog, frog, and keys. There is a moon face earring on the front of the hat. I used the Greek key trim, sewn on by a friend, to symbolize her history as a Greek goddess.”
Winner, amateur level: Adriana Gonzalez as Sor Juana.
Sor Juana was an amazing woman, and Adriana’s costume represents her beautifully. She writes: “I identify with her because of her love of writing poetry. Most of the topics I choose to write about are inspired by the topics she chose, feminism and love being my favorites. Her dedication and fight against misogyny is also another reason I consider Sor Juana Ines a role model. I am honored to put together this outfit to dress up like her and to, once again, represent Mexican culture in this contest.” Our Sor Juana costume page explains the escudo de monja (nun’s shield), in case you’re wondering about the paper plate-like object.
Winner, junior level: Elizabeth Klett’s daughter as Freyja, costume by Elizabeth Klett.
It’s always fun to see what a gifted seamstress or costumer can do with one of our designs. Elizabeth has rendered our Freyja costume as a completely sewn dress, with the armor as a sort of over-bodice of bronzy material with feather trim. Elizabeth made everything, even the necklace (not the plastic helmet though).
Division II: Masquerade
This is our division for costumes that don’t fall into our usual categories. The key thing here is that there’s no requirement that you dress up as a real person or specific mythological figure. We’re still interested in history and mythology, but this division is for period costumes and fictional or fantastical interpretations.
Historical Recreation
Winner: Nadja Robot recreating “Judith and Holofernes” by Artemisia Gentileschi.
Nadja’s email says it all: “I was going to be something lighthearted but I ended up embodying my feelings about the state of the world.” Yes.
Period Costume
Winner, amateur level: Melissa Claire as a suffragist with Charlie as Ruth Bader Ginsbark.
This is a charming costume and perfectly in step with the times (heh). It’s even better with a time-traveling doggo representing the Notorious RBG.
Winner, expert level: Monica DeSouza and Arthur Griffith as Tudor nobility, costumes by Monica DeSouza.
Monica consistently makes the most elegant costumes I’ve ever seen. I can only imagine what her fabric stash is like. These outfits are particularly sublime: the green, gold, and cream are exquisitely balanced. The sleeves! The pearls! The little ruffles! Okay, I’ll stop.
Winner, junior level: Nina Ghaffari’s daughter in traditional Persian dress.
Aw! What a cutie pie! Little Sophia is only a year and a half and cute as a button. Nina says these gorgeous traditional costumes were handmade by family members. Wonderful!
Fictional Characters
Winner, amateur level: Lori Russell as Madame DeFarge from A Tale of Two Cities, costume by Robyn Russell.
Never mind Madame DeFarge; she’s just hanging out here at the guillotine, knitting away, watching the executioner work, collecting the aristocrats’ heads in her basket—no wait, not that last part. That’s a little extra feature that 87-year-old Lori and daughter Robyn decided to add. Robyn writes: “My mother is costumed as an 18th century working class Parisian woman of the French Revolution, complete with red, white, and blue cockade. The cockade was the only sewing I did for this costume. Everything else was fabrics from my fabric stash and existing costume pieces. The severed head was a styrofoam head wrapped in muslin and then covered in ketchup (Mom’s suggestion). As you can tell, she’s really enjoying ‘sticking it’ to the aristocrats.”
Winner, expert level: Melissa Pevy as Mina Harker in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Eiko Ishioka won an Oscar for her costume designs in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, including this incredible dress worn by Winona Ryder. This isn’t the Oscars, but we’re awarding Melissa a prize for her phenomenal recreation. Those pleats are intoxicating. The whole gown is just sumptuous and magnificent. Authentic, too; Melissa writes that it was “made as closely to Victorian era as possible (no zipper, hidden corset closure, etc.).”
Winner, junior level: Christy Cook’s daughter Eloise as…Eloise!
It’s so perfect! Little Eloise (the real one) is only two years old and adorable. Her outfit is a perfect match for “Eloise who lives at the Plaza.” Clearly some expert Mom-fu going on here.
Winner, Judge’s Choice: Laura Mayer as Mother Goose.
I love this costume! It’s beautifully put together and immediately recognizable as Mother Goose. Laura writes: “I looked at many images of Mother Goose before deciding on my interpretation. I saw that she is most often pictured with a tall Welsh or stovepipe hat, mob cap, shawl, and ankle boots. She is also sometimes seen with a basket and a goose. I knit many of my accessories. My mitts and big lace shawl are from commercial yarns. My hat was also knit with commercial yarn and then felted. The ‘buckle’ on the hat is a vintage pin purchased second-hand years ago, by my mother. The stockings (actually leg warmers) are also hand knit, from my partner’s handspun yarn. The only completely new, purchased items were the pre-made doily and bias tape for my mobcap and its strings, and thin muslin fabric for my fichu. Oh, and the stuffed goose toy!”
Fantasy Costumes
Winner, amateur level: Becky Murphy as earth mage Ainsley Shadowhawk.
“Ainsley Shadowhawk” is Becky’s own creation, which she describes this way: “She channels energy from the earth through her staff, and uses her wand for working larger magics, like summoning her familiar. Handmade tunic, pouch, staff, feather cloak, wolf-eye amulet; purchased skirt, belt, boots, found wand. The orb on the staff is a solar globe—I can put a battery in it and it changes colors.” Great costume, very earthy and natural looking. My only question is what that friendly-looking doggo thinks about the “magicking” Ainsley appears to be attempting.
Winner, expert level: Hannah Stoppel in an 1870s version of Ravenclaw House gear.
Now here’s some expert level magic! This is a jaw-dropping costume. Hannah writes: “This is my early 1870s interpretation of Ravenclaw House from Harry Potter. All of the design elements and details are based on extant period garments, with design inspiration from Ravenclaw’s colors and eagle mascot. I had so much fun searching through historical garments and discovering things like the feathery peplum and cuffs and wing-like overskirt shape. Everything from the underwear out, including the hat, was made by me except for shoes and stockings.”
Winner, junior/family level: Emily Scharf’s family as the Wicked Witch, a flying monkey, and the tornado from the Wizard of Oz.
Emily calls this “the darker side” of Oz, which it is, yes, but it’s also super cute and cool. Emily’s husband is an awesome tornado! That’s Emily looking very green as the Wicked Witch, and their daughter as the most adorable flying monkey I have ever seen in my life. How did they get the sky in their neighborhood to be the perfect Wizard of Oz color?
Equine Division
Winners: Kari Newman and Blueberry as Death.
We created a special division for Kari and Blueberry because a) they are awesome, b) Blueberry is a horse wearing a HORSE HALLOWEEN COSTUME, and c) it’s really not fair to judge other contestants against a HORSE WEARING A HALLOWEEN COSTUME. But we were delighted by this entry and thrilled to include it in the contest. Kari assures us that Blueberry was totally fine during this whole thing, the chains were plastic, nothing uncomfortable at all.
