Whether you are a natural redhead or are inspired to don a red wig this year for Halloween or a cosplay event, there are plenty of amazing inspirations and red-headed characters for you to mimic. We got costume ideas for dark red hair, bright red hair, or just natural-born redheads. Some of these costume ideas will be easy to pull off yourself (DIY) but others may be a little more complex. Don’t worry if you want to “wow” your costume audience this year then we got full blown outfits you can purchase so you don’t have to scramble to put together a costume piece by piece.
Here is our big list of red hair costume ideas and inspiration:
Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp)
The Mad Hatter is a famous character from Disney’s Alice In Wonderland. The red hair version of Mad Hatter is from the 2010 movie starring Johnny Depp.
What You Need (DIY)
- Shoulder length, curly red hair
- Tall black top hat
- Suit jacket and scarfs (any colors)
- Bowtie (can use scarfs)
- Cropped pants just above the ankles
- Green Eyes or Contacts
- White face makeup with red blush
Mad Hatter Costume Ideas
Wilma Flintstone
Wilma is the wife of Fred Flintstone from the iconic cartoon series, “The Flintstones”. She is one of the most recognizable cartoon characters in history.
What You Need (DIY)
- Long red hair which can be worn in a ponytail
- Large pearl necklace
- Short, white cocktail dress
- Red Lipstick
Wilma Costume Ideas
Pennywise
Pennywise is the cult horror character from Stephen King’s “It” franchise. It is always a popular Halloween costume but can be hard to pull off DIY. Your best bet is to get a full Pennywise outfit. The best part of a Pennywise costume for redheads is you can choose the original, friendlier Pennywise or the newer more frightening look.
What You Need (DIY)
- Dark red-haired clown wig
- White clown makeup
- Big, baggy clown outfit
- Red painted nose, red lipstick
Pennywise Costume Ideas
Ariel
Ariel is from Disney’s the Little Mermaid and is an official Disney Princess. Dressing like Ariel is a great option for an adult woman but is the most popular amongst little girls at Halloween.
What You Need (DIY)
- Long flowing red hair
- Blue Dress for the land look
- Mermaid dress or tail for the sea look
- Sea-Shell Bra top
Ariel Costume Ideas
Black Widow
Black widow is a marvel comics superhero whose real name is Natasha Romanoff. Scarlett Johansson played the 2021 film version of Black Widow.
What You Need (DIY)
- Dark, curly red hair or wig
- Black jumpsuit, with a black belt
- Knee-high black boots
- Black leather gloves
Black Widow Costume Ideas
Winifred Sanderson
Winifred is the villain character in Disney’s Hocus Pocus film. She is a great option for people with naturally curly red hair.
What You Need (DIY)
- Curly red hair or a wig worn up
- Long witch-like or sorcery dress
- Black beaded necklace
Hocus Pocus Costume Ideas
Daphne Scooby Doo
Daphne was one of the main characters in the classic old cartoon series Scooby Doo. She is a rather easy outfit for any natural redhead if you want to DIY.
What You Need (DIY)
- Shoulder-length red hair
- Purple top and matching purple mini-skirt
- Green scarf
- Pink or purple shoes or high heels
- Pink or purple headband
Daphne Costume Ideas
Shaggy Scooby Doo
Sticking with Scooby Doo the obvious next pick for a redhead costume is Shaggy. He is Scooby Doo’s best friend and makes a great costume outfit for guys with natural red hair.
What You Need (DIY)
- Messy light red hair
- Green T-Shirt
- Green scarf
- Baggy red or burgundy pants
Shaggy Costume Ideas
Jessie Toy Story
Jessie is a cowgirl from the movie Toy Story 2. If you have a cowboy outfit and red hair you likely can put together a Jessie outfit rather easily.
What You Need (DIY)
- Long dark red hair
- A red cowboy hat
- White dress shirt
- Jeans with a big cowboy belt buckle
- Cow patterned chaps
Jessie Costume Ideas
Pebbles
Pebbles is the adorable daughter of Fred and Wilma Flintstone. Pebbles is a popular choice for kids or babies but can be pulled off as an adult.
What You Need (DIY)
- Long bright red hair worn in a ponytail
- Black dotted top
- Bone in hair
Pebbles Costume Ideas
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy is the sultry DC character who often appears in Batman comics. She was played by Uma Thurman in the 1997 film Batman and Robin. Poison Ivy is a popular choice for adult women for Halloween or costume parties especially if they are looking for a sexy look.
What You Need (DIY)
- Long bright red hair
- Green dress with ivy leaves
- Pair of green glovelettes
- Green boots
Full Poison Ivy Costume
Archie Andrews
Archie was first popularized way back in 1941 when he made his first comic debut. He would later star in his own series of comic books. More recently the hit tv show Riverdale brought Archie’s character back into the limelight and is a great choice for a male redhead costume.
What You Need (DIY)
- Short red hair
- High school letterman jacket
- Sneakers, preferably retro looking
Archie Costume Ideas
Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann is a book character by Johnny Gruelle and became a huge success as a doll for little children. She was introduced as a doll in 1915 and has been a part of pop culture ever since.
What You Need (DIY)
- Shaggy red hair, dread-like
- Blue and red polka-dot dress
- Black clogs or Crocs
- White mittens
- Red paint for the nose
Raggedy Anne Costume Ideas
Peggy Bundy
Peggy is one of TV sitcom’s most famous female characters. She was Al Bundy’s wife on the cult classic show Married With Children. Her look is perfect for redheads and also a fun retro throwback costume.
What You Need (DIY)
- Big 80’s Red Hair Wig
- Leopard print shirt
- Black Leotards
- High Heels
Peggy Bundy Costume Ideas
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch aka Wanda Maximoff is a marvel character created by the great Stan Lee. She appears in the X-Men comic book series. Her outfit can come in many different variations from sexy to superhero.
What You Need (DIY)
- Red Cape and Horns
- Red Spandex Bodysuit
- Knee High Boots
