Rocky Horror Picture Show
It's Halloween 2011, and for some that only means one thing: Rocky Horror Picture Show. For those looking to be Janet or Dr. Frank N Furter for Halloween this year, here's a step-by-step guide to making your Rocky Horror costume at home, complete with what to buy and how to pull the DIY costume idea together. Phil McCarten / Reuters

It's Halloween 2011, and when it comes to costumes for Oct. 30, only one idea springs to some people's minds: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. RHPS is still running midnight showings every weekend around the country, and Halloween night is especially perfect for a little freaky costumed fun as Janet, Rocky or Dr. Frank N Furter.

The problem with most Rocky Horror costumes, however, is how much needs to go into them. Some are covered in sequins, others require corsets and heels and hours of hair prep. Or do they? Here, some easy DIY ideas for making RHPS costumes, from what you'll need to how to put your look together.

Halloween isn't the same without the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and RHPS isn't the same without some homemade solutions to our time and money problems. The best part? You can use these DIY Halloween costumes again when you go to an RHPS show!

Janet:

The easiest (and most appropriate) way to play Janet is before the floor show, when she's wearing more demure and more widely available clothes. For that, you need:

  • A white purse and gloves
  • A white hair pin (look works best with shoulder-length hair)
  • A white cardigan
  • A light pink and lilac dress
  • Low-heeled shoes
  • Grey eyeshadow, mascara, pink-toned blush and lip color

If you want to go all out, you can also try Floor Show Janet-- though we warn you, you may get kicked out of the more PG-themed Halloween parties.

What you'll need:

  • Fishnet tights or body stocking
  • Black or red boa
  • Black or red gloves
  • High heels, preferably black
  • A corset top and black skirt, OR a black sequined mini-dress (available at Ricky's)
  • White foundation (the palest you can find), deep blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and red lipstick

How to make it:

  • For the outfit: simply put on the fishnets, dress, and heels, and pair it with either a black boa and red gloves or a red boa and black gloves (let's not get too matchy-matchy).
  • For the makeup: Take the white foundation and apply a heavy coat on your face, creating a white oval mask that stretches from your hairline to your chin, with two holes (no makeup) from your eyes to the bottom of your eyebrows, essentially where you'd put eye makeup.
  • Using black eyeliner, draw a line around the perimeter of the mask, making it pop out.
  • Apply eyeliner to eyes and layer blue eyeshadow heavily on lids, going from the crease to your eyebrows.
  • Put on red lipstick.

Columbia:

The most iconic aspect of the Franky fan? Sequins! You'll be adding a lot of glitter to your costume, so be sure you're prepared to part with some of the clothes you'll be using for this Halloween costume idea.

What you'll need:

  • Short hair, or hair that can be easily slicked back
  • Short shorts, preferably black or black with stripes
  • Fishnet stockings
  • A bow-tie, the bigger the better
  • White foundation, black eyeliner, blue eyeshadow, blush, and red lipstick
  • A top hat
  • A strapless or spaghetti-strap top
  • Glue (the stronger the better)
  • A short-cropped blazer
  • Heels or Mary Janes
  • Rainbow, gold, silver, and black glitter or sequins

How to make it:

  • Take the top hat and set it on some old newspaper. Take the bottle of glue and (depending on whether its stick or liquid form) either pour glue or press glue stick in stright lines up and down the hat's surface.
  • Before the glue has a chance to dry, take your gold glitter or sequins and pour them over the hat, lifting it from under the brim so that it doesn't stick to the newspaper. Set aside and let dry.
  • Repeat with bow-tie (using red glitter), blazer (using gold for the body and black for the lapels), shoes (using silver glitter) and the top (using the rainbow glitter).
  • Note: Glitter and sequins won't stick to fabric as well as they would to paper, so a lot of it will fall off. The effect will still be colorful and sparkly enough for people to get the Halloween idea, and its a lot easier than sewing on sequins by hand!
  • Slick hair back, tucking it behind your ears and pulling it into a ponytail if needed.
  • Using white foundation, apply light coat on face, neck, chest, and hands. Use liner and eyeshadow for a dark, dramatic eye.
  • Paint lips with red lipstick (don't be shy!) and make sweeping, bright red lines with the blush. You're all set!

Magenta:

If the local costume shop doesn't have a maid's outfit and a crazy wig, don't fret. The homemade way works, too.

What you'll need:

  • A simple black dress, knee-length
  • A white apron, or a large piece of white cloth
  • A needle and thread, white ribbon
  • A curling iron
  • Volumizing mousse
  • Hairspray
  • A feather duster
  • Black heels
  • Fishnet stockings
  • White foundation, black eyeliner, dark red lipstick, gray and black eyeshadow, mascara

How to make it:

  • Make a slit in the front of the dress for Magenta's signature look.
  • If you can't get an apron, cut the white ribbon into four strips. Two should be long enough to be sewn to the large piece of cloth to make an apron, while the other two should be long enough to be sewn into the apron's front (meeting at the navel) and coming up on either side of the bust, to mimic Magenta's apron.
  • Apply volumizing mousse to damp, towel-dried hair. Using curling iron, curl small portions of hair at a time, then spray liberally with hair spray while scrunching hair in fingers. The goal is to get your hair as crazy-big as possible, so don't hold back!
  • Get into fishnet stockings and dress and put on apron and heels.
  • Apply light coat of white foundation and dark red lipstick. Use shadows, mascara, and liner for an intense, smokey eye.

Brad:

Brad is the epitome of square, with a bit of unintentional hipster thrown in. The easiest DIY if you shop at Banana Republic.

What you'll need:

  • A white or light blue button-down shirt
  • A blue cardigan
  • Grey or khaki pants
  • A khaki zip-up jacket
  • Sensible shoes
  • Large, thick-rimmed glasses (thick hipster or 50s nerd)

How to make it:

  • Put on shirt (tuck it in!), cardigan, pants, and jacket, and slip into sensible shoes.
  • Taking a wet comb, give your hair a good side part.
  • Put on glasses, assume incredulous and slightly judgmental expression.

Rocky:

This costume will never be work-appropriate, but we'll try our best to make it work for chilly Oct. 30 wear.

  • Gold or yellow shorts (metallic sheen if possible)
  • Gold or yellow sleeveless top, if Halloween weather makes you nervous.
  • Platinum blonde hair dye
  • Bronzer
  • Gold sandals or shoes

How to make it:

  • Several days before, apply bronzer over body, using tinted moisturizer if preferable. Be sure to get face and chest.
  • Use at-home kit to dye hair platinum blonde.
  • Cut shorts as low and as teeny as they can go. Put on, with top if needed, and wander in sexily confused state.

Dr. Frank N Furter:

We saved the best for last! Getting the doctor's look won't be easy (you're going against Tim Curry, for God's sake), but DIY-doable.

What you'll need for Transvestite Franky:

  • Fake pearl necklace (the bigger, the better)
  • White foundation, dark blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, dark red lipstick
  • Black curly wig, OR curling iron, hair dye, and hairspray
  • Corset, preferably silver or black
  • Black underwear and garter belt
  • The highest, sexiest heels you can find

What you'll need for Laboratory Franky:

  • Black wig, OR curling iron, hair dye, and hairspray
  • Green scrubs (easy to get at thrift store or hospital surplus), OR white lab coat and green shirt with pants
  • Cotton-candy pink gloves, like those used for dish-washing
  • White foundation, dark blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, dark red lipstick
  • The highest, sexiest heels you can find
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