Feminist Icon Halloween Costumes
Witching you a Happy Halloween! With spooky season in full swing, we can't think of a better way to celebrate Halloween than to pay homage to history's most inspiring, brave, accomplished, and rebellious women. Halloween is the perfect time to embody your favorite feminist icon, so we’ve compiled some of our favorites from the internet.
Rosie the Riveter has been a classic Halloween costume for a long time, but with good reason. This simple costume only requires a button-down shirt (denim preferred) and a red bandana tied up. This makes a great last-minute costume if you’re a procrastinator. No shade; we’ve all been there.
When you think about rebellious women, there’s a chance that Frida Kahlo comes to mind. This costume has many variations, including Beyonce’s iconic take in 2014. If you don’t have a team of stylists to put together the perfect outfit, it’s still pretty straightforward. You’ll need a floral crown, penciled-in unibrow, and a floral dress or embroidered top and skirt.
Honor the iconic Supreme Court Justice with this simple Ruth Bader Ginsburg costume. All you’ll need is a black robe (perhaps there is one still hanging in the back of your closet from all those years ago?), some glasses, and a white collar.
Make a statement this Halloween and embody the feminist activist Gloria Steinem. You’ll need aviator glasses and a 1960/70s-esque outfit, much of which you probably have in your closet already. Think bold colors and patterns, turtlenecks, and denim. And don’t forget the sign!
Of course, we couldn’t see this shattered glass ceiling costume and not mention it. @jerricaty on Instagram challenged her gender and comms class to wear a gender-themed costume, and she absolutely killed it! This is a simple costume you could make with pieces of painted cardboard; you could even do silver paint to get that glass effect, glued to a headband with an all-black outfit.
This simple costume is excellent for adults and kids alike. We love this mother/daughter duo’s take on the political activist. Taking from the Gloria Steinem inspo above, go for a simple 1970s outfit like a turtleneck and jeans.
Are you feeling a little glam this Halloween? Emulate this iconic fashion designer with a classy and timeless look. A simple black dress or black shirt and pants combo with pearls are great. You could go the extra mile and pair a black & white blazer like the one above.
Bonus: We loved this article from Ms. Magazine - co-founded by Gloria Steinem in 1971, by the way - for awesome feminist costumes for kids. You might even find some you like for yourself.
Cheers,
Une Femme