This DIY David Bowie and Prince Couples Costume Will Give You All the Feels

It wasn’t enough to simply be a rock star or a musician — both Bowie and Prince took the role of artist VERY seriously. And though until this year they weren’t often uttered in the same breath or sentence, their subsequent deaths highlighted some of the amazing things they had in common. Each of them stretched the ideas of gender and sexuality in ways that popular culture in the ‘70s and ‘80s was maybe not ready for, but in very different ways. Each was outrageously prolific, with Bowie recording 27 albums and Prince writing over 170 songs in his lifetime. They also shared an air of mystery. Prince was extremely private about his personal life, rarely showing up in tabloids or appearing on talk shows or anything self-promotional. The music came first, and the rest was not for display. I can tell you firsthand that seeing Prince live (in a venue with only 500 people right here IN SF!) was one of the top concert experiences of my entire life.

David Temple

Let’s dance.

We’ll start with yours truly, Prince.

DIY PRINCE COSTUME

Putting together this costume was all about finding the right pieces. Thankfully, the internet is here to save the day!

Here’s what we sourced to create this look:

To add that special something, we added studs to the jacket as well.

Now, time for hair and makeup. With my extremely malleable locks (see: 20 Halloween Hair Hacks), no wig was required for this look. First, Misty placed small quarter-inch curls in my hair using a ringlet-size curling iron. Then it was all about the bobby pins! She pinned up the curls to create that signature Prince swoop, AKA a curly side mullet.

We kept the makeup pretty straightforward, with all-over foundation to even out the skin tone and create that Princely glow. Nude lips, since he didn’t wear lipstick that often. And winged eyeliner, just like he used to wear. If you want to take it to the next level, add a mustache or faux facial hair to your look.

‘Cause tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999.

Rather than go with the signature lightning bolt look a la Aladdin Sane, we opted for David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust aesthetic.

DIY DAVID BOWIE COSTUME

This costume definitely involved more DIY action than Prince. Follow the steps listed below to make your own.

Materials and Tools:

Instructions:

1. You’re going to need a friend to help you create this. Start by putting the spandex shirt and leggings on. Tuck the shirt into the leggings. Then cut the shirt into a deep V-neck.

2. Place white duct tape along the sides of the spandex, as well as along the inseam. Secure the edges of the shirt you’ve just cut into a V by attaching red tape as trim. Then place red tape over all of the white tape you’ve attached, allowing a bit of white to peek out on either side. Look at photos and sketch things out to figure out your design.

3. Now, for the collar and shoulder pops. Use yellow foam sheets and cut two large triangles to create the collar. Add red tape stripes and then use hot glue to attach the yellow collar pieces to the collar of your spandex shirt. For the shoulders, cut curved rectangles, add stripes and use hot glue to attach to the shirt. Be careful to hold the shirt away from the skin of the wearer while you glue — and be sure that glue is totally dry (and cooled down) before letting go of the shirt.

4. Lastly, for the boots, we picked up red rain boots and added black tape to the bottom to create the illusion of a slight platform heel. If you’re up for it (and have a taller partner than the little Prince you see above), get yourself some platforms and take this look even further.

Next, hair and makeup. Also a bit more involved than Prince, but easy enough to recreate on your own.

Start by layering on a coat of really pale foundation (so a shade or two lighter than your actual skin tone), making sure you apply over your eyebrows as well. Then, use a red cream shadow to contour the hollows of your cheeks. Use the same red cream shadow and apply onto the inside of the bridge of your nose, up into your eyebrows and slightly on the outside edges of your eyebrows. Add a gold cream shadow onto your eyelids, lower lash line and over the centers of your eyebrows.

Finally use the same red and gold cream shadows to make the circular moon on your forehead and red lipstick with a gold highlight. Set all of your makeup using a translucent powder by gently stippling (tapping) over your look.

For the hair, Misty simply styled David’s hair into a Bowie-esque ‘do and added red hair spray.

And just like that, the most epic tribute costume ever.

Put on your red shoes and dance the blues.

Oh, and guess what? While Misty was transforming David and me into these two icons, she was still in her Ursula costume!! #teamplayer

Bowie and Prince will always hold a dear place in my heart, as artists and as icons.

Unicorn