How to Make a Harley Quinn Costume for Halloween

More than a year after Harley Quinn made her splash in the summer of 2016, her popularity has not waned one bit. According to Google Trends, the Harley Quinn costume remains ever popular, trailing only Wonder Woman in searches. These two DC Comics characters provide a powerful one-two punch, a mix of superhero and supervillain.

As the breakout character from Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn not surprisingly had the no. 1 costume for adults 18–34 years old last Halloween, and it looks like she'll be claiming another top spot this year. The Harley Quinn costume is actually one that you can DIY at home, and not spend too much on materials and supplies either, as CineFix's DIY Costume Squad explains. Indeed, with a visit to the thrift shop, you should be able to find some excellent starter pieces you can get creative with.

How to Make a Harley Quinn Costume for Halloween — *Image by CineFix/YouTube*

Things You Will Need

Claire Max from the DIY Costume Squad took on the task of creating the Harley Quinn costume from scratch and spoiler alert, she succeeded. And you can, too. To assemble your own Harley Quinn look in time for Halloween, get a hold of these items based on CineFix's tutorial:

short shorts (red, blue)
white raglan top
fishnet tights
high-heel boots
glue, hot glue gun
scissors
duct tape (grey, metallic gold, black, white)
spray paint (red floral paint, white)
acrylic paint (blue, red, black)
black marker
masking tape (for painting)
shoelaces
craft foam
X-Acto blade
metal ring (for holster)
loose change
toy gun
fingerless glove
random jewelry
baseball bat
wig
makeup

Creating Harley Quinn's Outfit

Starting with the shorts, cut two sequined short-shorts (one red, one blue) in half and then glue them together. Reinforce them with duct tape on the inside.

Next, for Harley Quinn's costume shirt, cut the sleeves and bottom off of your white raglan shirt. Use red floral paint for the neckline and sleeves, and smudge blue acrylic paint on the left sleeve. For the wording on the front ("Daddy's Lil Monster"), print out the text to size and then place it inside the shirt. Trace it onto the shirt with a marker using the print-out as a guide. To give the shirt an authentic look, throw some dirt on it.

For Harley Quinn's "insane" boots, check out your local thrift store. Claire found ones for less than $10; she then cut them up to match the ones Margot Robbie wore in the film and added details with black acrylic paint, black tape, and craft foam (for the boots' tongues).

Crafting Harley Quinn's Accessories

For Harley Quinn's costume accessories, you can make some clever use of tape. In this tutorial, the choker is made out of white tape, while the letters are cut from craft foam covered with metallic gold tape.

For Harley Quinn's belt, see what you have in your closet. A member of the DIY Costume Squad had a spiked one that was close to right; all that was missing was a gold buckle (made from craft foam and tape). And for Harley Quinn's holster, one was fashioned out of black tape, a metal ring, loose change, and more craft foam.

Applying Harley Quinn's Makeup

So with the outfit and accessories done, all that remains is getting Harley Quinn's makeup right, right? This part will be different for everyone, so apply the makeup as you see it. In addition to the makeup, Claire also added Harley Quinn's tattoos: to her face, the inside of her arm, and her legs. Once this is done, now it's really time to put it all together. For Harley Quinn's pigtails hairstyle, a wig will do fine.

And there you have it. With discounts, clearance items, and second-hand finds, you too can create an original DIY Harley Quinn costume that will stand out from the rest and not cost a whole lot. Remember thrift shops are a great starting point when it comes to Halloween costumes as you're putting these looks together for a day, maybe even hours. For more details on how Claire and the DIY Costume Squad made their Harley Quinn costume, and for just a bit more inspiration, check out their full tutorial below.