Alice: Madness Returns Costume
Bring American McGee's dark, gothic Alice to life with this guide.
Alice Liddell's look in Alice: Madness Returns is a dark, gothic twist on the classic Lewis Carroll character. Perfect for gamers and horror fans, this costume features a blood-splattered blue dress, striped tights, and her signature Vorpal Blade. It combines classic fairytale charm with a gritty, psychological horror aesthetic.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $40–120
Try it on
See yourself as Alice: Madness Returns
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What you need for a Alice: Madness Returns costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Alice: Madness Returns costume — one box instead of 6 pieces.
Blue puff-sleeve dress
A light blue, knee-length A-line dress with short puffed sleeves and a white collar.
DIY: Use a standard light blue dress and sew white fabric cuffs onto the sleeves and collar.
White apron with symbols
A white maid-style apron with shoulder straps, splattered with fake blood, featuring alchemical symbols on the pockets.
DIY: Draw the Eris and Jupiter symbols on the pockets of a plain white apron with a black fabric marker, then splatter it with red fabric paint.
Zebra-striped tights
Black and white horizontally striped or zebra-print full-length tights.
Black buckled boots
Knee-high black leather or faux-leather boots with multiple silver buckles and laces.
DIY: Add decorative silver plastic buckles to a pair of plain black lace-up boots using hot glue.
Omega symbol necklace
A silver-toned chain necklace featuring a prominent Greek Omega symbol pendant.
DIY: Cut the Omega shape out of thick silver craft foam, paint it metallic silver, and thread it onto a black cord.
Vorpal Blade prop
A toy carving knife or cleaver painted silver with intricate engraved filigree patterns and fake blood splatters.
DIY: Paint a plastic toy kitchen knife metallic silver, draw filigree patterns with a fine-tip black permanent marker, and add red paint splatters.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Alice: Madness Returns costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the blue puff-sleeve dress and zip or button it securely.
- 2
Pull on the black and white striped tights.
- 3
Tie the white apron over the dress, securing the straps and tying the large black bow at the lower back.
- 4
Put on the black knee-high boots and fasten the laces and buckles.
- 5
Clasp the silver Omega necklace around your neck so it sits visibly above the collar.
- 6
Apply gothic makeup, focusing on pale skin and dark, smoky eyes.
- 7
Carry the Vorpal Blade prop to complete the dark, combat-ready look.
Makeup & hair
Style your hair in straight, dark brown or black shoulder-length locks with straight-across bangs. For makeup, apply a pale foundation, dark smoky eyeshadow around the eyes for a haunted look, and a touch of fake blood near the mouth or on the hands.
Alice: Madness Returns for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair with a partner dressed as a tattered, gothic Cheshire Cat or a steampunk-inspired Mad Hatter.
- group
- Gather a group wearing Alice's alternative in-game dresses, such as the Royal Suit, Steampunk, or Siren outfits.
- kids
- A toned-down version without the fake blood, focusing on the blue dress, striped tights, and a plastic toy knife.
- Plus size
- Look for a stretchy blue skater dress and an adjustable tie-back apron for a comfortable, custom fit.
- pet
- Dress a pet cat in a tattered grey and black striped sweater to look like the Cheshire Cat.
Tips
- Use fabric paint instead of real fake blood on the apron so it doesn't smear or wash out easily.
- Break in the knee-high boots before wearing them to a convention or party to avoid blisters.
- If using a wig, secure it with a wig cap and bobby pins to keep it in place all night.
Alice: Madness Returns costume FAQ
- What symbols are on Alice's apron pockets?
- The pockets feature astronomical and alchemical symbols, specifically the symbol for Eris (discord) on the left and Jupiter (tin) on the right.
- How do I make the Vorpal Blade prop?
- You can paint a plastic toy chef's knife with silver metallic spray paint, use a black paint pen to draw the ornate filigree patterns on the blade, and splatter red acrylic paint for the blood.
- What necklace does Alice wear?
- She wears a silver necklace with the Greek letter Omega (Ω) pendant, symbolizing the end or finality.
Did you know? Alice's iconic look was designed for American McGee's Alice (2000) and refined for the 2011 sequel, Alice: Madness Returns, blending Victorian fashion with gothic horror elements.