Betty Boop Costume
Bring the iconic 1930s animated flapper to life with classic sass.
Betty Boop is one of the most recognizable and enduring cartoon characters of all time, making her a classic choice for Halloween or cosplay. Known for her playful, flirty personality and signature jazz-age style, her look is instantly recognizable. The costume centers around a vibrant red mini dress, a short curly black hairstyle, and bold, vintage-inspired makeup.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $35–85
Try it on
See yourself as Betty Boop
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
One render, $1. No account needed — if it fails you're not charged. Pricing.
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Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Betty Boop costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Betty Boop costume — one box instead of 7 pieces.
Red sweetheart mini dress
A form-fitting, strapless or spaghetti-strap red dress that falls above the knee.
DIY: Use a simple red tank dress and tuck the straps in to create a strapless sweetheart neckline.
Short black finger-wave wig
A glossy black wig styled in tight, retro finger-waves with forehead-framing curls.
DIY: Style a short black wig using strong-hold hair gel and bobby pins to shape flat curls along the hairline.
Red heart thigh garter
A red elastic band adorned with a small gold heart charm, worn on the left thigh.
DIY: Hot glue a small gold paper or plastic heart onto a strip of red elastic lace sewn to fit your thigh.
Gold hoop earrings
Oversized, shiny gold-tone round hoop earrings.
Gold bangle bracelets
Thick, metallic gold-tone bangles worn on both wrists.
DIY: Paint plastic toy bangles with metallic gold spray paint.
Black high-heel pumps
Classic pointed-toe or round-toe black heels.
DIY: Wear any comfortable black flats or wedges you already own.
Cherry red lipstick
A bold, matte cherry-red lipstick to paint a classic cartoon pout.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Betty Boop costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the form-fitting red dress and adjust the neckline to sit comfortably.
- 2
Slide the red elastic garter up your left thigh, positioning it a few inches above the knee.
- 3
Secure your natural hair under a wig cap, then put on the short black curly wig.
- 4
Put on the oversized gold hoop earrings and slip the gold bangle bracelets onto your wrists.
- 5
Slip into your classic black high-heel pumps.
- 6
Apply the signature makeup, focusing on high-arched thin brows, dramatic eyelashes, and a bold red pout.
Makeup & hair
To get Betty's cartoon look, block out your natural eyebrows with a glue stick and concealer, then draw thin, high-arched black lines high on your forehead. Apply dramatic false eyelashes, and finish with a classic cherry-red lipstick shaped into a perfect pout. For the hair, use hair gel to style the wig's front curls into tight, flat finger-waves against your forehead.
Betty Boop for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with Bimbo the Dog or Koko the Clown for a classic Fleischer Studios cartoon duo.
- group
- Gather friends to dress as other classic cartoon icons like Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Felix the Cat.
- kids
- A red tutu dress, a black curly headband, and a drawn-on red heart garter make a cute, age-appropriate version.
- Plus size
- A red sweetheart-neck skater dress or wrap dress offers a comfortable, flattering fit with the same vintage silhouette.
- pet
- Dress your dog in a simple red collar with a gold heart charm to be your trusty sidekick, Bimbo.
Tips
- For a comfortable night, choose a red dress with some stretch so you can move and dance easily.
- If you aren't comfortable wearing high heels all night, swap the pumps for red or black ballet flats.
- Use a strong-hold hair gel or hairspray to keep the wig's finger-waves flat and secure against your face.
- Carry a small gold clutch to hold your phone and lipstick while keeping with the metallic accessory theme.
Betty Boop costume FAQ
- What color dress does Betty Boop wear?
- Betty Boop canonically wears a strapless or spaghetti-strap red mini dress, though in her earliest black-and-white cartoons, it was depicted as black.
- How do you do Betty Boop's eyebrows?
- To get her signature look, cover your natural eyebrows with a washable glue stick and concealer, then draw thin, high-arched black lines high on your forehead.
- Which leg does Betty Boop wear her garter on?
- Betty Boop wears her iconic red garter with a gold heart on her left thigh.
Did you know? Betty Boop made her first appearance in 1930 in the cartoon 'Dizzy Dishes,' where she was originally depicted as an anthropomorphic French poodle before being redesigned as a human in 1932.