Other Mother Costume
Careful what you wish for with this chilling button-eyed look.
The Other Mother, also known as the Beldam, is the main antagonist of Laika's stop-motion film Coraline. Fans choose this costume for its perfect blend of domestic warmth and spine-chilling horror. The signature look features her classic red-and-white polka dot dress, a sharp black bob, and her terrifying black button eyes.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $35–85
Try it on
See yourself as Other Mother
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.
Your photo is sent to Google's Gemini API to make the render and isn't used for training. Renders are AI-generated and labelled.
Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Other Mother costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Other Mother costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.
Polka Dot Dress
A retro-style, short-sleeved red dress with white polka dots and a white collar.
DIY: Use a plain red dress and paint white fabric circles onto it using a stencil.
Black Button Glasses
Novelty glasses featuring large black buttons for lenses, designed with small pinholes so you can see through them.
DIY: Glue large black four-hole buttons onto the lenses of cheap, clear round costume glasses.
Black Bob Wig
A short, sleek black wig cut into an asymmetrical bob with straight bangs.
Red Oven Mitts
A pair of classic quilted red oven mitts to represent her kitchen scene.
Red Lipstick and Nail Polish
Bright, classic red lipstick and matching red nail polish or press-on nails.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Other Mother costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the black asymmetrical bob wig, ensuring your natural hair is securely pinned underneath.
- 2
Apply pale face makeup, followed by sharp red lipstick and matching red nail polish.
- 3
Slip on the red-and-white polka dot dress and adjust the collar.
- 4
Put on the black button glasses, ensuring you have adequate visibility through the pinholes.
- 5
Carry the red oven mitts or wear them on your hands to complete the kitchen-dwelling look.
Makeup & hair
Keep your skin pale and matte. Apply a bold, exaggerated red lip with sharp corners. Style the black wig into a neat, sleek bob with straight-cut bangs framing the face.
Other Mother for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with someone dressed as Coraline in her yellow raincoat and blue star sweater.
- group
- Form a group with Coraline, Wybie, and the Other Father on his mechanical tractor.
- kids
- A simplified version with a polka dot dress and button-eye face paint instead of glasses for safety.
- Plus size
- A wrap-style polka dot dress offers a comfortable, adjustable fit for this silhouette.
- pet
- Dress a black cat plush or a real pet cat as the helpful black cat from the movie.
Tips
- Ensure your button glasses have enough pinholes so you can safely navigate dark party venues.
- Keep the oven mitts removable so you can easily hold drinks, snacks, or your phone.
- If you want a creepier version, use liquid latex to create cracked skin texture on your face.
Other Mother costume FAQ
- How do you see out of the button eyes?
- Costume button glasses are designed with tiny mesh screens or small drilled pinholes in the button centers, allowing you to see while keeping the buttons opaque to others.
- What dress does the Other Mother wear?
- In her human-like form, she wears a vintage-style red dress with white polka dots, a white collar, and a cinched waist.
- Is the Other Mother costume scary?
- It can be both! The polka dot dress version starts off looking sweet and domestic, but the addition of the black button eyes instantly makes it creepy and recognizable.
Did you know? In the original Coraline book by Neil Gaiman, the Other Mother's fingers are described as being made of long, twitching sewing needles, which inspired her terrifying final spider-like form in the film.