Saturday Night Live Costume
Perfect your cheer and bring classic SNL comedy to life.
Saturday Night Live has delivered decades of iconic characters, but few match the high-energy nostalgia of the Spartan Cheerleaders, Craig and Arianna. This classic 90s look is instantly recognizable, incredibly fun, and highly comfortable. The costume centers around the signature red, white, and blue Spartan cheerleading uniform.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- ~15 min
- Budget
- $25–60
Try it on
See yourself as Saturday Night Live
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What you need for a Saturday Night Live costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Saturday Night Live costume — one box instead of 6 pieces.
Spartan Cheerleader Top
A red long-sleeve athletic shirt featuring blue and white horizontal stripes and the word 'SPARTANS' printed in bold white text across the chest.
DIY: Use fabric paint or iron-on letters to add the word 'SPARTANS' and blue/white stripes to a plain red long-sleeve shirt.
Red Pleated Cheer Skirt
A red pleated athletic skirt with white and blue trim along the hemline.
DIY: Use a plain red skirt and fabric tape to add white and blue stripes along the bottom.
Red Athletic Pants
Red track pants with white stripes down the sides, used for the male (Craig) version of the costume.
DIY: Use plain red sweatpants and add white fabric tape down the outer seams.
White Athletic Knee Socks
Classic white tube socks that pull up to the knee, preferably with red or blue stripes at the top.
DIY: Use plain white knee-high socks.
White Sneakers
Clean, simple white canvas or athletic sneakers.
Blue and White Pom-Poms
A pair of classic plastic or metallic cheerleading pom-poms in royal blue and white.
DIY: Create your own pom-poms using blue and white plastic tablecloths cut into thin strips and tied together.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Saturday Night Live costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the red long-sleeve Spartan cheerleader top.
- 2
Put on the matching red pleated skirt (for Arianna) or the red track pants (for Craig).
- 3
Pull the white athletic knee socks up to just below your knees.
- 4
Lace up your clean white athletic sneakers.
- 5
Style your hair into a high, bouncy ponytail with a scrunchie, or part it neatly in a classic 90s style.
- 6
Grab your blue and white pom-poms and practice your best high-energy cheer routine.
Makeup & hair
Keep makeup minimal, clean, and athletic. For Arianna, style hair into a high, bouncy ponytail secured with a retro scrunchie; for Craig, style hair in a neat, gelled 90s side-part.
Saturday Night Live for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Go as the iconic duo: one person dresses as Craig in the red pants, and the other as Arianna in the pleated skirt.
- group
- Form a full SNL cast by adding other classic characters like Mary Katherine Gallagher, the Coneheads, or more cheerleaders.
- kids
- A miniature red cheerleader uniform or a simple Conehead cap makes an easy, funny kids' version.
- Plus size
- Look for athletic-fit pleated skirts with elastic waistbands or comfortable red track pants.
- pet
- Dress your dog in a small red and white dog sweater to match your color scheme.
Tips
- Practice a few signature cheers from the sketch, like the 'U-G-L-Y' cheer, to stay in character all night.
- Wear comfortable sneakers, as this costume is built for high-energy movement, jumping, and posing.
- If celebrating in cold weather, layer thermal underwear beneath the long-sleeve top and pants or skirt.
Saturday Night Live costume FAQ
- What does the Spartan Cheerleader costume include?
- The standard outfit includes a red long-sleeve top with the 'Spartans' logo, a matching red pleated skirt or pants, white knee-high socks, and blue and white pom-poms.
- How do I make a DIY Spartan Cheerleader costume?
- Use a plain red long-sleeve shirt, add white and blue fabric tape to create the chest stripes, and use fabric markers or iron-on letters to spell out 'SPARTANS' on the chest.
- Can this work as a couples costume?
- Yes, it is one of the most famous SNL couples costumes, featuring Craig (in pants) and Arianna (in a skirt).
Did you know? The Spartan Cheerleaders, played by Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri, debuted on Saturday Night Live in 1995 and appeared in 17 episodes.