Gold is the quickest way to make an outfit look rich. Whether you are a golden character, a goddess or a golden prop, a few metallic pieces carry the whole costume.
These are 14 costumes that are gold, from characters in movies, TV and mythology. Each pick lists the key pieces, and the button under it opens the full guide with a shopping list.
14 costumes that are gold or golden
1. C-3PO (Star Wars)
The golden droid is a metallic gold long-sleeve shirt and slim pants, or a shiny gold unitard. Add a C-3PO mask and beanie for the face.
What you will need:
- Metallic gold shirt, gold pants or unitard, C-3PO mask or beanie
2. Goldmember (Austin Powers)
A gold jacket and gold pants (or shorts) with gold shoes and chains. A balding wig finishes the look.
What you will need:
- Gold jacket, gold pants or shorts, gold shoes, gold chains, balding wig
3. Gold Digger
A tight metallic gold dress with gold stilettos and a gold dollar-sign necklace, plus a gold shovel and a miner's hard hat for the pun.
What you will need:
- Metallic gold dress, gold stilettos, dollar-sign necklace, gold shovel, miner's hard hat
4. Golden Ticket
A gold metallic dress and gold heels with a gold crystal headband, plus a large gold-painted cardboard ticket.
What you will need:
- Gold metallic dress, gold heels, gold headband, cardboard golden ticket
5. Starlight (The Boys)
A white midi dress with a gold cape, gold knee-high boots, gold gloves and a gold belt. Gold stars on the dress and a white headband finish it.
What you will need:
- White dress, gold cape, gold boots, gold gloves, gold belt, gold stars
6. Aphrodite
A white toga with a gold body-chain top, a gold olive-branch tiara, a grand gold necklace, gold armbands, a gold belt and gold heels.
What you will need:
- White toga, gold chain top, gold tiara, gold necklace, gold armbands, gold belt, gold heels
7. Queen Nefertiti
A long azure blue dress under a long golden cape, with an Egyptian headpiece and gold neck piece, earrings, armbands, bracelets and heels.
What you will need:
- Blue dress, gold cape, Egyptian headpiece, gold neck piece, earrings, armbands, bracelets, heels
8. Isis (Egyptian Goddess)
A glittering scale-pattern dress with gold armbands, bracelets and a gold belt, an Egyptian necklace and headpiece, gold boots and a black wig with bangs.
What you will need:
- Glittering dress, gold armbands and bracelets, gold belt, Egyptian necklace and headpiece, gold boots, black wig
9. Hera (Greek Goddess)
A white toga with a peacock-feather cape, a golden olive-branch crown and gold sandals, armbands, belt, earrings and a gold statement necklace.
What you will need:
- White toga, peacock-feather cape, gold crown, gold sandals, armbands, belt, earrings, necklace
10. Cleo de Nile (Monster High)
A blue sheer top with mummy-wrap leggings and gauze, gold tie-up sandals, gold dangling earrings, a gold garter and a gold belt, and a Cleo wig.
What you will need:
- Blue sheer top, mummy-wrap leggings, gold sandals, gold earrings, gold garter, gold belt, wig
11. Ramses (Nacho Libre)
A gold wrestling mask with gold leggings, gold high-top boots, a gold shiny cape and gold wrist bands, plus a championship belt.
What you will need:
- Gold mask, gold leggings, gold boots, gold cape, gold wrist bands, championship belt
12. Medusa
A black Greek-style gown with gold snake jewellery (arm cuff, bracelets, necklace) and golden sandals, topped with a serpent headpiece and rubber snakes.
What you will need:
- Black Greek gown, gold snake jewellery, golden sandals, serpent headpiece, rubber snakes
13. Inara Serra (Firefly)
A red evening gown with a golden long skirt and golden cape cloak, red satin gloves and golden dangle earrings, plus a curly dark wig.
What you will need:
- Red gown, golden skirt, golden cape, red gloves, golden earrings, curly wig
14. Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast)
A full gold bodysuit with a white top hat, gold pedestal bowls for the arms and gold cardboard flames on the hands.
What you will need:
- Gold bodysuit, white top hat, gold pedestal bowls, gold cardboard flames
Wearing gold? Make it stand out
Gold looks best when it is a metallic, not a yellow. Pair it with one grounding colour such as white, black or deep blue, and avoid mixing silver jewellery with gold pieces so the shine looks planned.
Want a different colour? Try Black, Red, Pink, Orange, Blue, Green, Purple, Yellow, White, Silver, Black & White, Rainbow, Neon, Brown.
