Costume Ideas for Letter R

R Personalities
There are a number of overhead masks and photo-style cardboard masks which may enable you to impersonate celebrities. Some of these may be featured in the list, but for others there may be no set costumes and outfits. These celebs include:

• Daniel Radcliffe
• Rafael Nadal
• Gordon Ramsey
• Rebekah Brooks
• Richard Hammond
• Cliff Richard
• Ricky Gervais
• Rihanna
• Rio Ferdinand
• Robbie Williams
• Robert Pattinson
• Roger Federer
• Roger Moore
• Wayne Rooney
• Jonathan Ross
• Kelly Rowland
• Rufus Hound
• Rupert Grint
• Rupert Murdoch
• Russell Brand
• Ryan Giggs

Ra - The Egyptian Sun-God and supreme deity of Egypt, said to be born each day of the sky goddess Nut. Depicted with a Sun or Rams head headdress, or wearing an Egyptian crown.

Rabbi - Aside from its obvious use at a Professions event, possibly also useful for a Heaven & Hell party.

Rabbit -Popular choice, even outside the Alice in Wonderland connection. White, pink and brown are typical colours and the costumes are usually made out of fake fur. Costumes traditionally become popular around Easter, and in the Chinese Year of the Rabbit.

Racer (Boy/Girl) Racing driver outfits are available for both males and females.

Race Goer -Character seen in films such as My Fair Lady and A View To A Kill, but open to interpretation according to context.

Richard, Cliff Timelessly popular singer and entertainer.

Rafael Nadal Leading tennis player of current times. Use celeb mask (above) plus tennis gear.

Raggedy Ann- A patchwork doll of American ancestry. Rag doll dress, red wool wig and doll make-up.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark Costume Wear an Indiana Jones Costume

Rainbow Warrior- The name of a ship owned by Greenpeace, the activist group, until it was sunk, but could be interpreted as an polychromatic Eco-Warrior.

Rally Driver-An alternative opportunity to make use of a racing driver or Stig costume.

Ram - Overhead masks are available. Wear the right colour clothing to get the effect. Do not use cotton wool as this is a fire risk.

Rambo – Played by Sylvester Stallone in the film First Blood and sequels. Headband/bandana, string vest, camouflage trousers, weapons.

Ramesses There were eleven Egyptian Pharaohs of this name, the second also being called Ozymandias the Great and celebrated in the poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Ramsey, Gordon British celebrity chef known for his uncompromising attitude and language. Team a celeb. mask (above) with a chefs outfit.

Rancher-Wild West character usually wearing a Stetson cowboy hat and a long dust coat.

Ranger-Aside from the Texas Rangers, the alternative police force of the Wild West, most might think of American Park Rangers. Ranger Smith of Jellystone Park, home of Yogi Bear and Boo-boo, may be the best known, perhaps along with Smokey the Bear, mascot of the US Forest Service.

Rapper - Popular type of musical artist originating from the 1980s/90s. MC Hammer was an early role model but there have been many others since. Streetwear and bling are major features.

Rapunzel-The princess with the very long hair locked in a tower in the fairy-tale of the same name. The story has been recently re-imagined in the Disney film Tangled

Rasputin(1871-1916) – The Mad Monk, wielding influence in the last years of the court of Imperial Russia, until his murder in 1916. Monks habit, long hair and beard.

Rasta Man/Woman-Although potentially non-PC, a Rasta look is easily created with the wool hat and dreadlocks as a key element. May also be the basis of a Bob Marley outfit.

Rat-Potentially the most successful mammal (aside from Man) on the planet and one of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Also seen as King Rat, in the pantomime Dick Whittington.

Aside from a standard rat costume, a novelty Rat-Trap outfit is also available.

Raven-In Myth, originally a white bird but blackened by the Gods for its chattering and lies. There are ravens at the Tower of London and it is said that if they leave, the kingdom will fall. Meanwhile, in Celtic folklore, Bodhbh, Goddess of War, took the form of a raven as a harbinger of Death.

Red Admiral-Aside from being a type of butterfly, a costume might perhaps consist of a high-ranking Soviet naval officer.

Red Cross Nurse-Blue uniform, white apron and headdress. Note that technically the Red Cross symbol is an internationally protected icon of neutrality and therefore should not be used on imitation medical wear.

Red Devil – Aside from the obvious devil outfit, this is also the nickname for both Manchester United and Crawley Town footballers.

Red Indian Non-pc name for the Native American. Costumes for men and women are widely available. A huge range of Indian accessories are also available to purchase, to complete your outfits.

Red Queen-Originally, she aided Alice in Through the Looking Glass to help her become a Queen herself. Shaped like a Red/Black Queen chess piece, hence her costume may use a series of large crinoline-style hoops on the outside of a red dress. In the 2010Alice in Wonderland film, the Red Queen is a despotic ruler, played by Helena Bonham-Carter, her costume featuring numerous heart motifs.

Red Riding Hood-The well-known goodie-smuggler of Grimms Fairy Tale fame. Also featured in an allegorical role in the film ‘Company of Wolves’. The red hooded cape is the essence of the costume, but variations such as Little Dead Riding Hood may be found around Halloween time.

Referee – Costumes are available for men and women (some may be American e.g. baseball). Alternatively, wear a black and white striped top with black shorts and carry a whistle.

Regan, Ronald- Popular film star-cum-US president, contemporary with the Thatcher era in Britain. An overhead mask is available.

Reggae Singer – Bob Marley style. Dreadlocks, brightly coloured top, jeans.

Re-Hab Costume – Retro-style costume based on the look of the late Amy Winehouse.

Reindeer- One or two-man (according to design) pantomime-horse-style suit with antlers (or just add antlers to an existing panto-horse!) and (optional) red nose.

Religious Costumes-Choose from Nun, Priest, Pope, Vicar, Rabbi and Hari Krishna style costumes. Useful for Heaven & Hell or Saints & Sinners theme events.

Renaissance Man / Woman – Although we British associate the Renaissance with artists, the Americans use the term Renaissance for costumes roughly covering the English Medieval to Tudor periods. Such costuming (and related pastimes) is celebrated at Renaissance (or Ren) Fairs.

Rene -Caf owner and reluctant hero of the French Resistance in the British sitcom Allo, allo. A stage show based on the series is popular with amateur dramatics groups. Costume involves normal wear plus a bar-keep apron.

Retro An excuse to wear an outfit from a previous era of your choice.

Rhett Butler-Hero from Gone with the Wind, portrayed by Clark Gable in the 1939 classic film. Elegant Mississippi gent, with frock coat, fancy ornate waistcoat, shirt, cravat and trousers.

Rhiannon-In Celtic folklore, the princess daughter of the King of the Otherworld. Also known as a witch and linked in some mythologies with Mab, Queen of Fairies (and enemy of Merlin). Rhiannon is coldly beautiful, shades of blue, purple and black featuring, both in her costume and make-up.

Rhinemaidens – Mermaid-like spirits featuring in the Ring cycle as initial guardians of the Ring, which is stolen by the dwarf Mime and causes so much trouble for both Men and Gods.

Rhinestone Cowboy – Role models include Glen Campbell and Robert Redford in The Electric Horseman. White cowboy outfit, elaborately decorated with studs and rhinestones (or fairy lights!).

Rhinestone Cowgirl – Role models include Dolly Parton and Shania Twain, before she went mainstream. Elaborate/ornate cowgirl outfit, decorated with fringing and rhinestones.

Rhinoceros These are not the most practical costumes to wear. Most of the ones available are from specialist suppliers, often built using fibreglass and regularly seen running the London Marathon!

Richard I (The Lionheart) English king of early history. In fact he saw very little of his home country, as he spent much of his time fighting the Crusades, in the Holy Lands of the Middle East. It is during the Crusades that St George was adopted as a patron of the English forces, so the crusader outfit with a white tabard and red George-cross marking may be used for this character.

Riddler Frank Gorshin played the original screen version from the Batman comics, with Jim Carrey adding a unique interpretation in the 1995. film Batman & Robin. Green lycra cat-suit and bowler hat imprinted with question-marks. He may also carry a cane with a question-mark handle. An orange buzz-wig may be used in addition to or as an alternative for the hat. A Miss Riddler costume may also be found from some outlets.

Ride-on Emu (or similar) – Although British comedian Bernie Clifton’s heyday may be said to be many years ago, his ride-on emu act continues to be remembered and the costume is still often requested and very popular.

Riff-Raff - Butler-stylecharacter from the Rocky Horror Show. Costume:- Handyman Guise: Black, well-worn tail-suit. White shirt, no tie. Bald pate with long straggly hair. In his Transylvanian Guise, later in the story, he wears a silver tabard-style space suit with black PVC trim, and gauntlets with silver gloves, black stockings & suspenders. Mohawk-style wig or ‘quiff’.

Rihanna- Popular modern R&B singer, born in theBahamas. Not noted for overtly outrageous costumes (although what she does wear can be rather minimalist). Some have tried to recreate her leotard and bowler hat ensemble from the Umbrella video. In 2011, she was sporting hair in a vivid shade of red, but that may have changed by now!

Rimmer, Arnold A human holograph and one of the remaining crew aboard the mining ship Red Dwarf in the BBC sci-fi comedy of the same name. An official costume has recently become available in some countries.

Ringo Starr Drummer in The Beatles, although he was vocalist on a few tracks and since has released solo work and led his own band.

Rio Carnival – One of the major centres of Mardi Gras celebration,Rio de Janeiro is also famous for its samba-school dancers, in somewhat skimpy but highly colourful costumes. For females, a Las Vegas showgirl costume can work for this character. Males can wear variations on Latino dance wear.

Ringmaster Iconic leader of the traditional British circus. Wears a red tailcoat, to hat and carries a long bull whip.

Ringmistress Magda from the Bond film Octopussy is one role model. Top hat, red or silver tailcoat over decorated leotard with bow tie. Fishnets. boots and/or heels.

Rizzo Leading Pink Lady character in the musical Grease.

Robbie Burns (1759-1796) -Scotlands best known poet whose birthday is celebrated on January 25th. Standard frock-coat and breeches outfit.

Robert Clive British militarian of Georgian times who was best known for his role in controlling the Indian Mutiny. Red and black Georgian military outfit.

Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) – Scottish military hero who became King of Scotland in 1306, having been supposedly inspired by a spider to prevail in his struggle, against the English. Costume may be similar to that of Braveheart (William Wallace) but should not feature tartan.

Robin-Bird character found in many Nursery rhymes, although Robins do not do well in such tales – potentially homeless in the North Wind Doth Blow and shot in Cock Robin. Nonetheless, the Robin is a potentially popular seasonal costume, being the red-breasted harbinger of winter months. The Robin is also associated with blood from Christs thorns and as the sacred fire-bird of Thor in Scandinavian myth. For the rotund redbreast, a brown body with red front, plus brown tights and bird-feet and appropriate head-piece.

Robin -The Boy Wonder. Alter ego of millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne (Batman)s ward, Dick Grayson. Costume has varied from the original comic-book design, inspired by Errol Flynns Robin Hood outfit, to the more macho leather/latex-based creations, seen in recent films. It may also be possible to find female outfits based on the Robin costume.

Robin Hood/Herne the Hunter Major figure of English folk history, legend and Morris Dance mummers plays traditionally performed on Boxing Day. Medieval tunic (hooded in some incarnations) and trousers in green or brown, with matching cap. Bow, arrow & quiver.

Robinson Crusoe Character from a book by Daniel Defoe and also the hero of one of the less performed pantomimes, possibly because of the non-PC aspects associated with his helper and guide Man Friday. Costume may be based on ragged clothing.

Robocop- Titular main character and cyborg policeman of several films in the 1980s & 90s. An official licensed costume is available from some outlets.

Robot-Mechanical male/female character featured in many sci-fi stories, films and TV series. Costume/effect obviously depends upon the required image, but metallic materials and make-up may feature. Some types of robots include:- Android, Cyborg, Data (Star Trek: Next Generation), Pris (Blade Runner), Tin-Man.

Rock and Roller-Draped jacket with velvet collar, black drainpipe trousers, white shirt, bootlace tie, also known in Britain as Teddy Boys.

Rock and Roll Star -Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard are role models, all with their own trademark image.

Rock Chick-This character is open to interpretation may be either a music artist such a Suzi Quatro or Joan Jet, a follower of such an artist or a variation on the biker-girl. Typically might wear a biker jacket or T-shirt, leather/PVC mini-skirt, cap or feather-cut wig.

Rock Star – One of any number of Rock/Pop idols from Freddie Mercury to Kiss. Individual characters may be identified under relevant alphabetic headings.

Rocker - Leather-clad motor-cycle riding adversaries of the Mods in 1960s Britain.

Rocket Feisty female character in the fantasy film Sucker Punch

Rocketeer- Hero of Saturday Matinee cinema, (and a 1991 film) the Rocketeer fights evil (usually Nazis or other ne’er-do-wells), with the help of his jet-powered back-pack.

Rocky- Boxer character played by Sylvester Stallone in the films of the same name.

Rocky-Character created by Frank N Furter in the Rocky Horror (Picture) Show. Mummy-style bandages, then Lurex/Spandex trunks with body glitter. In the Floor Show sequence he wears basque, boa, stockings.

Rocky Horror (Both Male & Female) Basque, fishnet stockings, gloves and boa or formal evening wear. Heavy stylised make-up. Main characters from Rocky Horror are Frank n Furter, Riff-Raff, Magenta andColumbia.

Rod Stewart- Rock star initially associated with The Faces who then pursued a successful solo career and has now mellowed to recording easy-listening crooner standards. His 70s look consisted of tight leopard-print trousers, open-neck shirt. Spiked streaked wig.

Rodeo Rider - Wear a cowboy costume

Rodney Trotter – Brother of Del-Boy Trotter in the British comedy ‘Only Fools And Horses’. An overhead mask is available, although an alternative popular guise is Del-Boy and Rodney’s ‘Batman and Robin’ from the special Christmas Show of 1996.

Roger Federer Waer Tennis whites

Roger Rabbit -Cartoon star hero of the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Main costume is a white rabbit in red dungarees with a spotty bow-tie. Obvious costume couple choice with his wife, the sultry femme fatale, Jessica Rabbit.

Rolf Harris Impression-One of Australias most famous living exports, Rolf Harris is a British TV celebrity who has a number of facets – the chart-topping singer (Sun Arise; Two Little Boys; Stairway to Heaven), the artist (Can you tell what it is yet?), or the TV presenter of Animal Hospital.

Roller Skater – Either a sports character in its own right, or a character from films such as Rollerball or Xanadu or the show Starlight Express. Aside from the skates, costume will depend upon the nature of the character in question.

Rolling Stones- Group who started in the 1960s, and are still active! Mick Jagger masks are available and Keith Richards, said to be the inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow, has featured in two of the Pirates of the Caribbean films as Jacks father, Captain Teague.

Roman Male or female Roman tunic with sandals and laurel garlands.

Roman Gladiator Wear a tunic with body armour and possibly a cape.

Roman Emperor Wear a Caesar style of toga

Roman Soldier Several outfits featuring the leather-look skirta, helmet and classic Roman short combat sword are available.

Romeo-Character from William Shakespeares romantic tragedy Romeo & Juliet.Outfit would consist of traditional Medieval Italian costume of doublet and hose. See also Juliet.

Rooster – Male chicken aka Cockerel.

Rorschach-Character from graphic novel and recent film Watchmen Licensed costume available

Rosalind-Cross-dressing character from Shakepeares As You Like It. Daughter of a banished Duke, Rosalind disguises herself as a boy, Ganymede, in order to avoid getting attacked in the Forest Arden. Noted as having a curtle-axe and a boar spear, the costume would seem to combine elements of a Principal Boy andRobin Hood.

Rose-Aside from the obvious flower impression, the heroine of the film Titanic and one of the few survivors of the disaster.

Rose Red-Character from a Grimm Brothers fairy tale. Costume similar to Snow White but in shades of red.

Roulette Wheel-Similar concept to the Games Mistress. Because of the more specific costume concept, the top to the skirt can be based on the design of the roulette board upon which the betting chips are placed. Some outlets may list this outfit as Spin and Win.

Rowan Atkinson Famous for many characters including Mr Bean & Blackadder.

Roxy Leading character in the film/stage show Chicago. Dress is twenties style, possibly flapper based.

Roy Orbison-Popular music star. Black two-piece casual suit. Dark glasses

Roy Wood & Wizzard-British Glam rock group of the 1970s/80s. Their seasonal hit I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day continues to sell and receive airtime. Costume: Patterned kaftan, wild hair and beard, face make-up.

Royal Air Force Pilot- The typical outfit might consist of a leather (or faux-leather) jacket, helmet, scarf & goggles.

Royalty You could go as any member of the modern Royal family, or go back in time. You could even go as a Royal Princess and make up a costume accordingly.

Roy Rogers- One of the early TV cowboy personalities of the 1950s/60s whose television programmes had a large following and benefited from spin-off merchandising. An early rhinestone cowboy.

Rubbles, The -Barney, Betty and adopted son Bam-bam from the popular cartoon series The Flintstones.

Rubezahl-German weather spirit living on the Riesenbirge mountain in that country. Also known as Herr Johannes, hence a Germanic version of Jack Frost.

Rubix Cube - Iconic symbol of the 1980s. Off-the-peg costumes are rare, but one can be improvised with cardboard.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer – Costumes and masks are available to purchase and hire. Costume kits are also available to get the idea for this festive character.

Rudolph Valentino(1895-1926) – Silent Screen heart-throb, who set female hearts a-flutter and drew unprecedented crowds to his funeral. Arabian Sheik or Matador costumes are the best known images.

Rugby Player-An easy costume to improvise as rugger shirts are now common as street-wear.

Rugrats-Cartoon brat-pack of TV and film fame. Costumes were once available but may be on limited licence and are copyright.

Rumba Dancer – Wear a Spanish style costume for men or women.

Rumplestiltskin-Dwarf from a Grimms Fairy tale who spun gold from straw in exchange for the first-born child of a princess. Also seen as a character in the final Shrek movie. In the original tale he tore himself apart in rage when she guessed his name – interesting challenge to recreate!

Rumpleteaser -From the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, Rumpleteaser is a cat on the up – lithe of body and keen and tiger-like in look.

Run-a-Round Costume Plenty of costume choices available from runaround emus, horses & dragons

Runner – Identically dressed athlete-style characters who became popular because of the 118, 118 television adverts campaign for a directory enquiries service. Official race number, plus shorts, top, trainers, socks.

Runner Bean-Ideal fun costume for a marathon or fun-run.A basic pod-shape with suitable holes for head, arms and legs made of lightweight green material topped off with a stalk hat, elasticised to stop it falling off. Finish off with green socks and trainers.

Rupert the Bear Childrens comic strip and TV favourite. A white bear with red jumper and yellow check trousers.

Russ Abbott Creation -The British comedian Russ Abbott created a number of spoof characters for his Madhouse TV series: Fritz Crackers, Scot Jimmy, James Pond, plus hooped wobbly costumes e.g. Cooperman and Mountie.

Russell Brand -Controversial comedian and film/TV star. Can work as a couple with his ex Katy Perry. A celeb cardboard mask exists or depict him as seen in the Arthur remake.

Russian – In these post-Cold War days possibly not an obvious costume choice, although useful for a Countries of the World event. A stereotype is based on the Russian Cossack, a faux-fur-based ensemble, but other possibilities are Rasputin (previously mentioned above), Anya Amasova, the Russian agent from Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me or one of the characters from Russian literature such as Lara from Dr Zhivago.