Cartoon Character Fancy Dress: Nostalgic Outfits For Adults

Cartoon themes are the most forgiving fancy dress going. The characters are simple shapes in two or three colours, which is exactly what reads across a dark room.

It also means an adult can do most of them from a wardrobe and one accessory, which is why nobody ever arrives at a cartoon party in their normal clothes apologising.

Here they are by era, with the easy builds marked.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not costumes.

Instantly recognisable, minimal effort

• SpongeBob - a full-body suit that goes over your clothes and gets recognised by every age group in the room.
• Where's Wally: red and white stripes, bobble hat, glasses. Ten pounds and done.
• Velma or Shaggy: orange jumper and red skirt, or a green t-shirt and brown trousers.
• Dexter: white lab coat, orange wig, purple gloves.
• Fred Flintstone: an orange t-shirt with black triangles drawn on it.
• Charlie Brown: yellow t-shirt with a black zigzag in marker pen.

Nineties nostalgia

• Rugrats: Tommy in a blue t-shirt and nappy, Chuckie with orange hair and glasses.
• Hey Arnold, Doug, Daria, Johnny Bravo, the Powerpuff Girls.
• Ninja Turtles as a four, with a coloured bandana each.
• Scooby Doo gang as a five - it's the best group cartoon costume there is.
• Pokemon: Ash's cap and jacket, or Team Rocket as a pair.

Noughties classics

• SpongeBob and Patrick, which is the definitive best-mate pairing - Read the guide
• Kim Possible, Ed Edd n Eddy, Codename Kids Next Door.
• Family Guy: Peter's white shirt and green trousers, Stewie's red dungarees.
• Futurama: Fry's white vest and red jacket, Leela's purple hair and one big eye.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender, which suits a group of four.
• Full noughties list - Read the guide

Group cartoon themes

• Bikini Bottom: SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr Krabs, Sandy, Plankton.
• Scooby Doo: Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, Scooby.
• The Simpsons in yellow face paint, which does most of the work.
• Toy Story, if you want cartoon-adjacent - Read the guide
• Give everyone a character in advance or three people arrive as the same one.

Making a cartoon costume read

• Block colour beats detail. Cartoons are two or three flat colours and nothing else.
• Get the silhouette right - a shape people know from across a room is worth more than an accurate face.
• One signature prop finishes it: a bubble wand, a Krabby Patty, a magnifying glass, a skateboard.
• Face paint in flat colour, no shading. Cartoons don't have contour.
• Say the catchphrase once early in the night, then let it go.

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• Block colour and silhouette, never detail.
• One signature prop finishes the whole thing.
• Assign characters in advance for group themes.
• Flat face paint - cartoons have no shading.

Where to shop next

• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Funny pin badges
• Funny cards
• Toy Story party ideas
• 2000s fancy dress ideas
• Duo fancy dress ideas
• Under the sea fancy dress
• Pub crawl fancy dress themes
• Funny fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress party themes
• How to throw a fancy dress party
• Last minute fancy dress ideas
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
• Fancy dress prize ideas
• 80s and 90s party ideas
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are good cartoon character costumes for adults?

SpongeBob, Where's Wally, the Scooby Doo gang, Dexter, Velma, Fred Flintstone or Team Rocket. Cartoons are two or three flat colours, which is exactly what reads in a dark room.

What is the easiest cartoon costume to put together?

Charlie Brown - a yellow t-shirt with a black zigzag drawn on it. Where's Wally and Fred Flintstone are nearly as quick, and a full SpongeBob suit needs nothing but your own clothes underneath.

What are good group cartoon costumes?

Bikini Bottom with SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and Mr Krabs, the Scooby Doo gang, the Ninja Turtles in four bandanas, or the Simpsons in yellow face paint.

How do you make a cartoon costume look right?

Flat block colour, correct silhouette, one signature prop and no shading on face paint. Cartoons have no contour, so anything realistic actually looks less like the character.

Do you sell fancy dress costumes?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Costumes are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.