Request Costume

One black dress. Plenty of characters.

Black Dress Costumes & Character Ideas

Already have a black dress? Choose a character with a similar shape, then add the hair, makeup and accessories that make the costume recognizable.

Find Your CostumeChoose a Style

30 costume guides Editorial reviewed Sep 14, 2026

Black Dress Costume Ideas to Start With

Compare the dress you have with these distinct silhouettes, then follow the full guide for the details that complete the character.

Characters Who Wear Black Dresses

Search by character, franchise or dress detail, then compare the shape of your dress with the complete outfit in each guide.

30 guides

Black Off-Shoulder Formal Dress, Burgundy Ruffled Formal Dress and Ivory Formal Maxi Dress beside Catrina Black dress costume

Catrina

Elegant Día de Muertos Catrina look: a long dress, comfortable flats, a shawl, calavera makeup and marigolds. 12 items
Akame Dress and Accessory Set, Long Black Wig with Bangs, Black Full-Finger Gloves and Black Mid-Calf Boots beside Akame Black dress costume

Akame

Dress up like Akame, the cool Night Raid swordswoman from Akame ga Kill!, in her black uniform and red accents. 5 items
Green Plaid Coat, Black Lace Dress, Round Eyeglasses and Brass Pendulum beside Anathema Device Good Omens

Anathema Device

Anathema wears a black lace dress under a green plaid coat, with round glasses and Victorian boots. Choose this if your dress has visible lace and you want a layered costume that still works when the coat comes off. 6 items
Black Fit-and-Flare Mini Dress, Black elbow-length opera gloves and White knee-high heeled boots beside Apple Forbidden Fruits

Apple

Apple starts with a black fit-and-flare mini dress, then adds opera gloves, white boots and sparkling jewelry. The strong black-and-white contrast is more useful here than matching every accessory exactly. 6 items
Long Black Dress, Cigarette Holder, Long Black Gloves and Sunglasses beside Audrey Hepburn (Black Dress) Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Audrey Hepburn (Black Dress)

Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly look pairs a long black dress with pearls, sunglasses, gloves and a tiara. A simple column dress gives you the best base; keep the accessories bright and polished against it. 8 items
Black Lace Dress, Black Lace-Up Waist Belt, Black Fingerless Lace Gloves and Bellatrix Curved Wand beside Bellatrix Lestrange Harry Potter

Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix uses a black Renaissance-style dress and corset with wild curls, dark jewelry and a wand. Texture and volume matter, so choose this over a sleek modern dress if you want the layered gothic shape. 7 items
Black Short Dress, Cat Ears, Sheer Stockings and Black Whip beside Bombshell Catwoman DC Bombshells

Bombshell Catwoman

Bombshell Catwoman turns a short black dress into a vintage cat-burglar look with ears, pearls, gloves and sunglasses. Keep the hem and accessories party-friendly, and let the cat ears provide the quickest recognition cue. 8 items
Black Evening Dress, Gold Earrings, Gold Choker and Gold Gloves beside Bombshell Vixen DC Bombshells

Bombshell Vixen

Bombshell Vixen uses a sleek black evening dress with gold jewelry, gloves and heels. This is a strong choice for a formal dress you already own because the warm gold accents do most of the character styling. 6 items
2 Tone Wig, Red Lipstick, Crystal Stone Earrings and Women’s Black Dress beside Cruella De Vil 101 Dalmatians

Cruella De Vil

Cruella’s black dress sits beneath her spotted coat; the split-color wig, red shoes and gloves finish the look. Start with the wig and coat if you need to prioritize, since they keep the costume recognizable when the dress is plain. 9 items
Long Black Wavy Wig, Black Retro Gothic Long Dress and White Face and Body Paint beside Delores Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Delores

Delores wears a long black gothic dress with a dark wavy wig, pale makeup and stitched details. Look for a wide off-shoulder or scoop neckline and full-length skirt before working on the makeup. 5 items
Black Long-Sleeve Midi Dress, Black Hooded Capelet, Black Satin Bow Clip and Volturi Crest Necklace beside Jane (Volturi Cloak) Black dress costume

Jane (Volturi Cloak)

Dress up like Jane, the Volturi guard in The Twilight Saga, in her black hooded New Moon outfit. 5 items
Ultrabraid X Large Brim Hat, Fujifilm FinePix S4200 Digital Camera and Casual Black Shirt Dress beside Lydia Deetz Beetlejuice

Lydia Deetz

Lydia’s casual black shirt dress works with a wide-brim hat, camera, dark boots and pale gothic makeup. This is one of the easier closet builds if your dress is loose and buttoned rather than fitted or formal. 5 items
Black Lace Maxi Dress, Black Fedora, Black Oversized Sunglasses and Straight Blonde Wig beside Madison Montgomery Black dress costume

Madison Montgomery

Dress up like Madison Montgomery, the young actress and witch in Coven, in her all-black street-walk outfit. 5 items
White Button-Down Shirt, Ash Blonde Bob Wig, Black Strapless Base Dress and Shiny Black Stretch Fabric beside Moira Rose (Trash-Bag Dress) Black dress costume

Moira Rose (Trash-Bag Dress)

Dress up like Moira Rose, the former soap star in Schitt's Creek, in her glossy black photoshoot dress. 9 items
Immortal Soul Costume, Miss Darkness Costume, Goth White Cream Foundation and StarBlend Cake Makeup beside Morticia Addams The Addams Family

Morticia Addams

Morticia’s floor-length black gothic dress works with long dark hair, pale makeup and a precise red lip. Look for a narrow, flowing silhouette with dramatic sleeves before spending on jewelry. 9 items
Black Moto Jacket, Black Mini Dress, Studded Choker and Black Rosary Necklace beside Nancy Downs Black dress costume

Nancy Downs

Teen witch who turns her coven’s glamour against her friends: a black mini dress, studded choker and black rosary necklace. 5 items
Green Cloak, Minerva McGonagall Hat, McGonagall’s Cat Patronus Necklace and Professor McGonagall Wand beside Minerva McGonagall Harry Potter

Minerva McGonagall

Professor McGonagall’s black dress anchors her layered green cloak, pointed hat and wand. Treat the dress as a quiet base and put your effort into the cloak, hat and swept-back hair. 6 items
Black Retro Leather Jacket, Oval Hoop Earrings, Black Maxi Dress and Spaghetti Strap Sleeveless Dress beside Siobhan Corbyn American Horror Story

Siobhan Corbyn

Siobhan’s look centers on a black maxi dress with a leather jacket, corset layer and polished gold accessories. Choose a clean, fitted base so the jacket and jewelry look deliberate instead of disappearing into one dark block. 8 items
Black One-Shoulder Mini Dress, Blonde and Brown Rocker Wig, Black Fishnet Tights and Silver Circle Drop Earrings beside Tina Turner Black dress costume

Tina Turner

Private Dancer era stage look: a black one-shoulder mini dress, a blonde and brown rocker wig, black fishnet tights, silver circle drop earrings and black patent pumps. 6 items
Women’s Black Dress, Women’s Short Hair Wig, Red Lipstick and Purple Face Paint beside Ursula The Little Mermaid

Ursula

Ursula’s black dress becomes the sea-witch costume with a short white wig, purple makeup and shell jewelry. A simple dress works because the face color, hair and necklace carry the animated character reference. 7 items
Vampirina Costume Set, Light Purple Tights, Pink Crew Socks and Black Lace-Up Boots beside Vampirina Black dress costume

Vampirina

Cheerful little vampire look: a spooky-cute dress inspired by Disney Junior’s animated Vampirina series. 5 items
Long Black Braided Wig, Red Lipstick, Long Sleeve Black Dress and Black Nail Polish beside Wednesday (Netflix) Wednesday

Wednesday (Netflix)

This Netflix Wednesday guide builds around a long-sleeve black dress with braids, black leggings, a satchel and chunky heels. Keep the collar and braids neat, and use the guide’s kit as the outfit reference rather than treating every Nevermore uniform as the same look. 10 items
Black Braided Wig, Black Stud Earrings, Red Nail Polish and Toy Knife beside Wednesday Addams The Addams Family

Wednesday Addams

Classic Wednesday uses a black dress with a white collar, black tights, Mary Janes and two neat braids. If your dress has no collar, add a removable white one rather than replacing the whole base. 9 items
Black Fringe Dress Set, Gold Fringe Dress, Burgundy Fringe Dress Set and Navy Fit-and-Flare Dress beside Flapper Black dress costume

Flapper

Jazz-age dancer in black opera gloves: a black fringe dress set, black sheer tights and a long faux pearl necklace. 12 items

Showing 1–24 of 30 costumes

Load more costumes

Make Your Black Dress a Costume

Start with the dress you already have, then add the details that point to a particular character.

Wednesday AddamsWednesday AddamsWhite collar & braidsAudrey Hepburn CostumeAudrey Hepburn (Black Dress)Long dress & pearlsBellatrix LestrangeGothic dress & wand

Pick the Details That Do the Work

A white collar and braids turn a simple dress into Wednesday. Pearls and long gloves take a plain evening dress toward Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly. For Bellatrix, a textured dress, wild curls and a wand create the gothic look.

Choose the closest starting point: you should only need a few clear additions, rather than a whole new outfit.

Leave Room for the Layers

Try the dress with the coat, corset or tights you plan to wear. Anathema’s plaid coat and Cruella’s spotted outer layer change the finished outfit as much as the dress underneath.

For longer Morticia or Audrey looks, check the hem with your shoes on. You want to walk comfortably without losing the long line of the dress.

Black Dress Costume FAQs

What is an easy costume to make with a black dress?

Wednesday Addams is a useful starting point if your dress has or can take a white collar; add braids, black tights and Mary Janes. Audrey Hepburn works with a long simple dress, pearls, gloves and sunglasses. Lydia Deetz is another option for a loose shirt dress, dark boots and a camera.

Which black dress costume works for a gothic look?

Bellatrix Lestrange, Delores, Lydia Deetz, Wednesday Addams and Miss Peregrine all offer dark looks with different silhouettes. Compare the guide artwork before choosing: a fitted collared dress, a Victorian dress and a loose shirt dress are not interchangeable.

Can a black skirt and top count as a black dress costume?

This page uses guides with an actual black dress in the selected outfit. A coordinated top and skirt can create a similar silhouette, but it is a separate outfit construction and is not included by the page’s dress-and-color rule.

Should I choose a short or long black dress?

Match the character first. Audrey Hepburn, Morticia and Delores use longer lines, while Scarlet Witch and Bombshell Catwoman use shorter dresses. If your event involves a lot of walking, choose a hem you can move in while keeping the character’s overall shape.

How do I keep an all-black costume recognizable?

Use the character’s strongest contrasting detail. Wednesday has a white collar, Audrey has pearls, Cruella has a spotted coat, Ursula has purple makeup and Bellatrix has her hair and wand. Those cues keep the outfit from reading as a generic black dress.

Can my black dress have a pattern, collar or colored trim?

Yes, when it helps match the character. Wednesday’s white collar, Anathema’s lace and a subtle textured fabric can make the base more specific. Compare the full outfit and keep the strongest contrasting detail visible.

costume
Bellatrix’s textured black dress, curls and wand give the outfit its character.
See Bellatrix’s Guide
Sources & How We Choose

Costumes on this page are selected from published Costume Wall guides after checking the pictured kit, saved product list and the specific outfit version. Eligibility requires one paired outfit-detail row in which the Dress garment itself has the color black. A different-color dress with black shoes, hair or accessories does not match. Gown remains a separate garment type and is not included by this rule.

Editorial review completed .

Start With the Black Dress You Want to Wear

Lay out the dress first, compare its silhouette with the character guides, and choose the costume that needs the fewest forced substitutions. A collar, coat, hairstyle or piece of jewelry usually does more for recognition than adding a pile of unrelated black accessories.

Related Collections

CW is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about CW →