Costume Ideas for Letter V
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:

• Victor Meldrew
• Victoria Beckham
• Vladmir Putin

V – Masked freedom fighter in the film V For Vendetta (2005). Outfit is based on the classic Guy Fawkes look. The mask has recently been adopted by anti-capitalist protestors.

Vader (Darth) – Villain from the original Star Wars fillm, released in 1977. Licensed costumes are available to purchase

Valentine-Typically a cupid, Eros or heart costume.

Valeria – Character from the film Carry on Screaming played by Fenella Fielding (whose talent was somewhat unique anyway). Valeria is a cross between Morticia and Elvira with white face, heavily lashed eyes, a black beehive hair-style and sheath-like dress in velvet – black, of course.

Valkyrie – In Norse folklore, one of the warrior maidens who scour the field of battle and take fallen heroes to the Halls of Valhalla. Possibly the most well known is Brunhilde, who, with her sisters, appears in Wagners operatic Ring Cycle. Her outfit is based on a female Viking, featuring a horned helmet and trident-like spear.

Valley Of The Kings Mummy The Valley of the Kings is the Egyptian location of many of the tombs of the pharaohs. Wear a mummy costume, or wrap yourself up in white toilet paper do not use real bandages as this can be dangerous..

Vampire – Creature of Slavonic myth, representing an evil spirit of the Dead returned as a bat, to drink blood and turn their victim into a vampire. Bram Stoker is said to have based Dracula(Dracul-Romanian for Devil) on a mix of Vlad the Fifth (‘The Impaler’) of Wallachia (15^th C..) and Countess Bathori, who was arrested in 1610 for killing girls to bathe in their blood.

Vanessa Kensington – From the first two Austin Powers films. There are three basic looks:- 1) Business Suit – Efficient PA-style with glasses; 2) Futuristic Silver Mini-Skirt & Boots; 3) Leather-look Catsuit & Belt.

Vanilla Ice ->a) A popular flavour of ice-cream (an ice-cream cone novelty costume is available).

b) A rapper musician, possibly best known for his hit Ice, Ice Baby sampled in Under Pressure by Queen & DavidBowie.

Vegas Showgirl - Brief, almost there glitzy costume with headdress and feathers. Go glam!

Vegetable -Dressing as a vegetable may seem a novel idea but veg. costumes are less abundant than fruits! Chilli Pepper and Carrot costumes are fairly easy to come by and we have seen mascot-style costumes for sweetcorn husks and broccoli.

Velmas - Yes, theres more than one, and all offer potential as a costume character.

a) Velma Kelly – Key character in the stage musical/film Chicago who, as the show begins, has just murdered both her sister and her husband after finding out about their affair. Standard 1920s flapper with a period bob hair-style.

b) Velma Dinkley – The studious one from the Mystery Machine gang in the Scooby-Doo cartoons. Probably best used as one of a group dressed as the gangs characters as Velma on her own might need some explanation. An official licensed costume exists.

c) Velma Von Tussle – Character in the popular stage musical/film Hairspray. Mother of Amber, the scheming drama-queen keen to win the Miss Hairspray Pageant

Venetian Ball-Goer (Male/Female) – The Venetian masquerade is associated with all-encompassing robes: Either the Batta, featuring a black silk, or velvet robe with a hood, over which a mask and tri-corn were worn, or Dominoes (a name also given to masks worn with such cloaks), which were monk-like robes with hoods, a headdress and, of course, a mask – originally in porcelain, but now in a range of materials, principally papier-mch. These masks may be plain and featureless, or painted with elaborate designs. They are favoured over make-up, as the wearer’s identity, status and sex is more easily hidden (and they are quicker/cleaner to remove when it comes to moments of passion).

Venetian Masked Carnival Goer – Aside from the characteristic elaborate costumes, masks are an essential element in Venetian carnival, being great levellers of class. Not all need be extravagantly decorated: The volto or larva is a plain white or black mask with only eye-holes and mouth cut-out, worn with a simple bautta hooded cape. On the other hand, the long beaked mask is characteristic of the zanni and also the medico della peste (plague-doctor) whose costume of wide brim hat, linen tunic and long stick represents the times when Venetians were ravaged by infections from the lagoon in which Venice sits.

Venetian Blind – Not particularly PC. Either of the above, with a white stick.

Ventriloquist & Dummy- A potential couple costume, with one partner as the ventriloquist and the other as the dummy. Costumes for the couple will depend upon who plays what role, but a mask or doll-style make-up may be required for the dummy.

Venus -Roman Goddess of Beauty and Sensual Love, Mother of Cupid. (Feast Day: 1st April). The equivalent of Greek Aphrodite. Romans regarded her as founder of their race. Costume may involve a body-stocking and long blonde hair, or Roman robes with appropriate accessories.

Venus Fly Trap-Carnivorous plant noted for its broad hinged leaf-endings with bristled edges which snap shut on insects lured by the nectar within. Audrey, the plant from Little Shop of Horrors is a variation. Although we know of no official trap-plant costumes, an ingenious party-goer could improvise a version and perhaps go with a partner dressed as a fly.

Vermin – Wear a rat or mouse costume. In some countries other animals are classed as vermin, for example Kangaroos in Australia

Veronica Lake- Film star and pin-up model of the 1940s. She specialised in femme fatale roles and was famous for her curtain-like peek-a-boo hairstyle. The character Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was modelled on her look.

Versailles Queen – Palace of three Queens of France before the French Revolution, with Marie-Antoinette probably being the most famous. Wear a Georgian style costume with ornate white wig.

Vestal Virgin -In the Ancient World, many Gods had temples or shrines located in Rome, tended by dedicated staff. Vesta was the virgin Goddess of the Hearth (and its fire) and her attendants were probably the most famously dedicated: Six maidens of spotless virtue were chosen to tend the sacred flame brought by Aeneas fromTroy. The girls were selected between the ages of six and ten and then served a term of thirty years. Any virgin who fell during this time was buried alive. Thus a Vestal Virgin is dressed in pure white robes with a simple hair-style.

Vet- Simple costume for the cosplay-shy. White doctor or medical gown plus a plush soft toy, or partner dressed as an animal of some kind.

Vicar- In Britain, local religious minister, usually of the C of E (Church of England) faith, best known for his dog-collar neckwear (in practice a black close-fitting collar with a white front-piece) worn both when off and on duty. Alternatively, any pseudo-religious-style costume worn for a Vicars and Tarts event.

Viceroy Butterfly – A species of Butterfly, orange in colour. We stock a beautiful ladies butterfly outfit (see image) that is ideal for this costume.

Vicky Pollard – Character from the television series Little Britain. She wears a pink tracksuit top, blue tracksuit bottoms and is rather rotund with he blonde hair tied up into a high pony tail.

Victoria -British Queen who presided over a major period of innovation and change from 1837 until her death in 1901. Although hers was one of the longest reigns, the black mourning-style outfit with white lace and head-dress (from the period when she virtually disappeared from public life in mourning for her husband, Prince Albert) is best known.

Victoria Beckham – Wife of David Beckham and former Spice Girl (when she was known as Posh Spice). Tends to wear black tight fitting clothing, slick dark hair and never smiles.

Victorias Secret Model – Victorias Secret is a well-known quality lingerie brand in the US, so this is an underwear model costume, although there is a drag version Its A Secret on the market.

Victorian Bather – Victorians wore all-in-one, all-encompassing bathing suits, females often changing into them in bathing-machines (wheeled huts which could be moved down to and into the water).

Victorian Boy There are normally two styles of Victorian boy that are usually required. One is the Ragamuffin Urchin look as portrayed by characters such as the Artful Dodger and Oliver Twist. The other is the Little Lord Fauntleroy style.

Victorian Carol Singer (Male)- Dickensian style frock suit & caped overcoat, lantern and song sheet.

Victorian Carol Singer (Female) – Victorian dress, fur trimmed cape, fur muff, bonnet, lantern and song sheet.

Victorian Female – Whereas in Elizabethan times the farthingale proved popular, during the reign of Queen Victoria the Crinoline was to become the standard, although these varied in size and shape throughout her reign, with the bustle and waterfall skirt approach, becoming the fashion at the end of the Nineteenth Century.

Victorian Girl – As with the Victorian Boy, the Victorian Girl comes in two separate categories. Firstly, there is the long dress with over-apron and mop cap approach. Secondly there is the quality costume worn by the upper classes. In many cases this reflected a miniature version of the style of clothing worn by the Victorian Females. If all else fails, an Alice costume will quite often fit the bill.

Victorian Male – Upper classes feature Morning Suit, Frock Suit and Evening suit with winged collars and cravats, whilst the working classes would be seen in rough trousers, or breeches, collarless shirt, neckerchief and cap.

Victory Captain – Lord Nelson fought the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) from HMS Victory. Wear a high-ranking naval costume

Viking-The Vikings, in their role of conquerors, were not known for their subtlety. They are usually depicted heavily armed with axes or swords. The costume comprises coarse material trousers, fur cape or jerkin, tunic or tabard. Helmet with or without plaited hair!

Village People- Pop group from the late Nineteen-Seventies and early Nineteen-Eighties, with hits such as YMCA and In the Navy. Favourite group characters for themes on those eras and Karaoke nights. Biker:- Black leather cap, jacket and trousers; Motor-cycle cop:- Helmet & Ray-ban glasses, pale blue shirt and chinos jeans; Indian:- Feathered head-dress, buckskin Indian-wear; Cowboy:- Hat, red western shirt, jeans, chaps; Sailor:- White doughboy hat and sailor-suit; Construction Worker:- Check shirt, hard hat and jeans.

Villain- As many have observed, the Baddies often have more fun, and just possibly the client might want to be wicked for once. Villainous alter-egos might include Blofeld, (from the Bond movies), Dick Dastardly (from Wacky Races) who was modelled on Professor Fate from The Great Race movie, Doctor Evil (nemesis of Austin Powers), and The Joker, or the Riddler, or any of Batman‘s foes.

Villainess-In the female fiend department, aside from Catwoman whose villainy is debatable, we have Cruella de Vil and Maleficent from the Disney stable; Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn amongst Batman‘s female foes; Medusa, Queen Mab, Queen of Fairies and the White Witch of Narnia from Fantasy and Myth.

Vina-The Orion Slave Girl from the original series of Star Trek (She was in the ST pilot episode The Cage (later The Managerie) and featured in the end credits). For the client wanting a visual but basic ‘costume’, a green-skinned girl in a belly-dancer costume. Skin colour and markings can obviously be changed for different aliens.

Vincent Price A veteran actor and the master of under-stated horror. Possibly best known for his role as Prince Prospero in the film of Edgar Allan Poes The Masque of the Red Death and as the narrator on Michael Jacksons Thriller.

Vincent Van Gogh – Famous artist whose talent was not recognised until after his death. Noted for his erratic lifestyle and the fact that he lost an ear!

Violet Beaudelaire - Hapless orphan heroine of Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events. Wicked Count Olaf attempts to marry her to gain the family inheritance.

Violet Beauregarde - The girl who chewed’ all through Willy Wonka

Viper – The Tarantino films Kill Bill 1 & 2 feature members of the The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, each with the nickname of a snake. The main character of the film, The Bride (aka Black Mamba aka Beatrice Kiddo) is seeking revenge against the others after a four year coma. Outfits for Beatrice are available. Those for others may need to be improvised.

Virgil – Character from Thunderbirds TV puppet series. Licensed costumes are available to purchase.

Vivian The Beverley Hills street girl played by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (1990). The outfit shown on the films poster consists of a pink jumper, black hotpants and black thigh-length boots!

Vivian Leigh -English actress possibly best known for her portrayal of Scarlett OHara in Gone With The Wind.

Vixen -Female fox. Either take it literally in a fox costume you can feminise it with either an appropriate eye-mask or make-up, or go as a foxy female vamp-style!

Vlad the Impaler - As noted in entry for Vampire, a ruthless warrior, who was one of the inspirations for the Dracula legend.

Voldermort - Villain from Harry Potter series of films. A licensed costume is available.

Von Trapps-Austrian family of singers whose story was dramatised for the stage-show/musical/film The Sound of Music.

Voodoo Doll- Although the Voodoo Doll has a specific purpose, cute toys with a demonic side have featured regularly throughout horror media (Karloff’s ‘The Devil Doll’, also Chucky and Bride of Chucky). Several costumes on this theme are available on the market and it is a costuming opportunity to go OTT with style.

Voodoo Priest/Priestess-For those who fancy a spell as something a little different. Film role models include Dr Facilier in The Princess and the Frog and the celebrant in the ceremony to sacrifice Solitaire in the Bond film Live and Let Die

Voorhees (Jason) – Character from the horror film franchise Friday The 13th. Licensed costumes and accessories are available to purchase, and a female version is also available.

Vulture – Notable scavenger bird of prey. Costumes for the bird are rare, but one can improvise an arty-looking culture-vulture.

Vyvyan – Character from The Young Ones TV comedy series – First shown on BBC2 in 1982. Vyvyan is a punk with a violent nature. Wear ripped clothes and gelled hair with fake body piercings. There is a wide range of punk accessories to purchase on-line.