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It’s no surprise that you’re familiar with Batman’s ultimate enemy, Joker. And along with Joker is his sultry and smart girlfriend and crime partner, Harley Quinn. First appearing in the 1992 Batman, Harleen Quinzel (also known as Harley Quinn) is a psychiatrist assigned to work in the Arkham Asylum, where she met and fell in love with Joker.
Sometimes love can make you do crazy things. And that’s true for this young and promising Dr. with an amiable and cheery personality, Harley Quinn; she became one of the most popular female villains in the whole DC universe. Nearly three decades later, this character has been reinvented time and again.
The character even gained more popularity with Margot Robbie’s portrayal as the protagonist of movies like Birds of Prey, Suicide Squad, and more.
Because of her popularity, many people want to dress up like her. However, there are several iterations to her costume. Like her playful and chic character, Harley Quinn knows how to dress up in the changing times.
So, whether you are looking for a unique Harley Quinn cosplay costume or checking on different ideas and tips on how to cosplay the character perfectly, aside from that, you’ll also learn her interesting backstory.
So, if you plan to sport her look for your next cosplay event or even familiarize her famous quotes, we’ve got you covered! Read on and get crafty in dressing up as Harley Quinn.
Harley Quinn: Background, Appearance, Quotes, and More
Background
What kinds of crazy things can you do for love? Well, for Harley Quinn, she’d do almost anything. As a former psychiatrist to the criminally insane, Harley had firsthand interaction with Joker’s wits and was enchanted by his stories.
She finds herself falling in love with the madman; she is even willing to do anything for her beau. Manipulative as he is, Joker uses Harley’s affection to his benefit.
Personality and Traits
Harley’s personality largely varies depending on several iterations, but one thing in common: her obsessive infatuation with Joker, whom she calls “Mistah J” or “Puddin.” She has become withdrawn from reality and exhibited sociopathic tendencies because of her blind loyalty to the Clown Prince of Crime.
Sometimes, however rarely, she shows signs of grasping reality and understanding her unhealthy obsession with Joker. With her bubbly, cheeky, and charming personality, you’d get confused about her true intentions. She can perfectly mask her demented mind and use her beautiful face to get what she wants!
Her training as a psychiatrist has significantly contributed to her mad skills as a master manipulator. However, she’s also prone to explosive fits of rage, and sometimes, Joker even gets intimidated by her.
While most versions of Harley have attempted to leave the life of crime, only a few have succeeded.
Powers and Abilities
Harley isn’t innately strong; she doesn’t even possess any superpowers. However, Poison Ivy has injected her with a special serum, giving her immunity and enhanced stamina. More than that, she also possesses powers and abilities, like:
- Incredible Wits: While she was considered mentally insane, it’s without question that she has a gifted intellect and can match or even surpass Joker’s wits.
- Trained Psychiatrist: Harley is an expert psychiatrist in the fields of psychoanalysis and criminology.
- Skilled Combatant: After partnering with Joker, Harley learned a lot of fighting skills and abilities; she also uses her skills in gymnastics to successfully kill or evade her enemies.
- Toxin Immunity: Because of Poison Ivy’s injection, Harley Quinn is immune to different kinds of toxins, even to Ivy’s poisonous touch.
- Enhanced Strength & Stamina: Like her toxin immunity, Harley’s enhanced strength and stamina result from Poison Ivy’s injected serum.
Equipment
Harley is equipped with a range of Joker’s party-gag weapons, such as knives, gag-pistols, and improvised bombs. Aside from all that, she also has her giant mallet and pop gun.
Quotes
Well, Harley isn’t only famous for her masterful skills or unique backstory, but she’s also popular for expressing her thoughts through her words. That’s why it’s equally important to know her most popular quotes so you can give justice to the character. Here are some of her catchy statements:
“Face it, Harl, this stinks — yer a certified nutso wanted by the law in over a dozen states — and hopelessly in love with a murderous, psychopathic clown.”
“Why can’t a girl be nice to a guy without the mook trying to murder her?”
“I’m Rubber, You’re Glue, Whatever You Say Bounces Off Me And Makes A Six-Inch-Diameter Exit Wound In You”
“Oh, come on, Puddin! Don’t you wanna rev up your ‘Harley’? Vroom vroom!”
“I found The Joker’s psyche disturbing, his dementia alarming — and his charm irresistible! What can I tell ya? The guy just did it for me.”
“You didn’t like my show? Well, try this one. It’s called ‘Animals Attack People I Hate.’ It’s a comedy.”
I’m not shopping at this store: I’m robbing this store. Paying is for dummies!
“Number one, no one is like me. If you wanted to even come close, you would have to go to medical school. Become a psychiatrist. Work in an asylum. Fall in love with your patient. Break said patient out of the said asylum. Begin a life of crime. Jump into a vat of chemicals to prove yourself to a madman. Get arrested by Batman.
Go back to jail. Get out of jail with a bomb on your neck. Save the world, go back to jail, and break out of jail before breaking up with the aforementioned madman, and going out on your own.”
Harley Quinn Costume Ideas: What You Need to Prep
For many years, Harley Quinn’s outfit has significantly changed across the different incarnations. However, one thing is constant; she always has the red or pink colorway.
From her first appearance, Harley wore an overall jumpsuit. Now, she sports a red and blue jacket paired with skimpy shorts. Are you ready to explore the various Harley Quinn outfits you can cosplay? Whether you want the classic look or you’re interested in Margot Robbie’s version, we’ve got you covered!
Harley Quinn’s First Costume: Court Jester
This is probably Harley Quinn’s most conservative costume. It covers all her skin, barely showing anything. For this costume, you can simply buy a ready-made Harley Quinn-inspired overall. However, if you want to go extra, you can always do some DIY. Here are the items you’ll need:
Black and Red Jumpsuit (Long Sleeve Top & Leggings)
Generally, you need to find an exact match and colorway as Harley’s jumpsuit, with the half-red and half-black design. Since Harley is a popular character, you can easily snag her bottoms online.
However, wearing a jumpsuit in a comic con or cosplay event might not be ideal. So, you might want to improvise and wear a long sleeve crop top and leggings instead. Just make sure you got the details right; add the diamond accents to your costume.
Jester Hood/Head Piece
The jester hood piece is among the easiest items you need to find. The black-and-red jester hood is available online for less than 20 bucks. Some pieces even have the mask integrated, so that’s already a 2-in-1 piece. The jester hood also covers her hair, which means you don’t have to worry about styling it.
Mask
If you’ve bought a jester hood without the mask, you can purchase a regular black mask. Just make sure that it suits your face shape and accentuates your chin area. This way, you can easily copy that classic Harley look.
Mallet
Are you too lazy to make your mallet from scratch? You can score a good one at a very affordable price. We’ve found an inflatable mallet on Amazon for less than 20 bucks. The best thing about this piece is that it’s lightweight and easy to carry.
Shoes
Her shoes are quite simple; it doesn’t have any extra details. Like her whole outfit, her shoes are also in the black and red colorway, a mismatched pair of plain ankle-high boots. As for the details, you can’t see any visible design. It’s extremely plain and simple, so finding one is a piece of cake.
Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (aka Margot Robbie’s Version)
Top
In Suicide Squad, Harley dons a more provocative look. She wears a red and white long-sleeve raglan shirt. The phrase “Daddy’s Lil Monster” is printed across the front. This cropped shirt is visible throughout the movie.
On top of that, she also sports a vinyl blue and red baseball-style jacket over the shirt. It also highlights the text “Property of the Joker” across the back.
Shorts & Leggings
Gone are the days when you can’t see Harley’s skin. In this version, Harley goes all-out with a pair of form-fitting red and blue booty shorts over black fishnet stockings. While this may sound like an easy pairing, you also need to ensure that her tattoos are visible through the black stockings.
Boots
This time, you might have a hard time finding a pair that looks similar to Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. They’re unique and rare to find. They seem to be a cross between high-heel boots, athletic shoes, and shin guards — which is truly an odd combo. The boot extends past her shins and is laced up to the top.
Accessories
Harley is a serial fashionista. She loves accessorizing, and it shows. You’ll notice her wearing a white leather choker with gold-plated letters spelling the word “PUDDIN.”
Other than that, she also wears a pair of leather cuff bracelets with gold spikes jutting out of them. She also wears a black leather belt embellished with gold studs. Well, it’s overwhelming to keep track of all the accessories you should buy, but just remember these three: choker, cuff bracelets, and belt.
Baseball Bat
Shying away from the signature mallet, Harley brings in her new iconic weapon: a brown wooden baseball bat with the words “Good Night” boldly drawn in red marker. You can also notice some notes written across the bat. Just below all these details, the bat is wrapped in white grip tape around the handle.
Black & Gold Dress (Alternative)
If you don’t like to sport a chic and classy look, you can wear a black and gold cocktail dress. While attending a party with Joker, Harley sports a low-cut dress with spaghetti straps. It’s also designed with checkered diamond patterns in gold and black.
Hairstyle
Since Harley is no longer wearing the jester hood, she has bleached, blonde hair usually styled in high pigtails. Each pigtail is dyed at the tips with a bright-colored hair dye — one is dyed in hot pink while the other is in cyan.
Makeup
Harley’s face is covered in white foundation in both the original and the current versions. However, her makeup in the Suicide Squad is more detailed and well-intentioned. Because she wears a black mask on the original version, you rarely see any color on her eyes; she only has thick black eyeliner.
As for her makeup in Suicide Squad, she has a smeared hot pink and bright blue mascara around her eyes, matching the colors of her pigtails. She also has a black heart tattoo on her cheeks just below her right eye.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Should I Purchase a Ready-to-use Costume?
Answer: Whether you’re pressed for time or don’t have any knack when it comes to costume making, purchasing a ready-to-use costume is always your best bet.
This saves you time and resources so you can focus more on replicating Harley Quinn’s makeup. However, some stores selling RTW costumes don’t have the best reputation. So, it’s always advisable to check the reviews and ask your friends for any recommendations.
Question: Can I Use a Different Color Tone for Harley’s Outfit?
Answer: Harley Quinn’s clothing and styling have changed and evolved in the DC universe. Harley Quinn wears a black-red or a pink-cyan outfit, depending on the incarnation. On several occasions, she also wore a black and gold dress. So, using this as a guide will help you develop an accurate and cohesive look.
Question: Can You Do a Couples Cosplay with Harley?
Answer: Of course, you can! Harley is romantically linked not only to Joker but to several DC characters. While Joker is her most popular lover, she also has different partners depending on which incarnation— comics, animated series, or live-action.
It’s not a secret that Harley is bisexual, so your partner can dress up as Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Shazam, and even Bruce Wayne himself.
Final Thoughts about the Harley Cosplay
Cosplaying as Harley Quinn is not that difficult. Given the character’s popularity, you can easily find a costume you can buy off on Amazon or any online store. More than her easy-to-recreate outfit, she’s the perfect beginner-friendly cosplay. You don’t have to start a DIY project or even sew anything to get the most accurate costume portrayal.
And the best thing about cosplaying Harley Quinn is you can find good-quality accessories at a very affordable price. However, you also need to be meticulous in sourcing these items. Always make it a habit to read before you buy anything online, so you won’t get shocked when the item arrives.
In conclusion, dressing up as Harley Quinn should be a fun and exciting character to cosplay. We hope this guide has inspired you to dress as the sultry and chic Harley Quinn.