If you're looking for a fun group costume for girls, a Cheetah Girls Halloween costume can be a lively and easy option. You can buy ready-made costumes or try your hand at whipping up something yourself.
Who Are the Cheetah Girls
If you have to ask who the Cheetah Girls are, you probably don't have a tween girl in your life. They are a pop band created by the Disney Company who have become popular thanks to three Disney Channel original movies about the band. Although promoted and popularized by Disney, the group's origins are actually a series of young adult novels by Deborah Gregory. While the group disbanded in January 2009, their music and costumes remain popular. Originally a four-girl band fronted by Disney star Raven-Symone, they became a three-girl band for the third movie. This opens up two options for your group costume!
Standard Cheetah Girl Halloween Costume
The Cheetah Girls wore stage costumes that either matched or were similarly patterned and styled. Their most famous costume, worn by Galleria, and the one that is readily available in costume shops, consists of black pants topped by a pink knee-length tunic in a vaguely Chinese cut, tied with a black belt. The costume can be further accessorized with a microphone and the Cheetah Girls platform shoes in a black or cheetah pattern. However, if tweens are the ones in the Cheetah Girl Halloween costumes, you may want to opt for flat black boots or sandals instead to prevent accidents. The girls also wear large sunglasses and dangling earrings. At night, the sunglasses may be undesirable, but can be worn on the head. And if the girls' ears aren't pierced, you should be able to find or make appropriate clip earrings.
The deluxe Galleria costume available at such online retailers as Buy Costumes features the Asian-style hot pink dress with a contrasting cheetah print, sequin trim and attached belt. You also get the silky black pants, matching black glovettes and hot pink bracelets.
For the other characters, it depends on how exact you wish to be. All the girls can wear the Galleria costume, or can expand. Dorinda tended towards layers. If you want to do the matching hot pink look, her dress should be empire-waisted and she should wear big black beads and at least one leopard print accessory.
Aquanette can wear black leggings with a hot pink leopard print shirt. This in turn should be covered with a pink vest, preferably metallic. Add black boots and a silver beaded necklace. If you want to emulate her look in the second Cheetah Girls movie, dress her in black and white.
Chanel should wear a leopard print dress and a big curly wig. Her classic look includes pink shoes and a necklace with a large pendant. You can play a bit more with her, as she's an over-the-top character.
Do Your Research
If it's the girls themselves putting together their Cheetah Girls Halloween costume, they won't need to go back and look at the movies or stills, because they have already memorized the signature look. If you're helping them, the official web site and Google Images are full of useful pictures to guide you. Making the costumes should definitely be encouraged, as it's more fun and can create a more genuine look. Since so many of the items are easily bought or found, those that need to be sewn won't take as much time. You don't have to be an experienced sewer to make even the Asian tunic, as it's not fitted. Simple patterns for all the clothes can be found online, often for free, and pink cheetah or leopard print can be bought in any good fabric store. Have fun!
