Punky Brewster Costume Ideas

Wear two different shoes with your Punky Brewster costume.

Punky Brewster was the main character of the 80's family TV show of the same name. Punky was known for her unique sense of style, which was brightly colored, mismatched and totally 80's. Even though it has been years since the show was first broadcast, Punky Brewster continues to be a popular costume choice. The following ideas will help you get started on a costume that has real "Punky Power."

Clothing

The clothing you wear for your Punky Brewster costume must be brightly colored. Wear a short-sleeved T-shirt over a long-sleeve T-shirt and a bright denim vest over it all, each in a different color. For an alternative look, buy a big sweatshirt with an 80's style squiggle design. Wear a pair of blue jeans with one leg rolled up for the classic Punky look, or a skirt with bright-colored tights underneath for an older Punky look from the later seasons.

Accessories

A Punky Brewster costume should have a few accessories to add to the authenticity. Punky always wore her heart-shaped button, so find something similar at a thrift store, costume shop, or make your own by gluing a plastic heart from a craft store to a safety pin. Punky often pinned the heart onto colored suspenders. Roll up a bandanna and tie it to one of your legs to complete your Punky Brewster look.

Shoes

Everything on a Punky Brewster costume should be colorful, from your head to your feet. Track down a pair of colorful high-tops from a thrift store or vintage clothing boutique. If you are going for accuracy and don't mind spending the extra money, you should pick up two pairs as Punky was known for her mismatched shoes. Re-lace the shoes using two different bright-colored shoelaces. Underneath the shoes wear colorful leggings or mismatched colored socks.

Hair and Makeup

To finalize your Punky Brewster costume you'll need to style your hair and makeup to look like Punky's. You will need a brunette wig, unless you already have dark-colored hair. Style your hair or wig so that you have bangs in the front and two pigtails on the side. Punky was known for her bright yellow sunshine-shaped pigtail holders, but if you can't find them yellow rubber bands will do. Complete the look by applying freckles to your nose and cheeks with a makeup pencil.

References

• Like Totally 80's: 80s Party Costume Ideas: Punky Brewster

Resources

• Rolling Stone Vintage Clothing