We’ve all felt that con season fever, and for first-timers wanting to whip together a little cosplay something with limited time and skills — well, comic book Black Widow is the perfect place to start! With a simple black base and only a few key components that speak to Black Widow’s visual makeup, you’ll be a leading lady Avenger in no time.

Black Catsuit & Gloves

Plenty of dancewear and theater companies will be able to supply you with a black zippered bodysuit. But for those without access, a pair of matching black leggings and turtleneck can do in a pinch — Black Widow’s belt comes in handy for hiding the separation!

Black gloves are an easy find — less easy, though, is matching the sheen of the gloves to your catsuit. Readily available are satin costume gloves, and little else. One solution? Go for the more practical movie look, and suddenly fingerless dancewear gloves become an easy option.

Full Body Unitard*  +  Cotton Spandex Yoga Leggings  + Long Sleeve Turtleneck

*this is actually the unitard we use for our SHIELD costumes!

Black Widow’s Gauntlets

Feeling a little crafty? A bandolier of toy bullets offers the perfect base — prime and paint gold, cut to fit the circumference of the wrist, and secure the ends together with black elastic.

Feeling a little less crafty? Gold bracers. They’re in, they’re everywhere, grab a pair and go.

Costume Belt Bandolier  +  Mirrored Hinge Cuff  +  Double Gold Cuffs

Belt & Boots

Want the easy belt inspo? Go for the movie equivalent and drop the golden circles. A simple gold buckle will do the trick, but if you’re feeling a little DIY or Etsy, you can always add the Black Widow insignia!

Any basic black boot can finish off the outfit, but visually optimal would be knee high and without laces. And while heels can give you an extra sexy lift, also consider a low heel or flat boot if you’ll be doing a lot of legwork on the convention floor.

Stretch Belt  +  Belt Buckle (Movie)  +  Cagliara Boot

Red Wig

And last but not least, Natasha Romanova’s signature hair! Whether wavy or straight, remember to match the red to your skin tone — it’s very easy for the wrong red to overwhelm or clash. There’s some resources online for advice, but image googling somebody with similar skin tones as you can help immensely too.

“Ferrari” in Maroon  +  “Hestia” in Dark Red  +  “Dionysus” in Apple Red

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This week’s launch of leading lady Natasha Romanova in her own Marvel Now! title pleases us greatly, and we’re kicking off the new year by going Black Widow for the celebratory Widow Week, hosted by the ever excellent Fuck Yeah, Black Widow of dot tumblr dot com.