In the original Scooby-Doo cartoon TV show, Velma Dinkley was portrayed as nerdy and buttoned-up. Then, Linda Cardellini reinvented Velma as the sexy smart chick who wears the occasional plunging V-neck in the live-action Scooby-Doo films, making her "cool" to girls and "hot" to their boyfriends. Whether you want to dress as old-school Velma or the hip, trendy version, the basic elements of this DIY Halloween costume are the same, from the orange tube socks up.
Things You'll Need
Orange sweater
Orange or brown skirt
Orange knee-high socks
Black glasses
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Step 1: Obtain an Orange Sweater
Score the orange sweater. While traditional Velma stuck to oversized orange turtlenecks that left everything to the imagination there's no reason you can't show a little skin with a short or long-sleeved orange V-neck sweater. Whatever you decide, there are two schools of thought on how to find the sweater for you. If you choose to buy new, you have plenty of available retail choices, but you may also want to consider combing your local Goodwill, Salvation Army or other thrift stores for a cool retro orange sweater.
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Step 2: Locate a Skirt
Find a skirt. In the cartoon, Velma's skirt was a deep orange-red, pleated skirt and cut knee-length or shorter. Since you may have trouble finding a skirt in the right color of orange-red, a brown or red skirt will work as a last resort. The pleats, as well as the length of the skirt, are left up to your discretion.
Step 3: Get the Orange Socks
Grab a pair of orange knee-high socks. No matter what color skirt you decide to go with for your Velma costume, the knee-high socks you choose should be the same shade of orange as your sweater. You can find knee socks in a variety of colors online.
Step 4: Add the Glasses
Get sexy Velma glasses. Look for glasses with plastic, non-prescription lenses at dollar stores, costume stores or party supply stores if you don't already wear prescription lenses.
Step 5: Style Your Hair for the DIY Velma Costume
Style your hair like Velma. If you have a bob like Velma, then your work is pretty much done for you. However, if you have hair that is radically different than Velma's consider buying a wig for the occasion. Velma Dinkley wigs are available at costume and party supply stores.
Tip
In the cartoon, Velma's Mary Jane shoes were just as orange as her sweater. In the real world, it's hard to find orange footwear for women. So, for the sake of practicality, brown shoes can be substituted for orange in your Velma Dinkley costume.
For your Mystery Machine posse of best friends, costume ideas include Daphne, Shaggy, Fred, and Scooby Doo costumes. Add a fun twist to your group costume by having your dog portray the Scooby Doo dog and accompany your group to parties and other seasonal events.
Warning
Don't get too wrapped up in the details of this DIY Halloween costume. It's enough to have people recognize that you're dressed as Velma; you don't have to be an exact carbon copy if it isn't feasible.