Last Minute Costume Ideas: Great Ladies of History

Still scrambling for a last-minute Halloween costume idea? Why not consider dressing up as one of the great ladies of history? Take some basics you already own, add a few key accessories, and voila -- a costume that would make your mom proud! Of course, you can always be the dead version of one of these spectacular ladies: Marie Curie, after being blown up by a science experiment...Coco Chanel, killed by one of her assistants with a pair of scissors?

Who: Marie Curie -- First Lady of science, physicist, chemist, and creator of the theory of radioactivity.
Why: Because you can carry your favorite beverage around in a beaker and tell everyone it's a dangerous radioactive element.
You already have: A loose black dress.
You need: Thick glasses, a clear beaker, and a discheveled top-knot.

Who: Emmeline Pankhurst -- political activist, and leader of the British suffrage movement.
Why: Because you're not into the whole slutty costume thing...and because you will be ready to protest at a moment's notice.
You already have: an oversized straw hat and a black blazer.
You need: a long black skirt, a sash with "Votes for Women" across it, pamphlets and/or a picket sign with political slogans, like "Deeds not Words" and "We demand the right to serve!"

Who: the incomparable Coco Chanel -- design ingenue, and fashion icon.
Why: because it gives you an excuse to pretend you're French for one night...and practice being snooty {she was said to be a VERY demanding woman}.
You already have: a knock-off Chanel tweed jacket, a pencil skirt, a white blouse.
You need: a strand of pearls, a chic vintage hat, a boxy little hand bag, and a certain je ne sais quois.

Who: Amelia Earhart -- the first aviatrix to fly across the Atlantic.
Why: Because any excuse to wear goggles and a flight hat is a very good thing!
You already have: a leather jacket, khakis, and equestrian-style boots.
You will need: a white scarf, goggles, and a flight hat.

Who: Frida Kahlo -- Mexican artist, surrealist, and style innovator.
Why: you get to fearlessly mix color and pattern, pile on the jewelry...and see what you look like with a mono-brow and mustache!
You already have: lots of chunky jewlery, a shawl or pashmina scarf, and a bright, colorful blouse.
You will need: flowers for your hair, a flowy peasant skirt, and brown eyeliner for facial hair enhancement.

::Have fun dressing up, my loves!!