Sid & Nancy Costume Ideas

Sid and Nancy, one of the most iconic couples of rock and roll, had a very public romance highlighted by heroin addiction and multiple run-ins with the law. Sid Vicious was the bass player of the British punk rock band, the Sex Pistols, when he met American Nancy Spungen. The affair ended when Sid murdered Nancy, and then, while out on bail, died of a drug overdose. In 1986, Alex Cox directed a film starring Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb as Sid and Nancy, propelling the couple into rock legend and making them a great pick for a costume idea.

The clothing is very important to the Sid and Nancy costume, but there is quite a bit of room for interpretation here. For Sid Vicious, a pair of tight black trousers, either denim or leather, will do fine. Sid often went without a shirt, sometimes with a black leather jacket open to expose his chest. If a shirt is necessary, a ripped, dirty sleeveless shirt will work. As for Nancy, there is less of a definitive outfit as there is a "look." Nancy Spungen dressed like a typical punk rocker. She often wore tight leather trousers and a leather jacket, or at times was seen in short dresses with low-cut tops, often with leopard print. Both Sid and Nancy typically wore black combat boots.

Sid Vicious had short, raggedly spiked hair. It was dark in colour and almost always messy. A typical punk rock wig that can be found in most costume stores could work with some minor adjustments. If your natural hair is of the right length, spike it with plenty of mouse or gel and hairspray. Nancy had a medium length to long, full head of blond hair. It was typically curly, and also usually messy. If using your natural hair, use an abundance of hairspray and tease the hair quite a bit.

Accessories are an important aspect to a Sid and Nancy costume. Sid was always seen with a large chain and padlock around his neck. This could be found inexpensively at any hardware store. He often wore bracelets, and most Halloween or costume stores sell typical punk rock-style spiked bracelets. Nancy also had a signature necklace, a small handgun on a chain. She wore bracelets as well, but nothing specific, and any costume jewellery will do, or the same type of spiked or studded bracelets as Sid wore. Both at times wore fingerless black leather gloves on one or both of their hands.

Nancy wore an absurd amount of make-up. Her cheeks were blushed to an almost clown-like degree, and beneath this her skin was pasty and white. She wore dark eyeshadow and dark eyeliner, applied in abundance. Sid Vicious did not appear to wear make-up. He was, however, famous for cutting himself onstage. If dressing as a shirtless Sid, use costume make-up to give the appearance of razor cuts across the chest and stomach.

As important as the clothes and make-up of Sid and Nancy is the demeanour of the couple. Both Sid and Nancy were usually portrayed as angry and rebellious. Both often had a sneer on their lips and rarely smiled for pictures. Their drug addiction was legendary, and an appearance of intoxication is important to the costume. A typical Sid and Nancy impersonation takes this to comic proportions, with both members of the couple falling to the ground often and loudly professing their love to one another, all in a drunken British accent.