Entertainment
Helga Pataki Is The Greatest '90s-Inspired Costume
Hey Arnold! was the definitive cartoon show of my generation (sorry, Doug, Rugrats, etc.) and if you've like to dispute this, then let me kindly remind you to please move it, football head. As in, move out of the way so I can discuss why you should dress up as a character from Hey Arnold ! for Halloween. And not just any character, no — why you should dress up as Hey Arnold's Helga G. Pataki for Halloween, specifically.
Hell yes: Helga Pataki was the woman I aspired to be as a young girl (she was actually only nine years old, but you get my point). And before you start asking "Um... why? Helga was terrible and totally mean to Arnold," let me remind you that Helga Pataki was a sympathetic character at heart. She had feelings, real feelings for Arnold. It's not totally her fault that she didn't know how to express herself just yet.
Helga Pataki makes an incredible Halloween costume choice because, I think at some point or another, we all related to her. And also, her style was unparalleled. I mean, that unibrow? Those pigtails? That BOW?! I rest my case.
Hopefully, I've convinced you at this point that Helga has and will always be a viable costume option for Halloween. If you're still with me, here's how you can dress up as the lovable, gum-shrine-making, Helga.
The Unibrow
Yes, they do make fake unibrows. No, that is not a joke. Find them on Amazon for approximately $6.
Or just draw one on yourself with an actual eyebrow pencil/powder.
The Pigtails
If you're already a blonde, then go ahead and put your hair in pigtails. If not, find a blonde wig, like this one with fringe, for $8 on Amazon.
Blonde Wig, $8, Amazon
The Bow
Bows, $6, Etsy
A good place to scout for Helga's bow is Etsy. These eight-inch ones might seem ridiculous, but are just about the right size, and only $6.75. You can also make one yourself using pink fabric.
Follow this tutorial on how to make your own bow with fabric, but go ahead and double or triple the measurements.
The Pink Dress/Shirt Combo
First, get yourself a plain white tee. You can find one on Amazon for $4.20
Then, get a pink dress (in a medium shade) with a tank top cut and a hem that goes just below your knee. This one from 6 pm is $30, but completely perfect.
Plain White T-Shirt, $4, Amazon
Next, either use red duct tape or red felt (find at your local crafts store) to recreate the red stripe at the bottom of Helga's dress. If you choose the felt or fabric route, you can adhere the strip to the dress using a hot glue gun.
Red Scotch Tape, $7, Amazon
The Shoes
White Canvas Sneakers, $13, Amazon
You just need basic plain white shoes. You can find them for as little as $13 on Amazon.
The Locket
Wooden Heart Cut Out, $3, Hobby Lobby; Gold Spray Paint, $4, Hobby Lobby
You can find a wooden heart cut out (try to get something that's at least 3 inches tall) at Hobby Lobby for $3. Spray paint it gold, then print out a picture of Arnold, cut it out in a heart shape, and past it on the wood cutout. BAM! There's your Arnold love professing locket.
In the words of Helga herself: Criminy! What a good costume.
Images: Nickelodeon; 6pm; Etsy; Amazon (4); Giphy (3); f*ckyeahhelgapataki/Tumblr (3)
