She’s frantic. She’s orange. She has enough nervous energy to power a small city. When Inside Out 2 hit theaters and introduced Anxiety—voiced with a pitch-perfect, jittery brilliance by Maya Hawke—it didn't just break box office records. It touched a nerve. A big one. Now, everyone is looking for an Inside Out Anxiety costume, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why. We’ve all felt like a bunch of tangled nerves lately, so why not lean into it for Halloween or your next cosplay event?
But here is the thing about dressing up as a complex emotion: it's surprisingly hard to get right without looking like a random Muppet.
Anxiety isn't just a color. She's a vibe. She's a specific, frazzled silhouette that involves a very particular shade of orange, a striped sweater that screams "I haven't slept in three days," and hair that looks like it’s been through a literal electric socket. If you're planning to DIY this or even buy a pre-made set, you've gotta pay attention to the details that Pixar’s animators labored over to represent what it actually feels like to be worried about everything, all the time, forever.
The Anatomy of a Perfect Inside Out Anxiety Costume
Let's talk about that sweater. It is the centerpiece. In the film, Anxiety wears a mock-neck, long-sleeved sweater with horizontal stripes. They aren't just any stripes; they are thin, alternating bands of white and orange.
If you’re scouring thrift stores, you’re looking for something that feels slightly academic but totally stressed out. Most people make the mistake of going too "Halloween orange"—you know, that bright pumpkin shade. Don't do that. Anxiety is more of a burnt sienna or a soft, earthy tangerine. It’s a color that feels warm but also a little bit overwhelming if you stare at it too long, which is basically the definition of the character.
Getting the Hair (and the Eyes) Right
The hair is where most costumes fail. Anxiety’s hair is a gravity-defying tuft of orange frizz. It’s meant to look like a physical manifestation of a "brain spark" or a frantic thought.
To pull this off, you’re probably going to need a lot of Got2b Glued hairspray or a very specific wig that has a wire structure inside. If you just wear a flat orange wig, you're just a person in an orange wig. You need that verticality. You need the chaos.
And then there are the eyes. Anxiety has those massive, wide-set eyes that take up half her face. While you can't easily change your biology, makeup artists on TikTok and Instagram have been using white face paint on the eyelids or oversized "googly eye" glasses to mimic that permanent look of "I just remembered I forgot to lock the front door."
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Why This Specific Character Hit Such a Nerve
It’s kind of wild to think about how a kids' movie character became a global icon for mental health. But Pixar did something smart. They didn't make Anxiety a villain. They made her a protector who just doesn't know when to quit.
When you put on an Inside Out Anxiety costume, you’re participating in a weirdly communal moment of self-awareness. It's a "if you know, you know" kind of outfit. People aren't just complimenting your sewing skills; they're acknowledging that they, too, have a little orange monster living in their head, frantically planning for every possible worst-case scenario.
I think that's why we're seeing so many group costumes where one person is Joy and everyone else is some variation of the new emotions—Ennui, Envy, and Embarrassment. But Anxiety is the breakout star. She’s the one we relate to when we’re doomscrolling at 2 AM.
DIY vs. Store-Bought: What’s Actually Worth It?
Honestly, the "officially licensed" costumes you find at the big-box retailers are... fine. They’re fine. But they often feel a little flat. They usually come as a polyester jumpsuit that tries to print the texture of a sweater onto thin fabric. It never looks quite right.
If you want to actually look like the character, DIY is the way to go.
- The Top: Look for a "Breton stripe" turtleneck or mock-neck. If you can't find orange and white, buy a white striped one and use RIT dye in "Apricot" or "Sunshine Orange." It gives it a much more "lived-in" feel.
- The Pants: She wears flared, high-waisted brown trousers. Not black. Not leggings. Brown. It gives her that 1970s "frazzled professor" look that is essential to her design.
- The Prop: If you really want to win the costume contest, carry around a few pieces of "luggage." In the movie, the new emotions show up with literal emotional baggage. Get some vintage-looking suitcases and label them "Worst Case Scenarios" or "Total Failures." It's a hilarious touch that shows you actually watched the movie.
The Makeup Strategy
You don't necessarily need to paint your entire face orange. In fact, unless you're a pro with high-quality grease paint, it usually ends up patchy and gets all over your clothes.
Try a "humanized" version instead. Use orange eyeshadow, maybe some orange-tinted blush used aggressively across the bridge of the nose to look "flushed" or stressed, and maybe some orange mascara. It's subtle. It's stylish. It won't ruin your car upholstery.
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The Logistics of Being Anxiety All Night
Let’s be real for a second. Wearing a costume that involves a giant wig and high-waisted flares is a commitment.
If you’re going to a party, remember that Anxiety is high-energy. You’re going to be talking fast. You’re going to be moving a lot. Make sure your footwear is comfortable. In the film, she’s almost always on her toes, darting around Riley’s console. While you don't need to literally be a ballerina, wearing some brown loafers or simple flats will save your life.
Also, consider the heat. That striped sweater? It gets hot. If you're at a crowded indoor event, you might actually start feeling a little bit of real anxiety just from the temperature. Opt for lightweight cotton blends rather than heavy wool.
Group Costume Dynamics
If you're doing a group thing, the proportions matter. Joy should be the tallest (usually). Sadness should be smaller. Anxiety is somewhere in the middle but occupies a lot of "visual space" because of the hair and the luggage.
I saw a group recently where the person playing Anxiety actually stayed in character the whole night—checking the exits, worrying about the snack supply, asking people if they’d filled out their tax returns yet. It was brilliant. That’s the level of dedication that turns a simple Inside Out Anxiety costume into a legendary one.
Finding the Right Orange
I cannot stress this enough: color theory matters here.
There is a specific hex code for Anxiety’s skin and hair that leans toward a vibrant, neon-adjacent orange. However, her sweater is more muted. If you match your skin paint exactly to your sweater, you’ll look like a giant orange blob. You need contrast.
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- Skin/Hair: Bright, electric orange.
- Sweater: Cream/White and a softer, pumpkin orange.
- Pants: Deep chocolate brown or corduroy.
This separation of colors is what makes the character pop on screen, and it’s what will make your costume look professional instead of like a last-minute rush job.
Where to Buy the Best Components
If you aren't the "dyeing fabric in my bathtub" type, you can still piece this together.
Search for "orange striped turtleneck" on sites like Poshmark or Depop. You'd be surprised how many 90s-era sweaters fit this exact vibe. For the hair, look for "troll wigs" or "mad scientist wigs" in orange. They usually have the structure you need to stand upright. Just use a wide-tooth comb to tease it out until it looks truly chaotic.
For the eyes, look into "theatre makeup" brands like Mehron or Ben Nye. They stay on much better than the cheap stuff you find in the seasonal aisle at the drugstore. You want a "clown white" for around the eyes to make them look unnaturally large.
Actionable Steps for Your Transformation
If you’re ready to pull this off, don't wait until October 30th. Start now.
- Source the sweater first. It’s the hardest piece to find in the right colorway. If you find a white one with the right fit, buy the dye immediately.
- Test the hair height. Get your wig or your styling products and see if you can get that "electric shock" look to stay up for at least three hours. If it flops after thirty minutes, you need stronger gel.
- Practice the "wide-eye" look. Look in the mirror. Practice pulling your eyebrows up high. It sounds silly, but "being" the character is 50% of the costume.
- Get your "baggage" ready. Find a lightweight briefcase or an old tote bag and fill it with crumpled papers. Label it "Plans for 2027." It’s the perfect conversation starter.
Dressing up as Anxiety is more than just a costume choice; it's a mood. It's a way to laugh at the stuff that usually keeps us up at night. So, get your orange face paint ready, find that striped sweater, and prepare to be the most relatable person in the room. Just try not to overthink it—even though that’s exactly what the character would do.