Last updated: May 23, 2026ยท๐Ÿ”„ Guide reviewed and refreshed ahead of Halloween 2026.ยท By Seckin Peker

Halloween Costume Guide

Myrtle Snow Halloween Costume Guide

AHS: Coven  ยท  Frances Conroy  ยท  Head of the Witches’ Council

She was burned at the stake twice, both times on her own terms. The wig survived everything.

American Horror Story Frances Conroy TV Series Witch Red Hair Glasses Classy
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Quick Answer: The Myrtle Snow Halloween costume is built on the crimped red wig, black cape coat, and polka dot dress, with yellow gloves, yellow go-go boots, cat eye glasses, and a cigar completing the look.
  • Myrtle Snow crimped red wig (essential)
  • Black cape coat (essential)
  • White polka dot maxi dress
  • Yellow go-go boots and yellow gloves
  • Vintage cat eye glasses and fake cigar

Myrtle Snow is the Head of the Witches’ Council in AHS: Coven โ€” a devoted, truth-detecting, theramin-playing fashionista who spent decades trying to hold Fiona Goode accountable and was burned at the stake twice for her trouble, as detailed in the AHS Fandom wiki. The crimped red wig is the entire foundation of this costume โ€” without it, nothing else reads as Myrtle. Recognition is strong among Coven fans and the theatrical look is distinctive enough that it works as a standalone character costume regardless.

Items Total9 Items
DifficultyMedium
VibeEccentric Couture
Cost$70โ€“$150

Myrtle Snow Halloween Costume Items

Myrtle Snow Halloween costume guide infographic showing all 9 items including polka dot maxi dress, black cape coat, crimped red wig, wide waistband, polka dot scarf, cat eye glasses, fake cigar, yellow gloves, and yellow go-go boots from AHS Coven

Myrtle Snow Costume Items

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Myrtle Snow AHS: Coven Frances Conroy Witch Council
  • 1 White Polka Dot Maxi DressCRITICAL. The polka dot maxi is Myrtle’s signature daywear in Coven and the base that everything else builds on. It needs to be full-length โ€” a shorter dress changes the silhouette entirely. The white and black polka dot against the yellow accessories and black cape is a specific combination that Coven fans will recognize immediately.
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  • 2 Black Cape CoatCRITICAL. Myrtle never wears a coat like a normal person. The cape drapes over the shoulders and sweeps behind her โ€” it is a statement, not outerwear. It must be worn draped, not with arms through sleeves. If you try to wear this coat normally you will look like someone in a black coat. Wear it as intended and you look like the Head of the Witches’ Council.
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  • 3 Myrtle Snow WigCRITICAL. The crimped, voluminous red-orange hair is the most recognizable detail about Myrtle Snow. Without the wig nothing else in this costume reads as her specifically. It should be full and wide โ€” Myrtle’s hair forms a mane around her face, not a tidy style. A flat or limp wig is the single thing most likely to make this costume fail.
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  • 4 Wide WaistbandSUPPORTING. Cinched over the maxi dress, it defines the waist and prevents the polka dot fabric from reading as shapeless. Myrtle’s look is always structured despite being theatrical. A wide belt or waistband in a dark color reads correctly.
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  • 5 Polka Dot Vintage ScarfSUPPORTING. Draped over one shoulder or loosely around the neck, the polka dot scarf adds another layer to the pattern play that defines Myrtle’s aesthetic. Myrtle does not shy away from wearing polka dots on polka dots. Neither should you.
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  • 6 Vintage Cat Eye GlassesSUPPORTING. Myrtle’s cat eye glasses are a signature detail. They sit low on her nose, worn with the authority of someone who has been making fashion decisions for six decades. Any vintage cat eye frame works โ€” the shape is what matters, not the specific style.
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  • 7 Fake CigarSUPPORTING. Myrtle’s cigarillo on a long-stemmed holder is a noted character detail. A fake cigar is the accessible version and gives you the same prop value โ€” something to gesture with, to hold while making a pronouncement, to point across the room. The social function of a prop at a party is often more useful than the visual accuracy.
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  • 8 Yellow Hero GlovesOBVIOUS. The yellow gloves are the color contrast that anchors the whole look โ€” black, white, and yellow is a specific combination that Coven fans recognize as Myrtle’s palette. Any yellow glove in a similar length works. Do not substitute a different color.
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  • 9 Yellow Gogo BootsOBVIOUS. Yellow go-go boots complete the polka dot, black, and yellow palette that makes Myrtle’s look so specific. Flat-heeled go-go boots are most accurate. If yellow boots feel like too much, the costume still works without them โ€” but they are what makes the look genuinely memorable rather than just good.
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Myrtle Snow costume styling reference showing the white polka dot maxi dress, black cape coat, crimped red wig, cat eye glasses, and yellow accessories from AHS Coven

How to Style the Myrtle Snow Halloween Costume

The wig goes on first and everything else is built around it. If the wig is flat, underdressed, or sits too close to the head, the costume loses its main visual anchor before you have put anything else on. Shake it out, tease it slightly if needed, and make sure it sits wide rather than flat. The cape coat goes on draped across the shoulders โ€” arms out, not arms through. The yellow gloves and yellow boots are what give the costume its specific color signature. Either both or neither: one yellow item without the other looks like a mistake rather than a choice. Myrtle Snow does not make mistakes with color.

In the show, Myrtle calmly poisons two council members at a dinner she prepared herself, then apologizes for the key lime pie before gouging out their eyes with a melon baller. She had put real effort into the pie. That specific combination of genuine hospitality and absolute ruthlessness โ€” delivered without raising her voice โ€” is what makes the character work. She is always the most composed person in any room, regardless of what is happening in that room.

The Cape and Party Movement

A cape coat worn draped off the shoulders will slide backward every time you reach for something, lean forward, or move quickly through a crowd. Two small safety pins at the front lapels, pinned to the dress underneath, will hold the drape in place without being visible. Without this fix you will spend the night catching the cape as it falls rather than wearing it.

Playing Myrtle at a Party

“Balenciaga!” requires no setup, no context, and no explanation โ€” just delivery. Use it as an exit line when leaving a conversation, as a toast, or as a response to anything that impresses you. The cigar is most useful not for smoking but for gesturing: make a point, raise the cigar. Myrtle never makes a pronouncement without something in her hand.

Myrtle Snow Group Halloween Costume Ideas

Couples Costume

Myrtle Snow & Fiona Goode

Strong pairing with the best costume contrast in Coven. Fiona’s controlled all-black severity against Myrtle’s theatrical polka dot and crimped red hair reads as a deliberate pair even without the AHS context. They spent decades as rivals at the academy, which means you have the entire party to maintain that dynamic โ€” and Myrtle Snow would absolutely know exactly how to do that.

Myrtle Snow Fiona Goode

Duo Costume

Myrtle Snow & Stevie Nicks

Strong duo with broader recognition than most Coven pairings โ€” Stevie Nicks is famous enough that the combination works for people who have never seen the show. The contrast between Myrtle’s polka dot eccentricity and Stevie’s shawl-and-platform aesthetic is visually distinct, and both characters share a commitment to theatrical presentation that makes them a logical pair.

Myrtle Snow Stevie Nicks

AHS: Coven Witch Council

Myrtle, Fiona Goode, Cordelia Foxx, Madison Montgomery, Misty Day

Might work, but requires everyone to commit to a character-specific look rather than a general Coven witch aesthetic. Myrtle’s polka dot and crimson wig, Fiona’s severe black, Madison’s Cossack hat and blonde, and Misty’s earthy green layers are all visually distinct enough to work together โ€” but only if each person is clearly dressed as their specific character. At a general Halloween party, expect to explain it. At an AHS event, this group will be recognized immediately.

Myrtle Snow Fiona Goode Cordelia Foxx Madison Montgomery Misty Day

Iconic Eccentric & Theatrical Villainesses

Myrtle, Cruella, Maleficent, Ursula, Madam Mim

Strong group with excellent visual variety and near-universal recognition across the lineup. Maleficent’s horns, Ursula’s tentacles, Cruella’s black-and-white split hair, and Myrtle’s crimped red mane are each immediately distinct from across a room. The shared theatrical energy of the group makes it a coherent concept rather than a random collection of villains.

Myrtle Snow in her red dress and black and red scarf, showcasing the AHS Coven character's signature theatrical fashion style

Myrtle Snow Halloween Costume DIY Tips

What to Buy vs. What You Might Already Own

Nine items sounds like a lot. Most of them are available cheaply or are already in most wardrobes โ€” the wig, cape coat, and yellow boots are the three items worth prioritizing.

  • Polka dot maxi dress: thrift stores are reliable in October, look for full length and clear polka dot pattern
  • Black cape coat: buy it โ€” the drape is the whole effect and a standard coat will not replicate it
  • Myrtle Snow wig: buy it, this is the costume’s foundation
  • Wide waistband: check your closet, any wide dark belt works
  • Polka dot vintage scarf: thrift stores, very common
  • Vintage cat eye glasses: inexpensive and widely available, skip the prescription
  • Fake cigar: worth the few dollars for the prop value
  • Yellow gloves: buy them, the color is non-negotiable
  • Yellow go-go boots: buy them if you can โ€” the yellow boots are the item that makes this costume memorable rather than just good

Myrtle’s Best Lines and When to Use Them

Myrtle has more usable party lines than almost any other AHS character. The key is delivery: composed, slightly amused, never rushed.

  • “Balenciaga!” โ€” the exit line, the toast, the response to anything that earns genuine appreciation
  • “We all die, petal. Some of us make rather a habit of it” โ€” best used when someone asks how your night is going
  • “Purple is for royalty, dear, not middle management” โ€” save this for the right moment, it will find one
  • The cigar goes up when you are about to say something definitive โ€” Myrtle never makes a pronouncement without a prop in hand

Myrtle Snow Halloween Costume: FAQ

You need the Myrtle Snow crimped red wig, white polka dot maxi dress, black cape coat, wide waistband, polka dot vintage scarf, vintage cat eye glasses, fake cigar, yellow hero gloves, and yellow go-go boots. The wig and cape coat are the two essential pieces โ€” without both, the costume reads as eccentric vintage rather than Myrtle specifically. The yellow accessories are what give the look its specific color signature.

  • “Balenciaga!”
  • “We all die, petal. Some of us make rather a habit of it.”
  • “It’s almost as bad as your dinner jacket, but at least the world could be saved.”

The first is her most famous line and works in almost any context. Say it with complete sincerity, raise the cigar, and move on.

Yes, within AHS and Coven fan circles the recognition is immediate. The costume also works independently because the combination of a dramatic crimped red wig, cat eye glasses, cape coat, and cigar reads as a clearly intentional theatrical character rather than an assembled outfit. Coven remains one of the most revisited AHS seasons.

Frances Conroy plays Myrtle Snow in both Coven and Apocalypse. Her performance earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, according to the AHS: Coven Wikipedia entry. She appeared alongside Jessica Lange for the third time in the franchise, with their characters as adversaries.

At her first burning she delivers a warning to the coven that they are all being slowly destroyed by Fiona, saying she would rather burn than boil. At her second burning โ€” which she demanded herself as punishment for killing two council members โ€” her only final word is “Balenciaga.” She was actually wearing Carolina Herrera at the time, which is either a detail she would have appreciated or one she simply chose not to address.

Myrtle’s wild red hair and dedication to fashion are widely considered a tribute to Grace Coddington, the longtime Vogue creative director known for her striking red hair and influence on the fashion world. Ryan Murphy named the character after his own grandmother, who introduced him to Dark Shadows and inspired his love of the macabre.

Yes โ€” Myrtle plays the theremin, an electronic instrument controlled by moving your hands near antennae without touching them. She describes its sound as soothing during stressful times. Cordelia, in the show, politely describes it as making horrible and awful noise. Both assessments are correct.