Photo: Mason Rose
Her campy, childlike Halloween costume choice ties back to her personal style. “As a black-and-white uniform wearer, it was always in the cards to step into the role of the Cat,” says Monáe. (It’s true: She does a black-and-white outfit like no other.) “Of all the Dr. Seuss characters, we have the most in common—the black and white, with the pop of red! The mischief! The tuxedos! The handsomeness! The whiskers! We are twins!”
To bring her theatrical vision to life, Monáe started brainstorming a few years back. “The Cat jumped right out the book and scratched me in 2023,” says Monáe. “I am usually two to three years ahead with costume ideas.” Given she is a bona fide pro at Halloween dressing, the star worked with a few people to create the one-of-a-kind look, including her stylist, Alexandra Mandelkorn. “We worked with several incredibly talented artists,” says Monáe, “including Alex Navarro on the costume, Cat + Nico on the SFX, Becca Vandervort on hair, Miles Robinson and Iggy Soliven on props, and Sarah Sokol on the hat.”
Photo: Mason Rose