Annabeth Chase Cosplay Guide
Featuring LiteraryPrincess
⬗˚₊ Annabeth Chase ₊˚⬖.•
updated 8/27/25
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table of contents
•Intro
•hair
•eyes
•clothes
•jewelry
•props
•makeup
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introduction
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Hello! My name is Morgan, known as Imaginmatrix online, and I am a Cosplayer! I have been cosplaying for 10 years, and of those ten years I’ve been cosplaying Annabeth for 8. She’s my favorite character of all time, and I’m super excited to share the knowledge I’ve gained throughout the journey with you.
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UPDATE 8/27/25: Please note this guide was written several years ago, and simply walks through my personal tips for cosplaying Annabeth based on how I interpreted her appearance as a kid reading the books in 2005— It is not all encompassing, and is not the only way to cosplay Annabeth, especially now that Annabeth is the lovely Leah Sava Jeffries! We couldn’t have asked for a better actress in the role, and I hope to see more Annabeths flooding the internet with their cosplays in the future. <3
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UPDATE 1/10/26: This guide has been updated in collaboration with the amazing LiteraryPrincess!
They are an absolutely fabulous cosplayer who has been cosplaying from Percy Jackson for over a decade, and they agreed to work together to update this blog with even more resources. Our goal is that no matter what version of Annabeth you want to dress up as, you can hopefully find the resources to do so on this very page. Their added insight, links, and images will be indicated by “LP” and a purple textbox. Be sure to follow them on both Instagram and Youtube.
I have also made minor updates to my own text with information that better reflects my current iteration of Annabeth.
Hope you guys continue to find this little tutorial useful in your cosplay endeavors!
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LP Intro
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Hi! I’m known as Literary Princess, a bookish creator and cosplayer who has been reading and cosplaying from the Riordanverse since 2010, starting with Hazel Levesque from the Heroes of Olympus series. As time passed and the live action TV adaptation of the PJO books was announced, I also began cosplaying Annabeth as portrayed in the TV show by Leah Jeffries.
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hair
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Annabeth is described as having blonde hair with “Princess Curls” in The Lightning Thief. The length is up for interpretation- I like to go with shoulder length hair that could be tied into a ponytail.
If you already have blonde hair, you’re done! Curl it, put it in a ponytail, leave it down, etc.
If you don’t have blonde hair and don’t wish to curl it, for years I used a wig from Wigisfashion. I also recommend Pose Wigs. These days, I use a wig I had custom made by wigsbyaileen, who does remarkable work; however, this is a somewhat pricier option, which I chose to make the hair look as realistic as possible.
For cheaper wigs or wigs that may not look as natural, Arda Wigs or Amazon are good bets.
note: wigs are difficult to style into high ponytails, so you can get creative. I like to pull mine half up with braids incorporated somehow.
After The Titan’s Curse, Annabeth has a grey streak in her hair- you can buy a grey extension to sew or clip in to your wig, or use hair chalk to add the streak as well.
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LP:
In the first season of the show, Annabeth is shown wearing her hair in box braids. In season two, she wears her hair in a looser boho braid style. Both hairstyles are traditionally Black braid styles meant for protection of the natural hair, with extra length achieved with the use of additional braiding hair extensions. These styles hold a cultural significance to the Black community, and are likely also an homage to Athena being the god of crafting and weaving.
Box braid and boho braid style wigs can be found on websites like Sam’s Beauty or other sites that specialize in Black hairstyles, or even websites like Amazon.
If these culturally significant hairstyles aren’t something you’re comfortable wearing, you can always emulate Annabeth’s more iconic styles, such as her two large pigtails in the Capture the Flag scene or the half-up, half-down style she wears at the start of season 2.
Annabeth’s hair in the show ranges from a dark black-brown in season 1 to a lighter, caramel brown in season 2. Annabeth across all adaptations is described or portrayed as having naturally curly hair, so if you decide not to have braided hair, any curled style can still emulate Annabeth!
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eyes
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Annabeth is described as having striking Grey Eyes. Now not everyone has grey eyes naturally, so you can go about this in a few ways.
One: you can edit them. Apps like Makeup Plus let you change eye color, or you can use photoshop like I do. This is the safest option.
Two: you can get contacts. I use Uniqso for natural looking eyes but Pinky Paradise is also a good bet. You must have an eye prescription or note from your eye doctor in order to order contacts from these sites, so even if you have perfect vision, schedule an appointment!
ALWAYS observe safe practices when dealing with eye care- do not wear colored contacts for more than 8 hours, do not sleep in them, always store them properly, and throw them away when they dry out. Ask your doctor if you have further questions.
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LP:
TV Annabeth has dark brown eyes, just like her mother Athena. The same advice applies here that Morgan stated above - photo editing apps or (safe!) contact lens usage is the best way to achieve this. Because the eye color of children of Athena isn’t as heavily emphasized in the show, it’s more than okay to skip this detail!
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clothes
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You can never go wrong with the classic Camp Half-Blood orange t-shirt. You can find these on Amazon or Etsy, if you want different designs.
If you want some Camp Half-Blood merch such as a Cabin 6 specific shirt or Waterland shirts, check out The Caprica or Delphi Strawberry Service. More recently (as of 2025) I have gotten show replica t-shirts from Grimlatch, but they make their shirts handmade in batches, so they are not always available.
Annabeth spends a lot of time outdoors, so jeans or shorts are a good call for your bottom half.
I like to accessorize with a jacket either on or tied around my waist. Jean jackets call back to the musical costuming, and a belt with a knife holster of some sort is in character as well.
Add armor bits like arm vambraces or pauldrons or gloves just for fun!
Shoes: Annabeth is very active, so I wear boots or tennis shoes when I cosplay her. Maybe even converse.
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In the show, Annabeth is seen in mostly generic, outdoorsy outfits that are age-appropriate for a 12-year-old. Tee shirts, jean jackets, cargo pants/shorts, and corduroy jackets are all items she’s worn. As for shoes, classic sneakers or boots are always an easy option.
Additionally, the iconic Camp Half-Blood tee shirt got an upgraded, specific design for the show, which can be purchased from the Disney+ Shop Here. There are also Etsy sellers that sell replicas. The shop Blissfully Bookish also sells subtle shirts and flannels that evoke fashion that would be worn by a Daughter of Athena.
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armor
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LP:
For Annabeth’s Capture the Flag look in season 1, I recreated her armor with EVA foam. EVA foam can be found on cosplay websites like Cosplay Pros as well as local craft stores like Michaels. The thickness of foam can vary, and for my armor I used 6mm thickness.
I found cosplay armor patterns from Kamui Cosplay who has many excellent resources and patterns. To match the shape of the TV show armor, I added foam clay details, bronze grommets, and layers of spray paint and weathering to mimic the color.
EVA foam can be toxic when heated, which is necessary for shaping, so be sure to work outdoors and use protective equipment!
I used a different pattern found on Etsy for the helmet.
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jewelry
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Annabeth has silver owl earrings- I bought mine off of the app Wish for very cheap, the shipping takes quite some time but you can also check out Amazon or Etsy for appropriate earrings as well. I use studs as I can’t see Annabeth wearing dangly earrings on quests!
Annabeth has her camp necklace- what beads are on it depends on at what point you are cosplaying her: read more below.
At the beginning of the books, Annabeth has 5 beads for 5 years at camp. We know the first one is Thalia’s pine, and there’s one of a Centaur in a prom dress, and a trireme on fire. But what about the other two? I do silver arrows for the Hunters of Artemis, as we know they’ve visited before, and a Shoe with Wings to represent Luke’s quest which happened before.
During the books, 4 more beads are acquired- Titan’s Curse takes place over the winter and does not have a bead. One is a Trident for The Lightning Thief, one of the Fleece for Sea of Monsters, one is the Labyrinth from Battle of the Labyrinth, and lastly the Empire State Building for The Last Olympian.
You can make these beads yourself from clay or wood- I got wooden beads from Michael’s and sanded and painted them by hand.
Annabeth’s necklace also has her Father’s college ring- these can be expensive so I’m still searching for a good one for my cosplay. She also has a coral pendant from Percy after the first 5 books; I got my pendant from a Michael’s. (update: I do now have a little college ring on my necklace that was procured for cheap on amazon!)
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LP:
Morgan’s guide above details Annabeth’s canon beads that she receives on her necklace throughout the books, and this same order of items should apply in the show. Photographed here is an example of one of the actual prop necklaces worn in the show: the (I assume) Pine Tree, Centaur in a prom dress, and the Greek trireme from the book are clearly pictured, along with a Chariot and a mystery bead. Even in my close-up photos I took myself of the exhibit, I couldn’t decipher the fifth bead’s design, and it is never discussed in the books or the show. So…get creative!
As of most recent appearances, Annabeth’s necklace includes six beads and her father’s class ring. The newest bead, from Percy’s first year at Camp, is a teal blue with a trident.
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props
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The Knife: Annabeth has a Celestial Bronze knife. I currently use a hunting knife for photos, and have a 3D printed replica of it for a safer option. My original version was made from wood and painted, but you can buy a prop one or make it out of foam. You can also find real Greek style knives online, but I cannot encourage that option as you could hurt yourself or get into trouble- some knife lengths are illegal, so check your area. I recommend making or buying a fake one.
The Sword: if you are cosplaying post-Mark of Athena, Annabeth has a Drakon bone sword you can make or buy or alter. I also have a greek xiphos from Battling Blades, but they sell real swords that are very sharp, so again, be careful and ideally opt for a prop version.
The Mark of Athena: I bought mine off of Amazon.
The Hat: Get any blue Yankees cap with a brim and you can wear it hooked to your belt, or if you’re cosplaying during Heroes of Olympus when it doesn’t work, you can wear it! You may get a lot of comments on how people can’t see you however, so be prepared for that.
The Laptop: Unnecessary and expensive, but if you can get your hands on a silver laptop, secondhand or new, you can put a Delta sticker on it. I edit the symbol of Daedalus on in my older photos, and currently have a holographic sticker on it.
Books: Annabeth is a reader, so you can bring some books along with you, either on architecture or Ancient Greek stories- I like to bring my copies of The Iliad and The Odyssey along.
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Annabeth’s Dagger in the show has details in the handle shaped like an Owl’s head, a reference to Athena. This dagger can be purchased in the form of a 3D printed prop on Etsy. If you have access to your own 3D printer or can use one from a friend or a library, there are many sites such as Cult’s 3D that have the file available for purchase and print.
She also carries a sword with a similar owl eye motif on the hilt, though without the swirled grip on the handle, as pictured below. Additionally, she carries a shield during Capture the Flag. These details can be molded onto existing sword and shield props using materials like EVA Foam or foam clay.
Remember to practice prop safety! Never use a real, sharpened blade as a prop. Be sure to use proper protective equipment when working with hazardous materials.
Annabeth also uses her blue New York Yankees cap often, but it is usually hidden on her person. The one she wears in the show is identical to the book.
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makeup
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It is a bit controversial to talk about Annabeth and makeup: does she wear it? How much would she wear? She may not be a child of Aphrodite but here is where you can leave it up to interpretation and headcanons! I headcanon that she wears makeup, because I think she can still be strong and kick ass with it, even if she doesn’t wear it all the time.
Even if you headcanon no makeup, wearing a little bit can make you look better in photos. You can look up “no makeup” makeup looks online.
For my cosplay, I put on foundation and concealer, I contour, use blush or bronzer to make it look like I’ve been in the sun, color in my brows, use a neutral lip tone, and browns for eyeshadow. Finish off with mascara! Sometimes I add eyeliner too.
Cuts, Scrapes, Scars, and Dirt: you can use makeup to make Annabeth look like she’s been in a battle! For scars I use rigid collodion, for scrapes or bruising I use a stipple sponge, you can get creative!
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LP:
Everything that Morgan states in the above guide still applies here! Throughout season 1, Annabeth is mostly seen with very light, almost unnoticeable makeup. Due to the magic of film and television, you’d think she has nothing on. In reality, she is almost definitely wearing foundation, powder, and light mascara at minimum.
In season 2, Annabeth’s makeup is a bit more prominent, and this may also be because as a character she’s grown more comfortable wearing it as she gets older. Now, her light brown eyeshadow and mascara are very visible, as is her blush.
Regardless, Annabeth’s makeup can be done to your comfort level. While she may add a touch here and there, she’s not often going to be fully glam. She will, however, have battle scars, which can be done with layers of red and brown makeup to emulate scratches, bruises, etc. Many excellent tutorials exist online of how to do fake scarring.
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conclusion
I hope this guide helps you cosplay Annabeth Chase and points you towards some good sources to get started. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments, and let me know what character you’d like a guide for next!
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LP:
Though book Annabeth and TV Annabeth may have their aesthetic differences, at the end of the day they are still the same character. Cosplay is meant to be a fun outlet for creativity and fun, so feel free to mix and match and make your portrayal of her unique! Many iterations of the character exist, even versions that combine multiple aspects of Annabeth across different mediums. Annabeth can exist with loose dark curls, or braids that are tipped blonde, or she can never wear her old Camp shirt. The options are limitless. As long as you respect one another and ask questions about anything you are unsure of, you can cosplay however you’d like!
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