Let me preface this DIY League of Their Own Halloween guide by saying: I am not a DIY expert in the traditional sense! I don’t know how to sew. I don’t have a lot of artistic abilities. And while I enjoy crafts, I wouldn’t really consider myself crafty. That said, as aforementioned, I am incredibly resourceful when it comes to costuming — especially on a budget! I’m good at cobbling together costumes with a mix of store-bought and handmade items that don’t require too many technical skills. Some of my most iconic Halloween costumes — including a DIY Silk Spectre costume in 2011 — have been made entirely from thrifted components. I’m here today to tell you how to make an A League of Their Own Rockford Peaches costume that’s going to have a DIY, scrappy approach but ultimately still have you looking fine and recognizably like the Peach you are. You won’t be building something from scratch, but you’ll be fashioning together a costume that’s distinctly yours.
There are of course some shortcuts you could take. Spirit Halloween has an official licensed Rockford Peaches costume for $50, but it appears more inspired by the film than by the new series. It also is only offered in sizes S-XL. (Am*zon’s also got some.) Spirit can sometimes work in a pinch for pop culture costumes, but if you have the time to plan a little more, I think you could end up with something more comfortable and more customizable. Starting at $55, Etsy has options that are customizable and come in more sizes.
For around the same price, Etsy also has these dresses that look kind of like the uniforms but have more an actual dress look than a uniform look, but I suppose it could also be a workaround. And if you can sew, there are also patterns available for the dresses.
Another shortcut you could take is to skirt around the uniform approach and instead dress like a specific character from the show. I made a series of style guides for Greta, Carson, Max, Jo, Jess, and Lupe that are geared more toward channeling their looks in an everyday, practical sense rather than to costuming, but you could look at them for inspiration! A Greta/Carson couples costume could be very cute! Or a Max/Clance joint costume with your best friend could also be cute!
But if you have your heart set on a Rockford Peaches uniform, let’s get down to business. I’ll break down the essential components you’re going to need and link some purchasable options, but I also encourage you to use this as an inspirational guide rather than a super strict how-to. Go forth and thrift some of the pieces or add your own touches.
Also, as we all know, A League of Their Own was devastatingly canceled this year before we could even get the short season two we were initially promised. While I am indeed still mourning this fact, I think it could be a fun nod to the cancellation (and perhaps cathartic!) to dress as undead versions of ALOTO characters. Just incorporate some fake blood and/or zombie-style makeup into your look.
This post was originally written in 2022 and was most recently updated on October 6, 2023.
1. Skirt (or pants!!!!!!)
Yes, to be completely authentic, you actually need a dress. But short of those limited (and perhaps not very good quality!) shortcut options above, “baseball dress uniform” is not something you can find easily online or in a store. So, instead, I recommend going with a skirt + shirt combo as a workaround. The main Rockford Peaches uniform is a pale pink, though tbh I think you could get away with a cream or even white colorway. This Forever 21 skirt ($36) could work though it’s more of a mauve color, and once again Amazon does have some options, but I understand if you don’t want to purchase from there. Here’s the key if you want to hunt around online for a brand/sizing/price point that best suits you: If you want a shorter skirt (think: Slutty Rockford Peaches, which tbh is a vibe), then search for “tennis skirt” or “pleated mini skirt” and then filter for color (the tough thing here is the color! it’s like a VERY pale pink!). If you want a slightly more authentic skirt, search for “skater skirt” and add “knee length” to get more specific. This is also an opportunity to be resourceful at a Spirit Halloween or similar costume shop. A lot of those chain costume shops sell costume separates in addition to full sets, and it’s possible you could find a pale pink or cream skirt meant to be part of a cheerleader costume or something similar and repurpose it. I somehow have more than one cheerleading skirt from Spirit.
Also, here’s something to keep in mind: You don’t have to wear a skirt! Just because the Peaches were forced to wear skirts does not mean you have to be. Want to add some butch touches to a Peaches costume? Buy some track pants or joggers in cream or pale pink! I’m sure you’ll get lots of wear out of them beyond the holiday. And for what it’s worth, I actually found a lot more pants options in the correct shade of pink than I did skirts, so this might be the move in general! Also, if you live somewhere cold, this’ll be more comfy.
2. Shirt + Patch
If you’re going the skirt route, then you’re gonna need a shirt. Yes, you could shell out for a real baseball jersey, but it’s going to be 1. expensive and 2. not even all that accurate looking, because the dress uniforms worn by the Peaches button-close off-center, and most baseball jerseys button down the center. This is the part where I plug one of my favorite chain stores on the planet: Michael’s craft store. I know I said I’m not crafty, but I do have a Michael’s rewards program membership. Here’s my cheater uniform recommendation: Get a t-shirt from Michael’s that best matches the color of your skirt. Get a Rockford Peaches patch ($14+) and attach it with fabric glue. VOILA. If you want to add an extra layer of cuteness/baseball-ness, you could throw an unbuttoned baseball jersey over the shirt and even customize it if you want to. You could even get wild with it. For example, you could get a baseball jersey that says ROCKFORD DYKES rather than Rockford Peaches on it. Just an idea!!!!!!
3. Belt
You don’t even need a skirt with belt loops to rock the signature belted Peach look. Don’t overthink things, baby! This is definitely an item you could pick up at a thrift store. Or you could buy this reddish brown one from the Gap for $26 (and hey, the best thing about buying real clothes/accessories for a costume rather than costume pieces is that you can probably get a decent amount of wear out of them beyond Halloween!).
4. Athletic Socks
I am extremely biased, but I think you should go off-book here and wear the Autostraddle Gay Chaos socks. But if you want something more authentic, go with a knee-high sock in a shade of red similar to whatever belt you end up with. Fun fact: Most of the athletic socks — other than the Autostraddle Gay Chaos socks — I own were indeed purchased from Spirit Halloween. I’m realizing now just how often I shop at Spirit Halloween????? But also I feel like I’ve never purchased one of their complete sets before. It’s so much more fun to customize/cobble!
5. Hat
Here’s the thing: I saved the hat for last even though it is the most important component. I think you can really have a lot of fun with the rest of the costume and go off-book in little, personalized ways. So long as you wear the hat. Maybe you can’t find the exact right length skirt in the exact right color. But if you’ve got the hat, people are going to know what you’re doing. Or, at least, the people who matter will. Lucky for you, there are like SO MANY Rockford Peaches hats on Etsy. An Autostraddle reader, in fact, has a store full of ALOTO goodies, including hats. For $30, you can snag one and you can pay a $3 upcharge to have a player’s name printed on the back. The shop also has t-shirt jerseys for Carson and Greta, which you could easily pair with a pink skirt to create the uniform without the hassle of needing to do iron-on letters or adding a patch.
I also love this vintage one ($30) from another shop. But you could also just buy the patch and take that fabric glue back out and affix it to a plain red ball cap from — you guessed it! — Michael’s craft store.
As for the finishing details, I again encourage you to not overthink things. Wear a pair of sneakers you already own. Borrow a baseball bat from your jock friend or buy a cheap child-size one. Wear a red lipstick to match the red accents of the uniform — or don’t! Again, if you’ve got a couple of the specific touches like the hat and the logo patch, you’re going to recognizably be a Peach. There’s no need to get too hung up on authenticity. I believe Halloween costumes should be identifiable but still showcase personality! Swing for the fences, and have a very League of Their Own Halloween.