Literary Halloween Costumes
Our favourite time of year is fast approaching, and we’ve got everything you need for four literary Halloween costumes to make sure you’re by far the most gloriously ghoulish at that fancy dress party this weekend.
1. Funnybones Skeletons
First up, it’s the skeletons from Janet and Allan Ahlberg‘s beloved children’s classic, Funnybones. As you might remember, the series was about a trio of skeletons who lived “down a dark, dark, staircase, in a dark, dark cellar.”
To get the look, all you need is an adult skeleton costume (£14.45, from eBay), a natty red top hat (£4, also from eBay), and a furry friend willing to risk being disowned by their canine chums for modelling this adorable skeletal dog outfit (£3.50, from Amazon).
2. Behemoth from The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Want a cat costume with a difference? Then your ideal Halloween alter ego could be Behemoth, the gun-toting, gambling and vodka-guzzling demon disguised as an oversized pussycat from Mikhail Bulgakov‘s classic Russian novel.
All you need to do is dig out your most intimidating black outfit, then team it with this latex cat mask (£7.75, from Amazon), a toy gun (£3.69, also from Amazon), a handful of playing cards (£1.99, Amazon again), and a bottle of vodka.
3. Alex from A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Feel like embracing your menacing side? Then try a night as Alex, the violent sociopath from Anthony Burgess‘ dystopian classic. Except without the robbing, raping or murdering.
All you need is an all-white outfit, finished off with these flamboyant accessories: a black bowler hat (£6, from eBay); dramatic false eyelashes, to be worn on one eye only (£2.99, from Amazon), an intimidating pair of chunky black boots (£130, from Office), and a lovely, wholesome glass of milk.
4. Zillah from Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite
Last but not least, if it’s bisexual, chartreuse-swilling slutty vampires with pierced nipples that make your heart flutter, then meet Zillah, the head vamp from Poppy Z. Brite‘s Lost Souls, who looks like Brian Molko and has a taste for cake, absinthe and kinky sex.
Get the look by painting your sharpened talons with this Barry M Nail Polish in Black Magic (£3.95, from Amazon), an I Only Date Vampires t-shirt (£7.99, from eBay), a pair of vampire fangs (£4.99, also from eBay), this subtly saucy sterling silver fangs necklace ($56USD, from Etsy), and a bottle of absinthe.
Had any other ideas for literary character costumes? Let us know in the comments if so. Happy Halloween!
Jane Bradley
Funnybones was my FAVE! Forgot all about the little red dog.
If I was dressing up for Halloween, I’d be tempted to go as one of the vampires from Dracula’s harem – they were genuinely scary and swoonsome.
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