Weekend Writing: Literary Halloween Costumes

It's officially Halloween season. While I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, I find it enjoyable to dress up as literary characters. There are so many options. But in this post, I will provide my list of the most creative and clever literary Halloween costumes. Most of these are inspired by classic literary characters and figures.

If you want to be the best-dressed bookworm amongst your friends, try these simple costume ideas. You will certainly stand out from the crowd and impress your friends and family.

Hester Prynne (photo/Pinterest)

1. Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter 

Hester Prynne is easily one of the most recognizable classic literary figures. Labeled with a giant A on her clothing, Hester was condemned by her Puritan society for committing adultery in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 masterwork, The Scarlet Letter. But, the character is now celebrated among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature.

Wear a Puritan dress, strictly black and white, and simply attach a large red letter A on your chest, and you can become Hester Prynne this Halloween season. This could be one of the easiest Halloween costumes to make.

Nancy Drew and a Hardy Boy (photo/Pinterest).

2. Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys 

Nancy Drew, from Carolyn Keene's book series, was created in 1930 to be a counterpart to publisher Edward Stratemeyer's popular series, The Hardy Boys. Both literary characters are iconic detectives, and they stop at nothing to solve mysteries.

For Halloween, you could dress up as Nancy Drew--complete with a 1930's "preppy" dress, headband, and magnifying glass. Or, you could dress up as the Hardy Boys with your friends, complete with 1930's "preppy" dress shirts and pants, and a flashlight.

Or, you could even combine the two characters, like what this couple did for a Halloween couples costume. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys are iconic detectives; therefore, they would make for an impressive couples costume for Halloween.

Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan (photo/Guest of a Guest)

3. Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby 

Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan have one of the most iconic love stories in classic literature, in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 "great American novel," The Great Gatsby. It can be really fun to dress up as these characters for Halloween. For one thing, who wouldn't want to wear a fancy flapper dress? Or, for the gentlemen reading this post, who wouldn't think it's fun to dress up in 1920's "preppy" suits? The costumes are perfect for a fun evening, and you'd be sure to impress your friends with this fabulous couples costume that would even impress Jay Gatsby.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald (photo/Long Beach Press-Telegram)

But, if you're like me, maybe you want to take this costume idea a step further and dress up as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald. The costumes would be very similar to Gatsby and Daisy, as the characters were loosely based on the Fitzgeralds. To become F. Scott Fitzgerald, wear a slightly more formal dress suit, and perhaps carry a pen and a copy of The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise, to distinguish yourself as the writer, not the literary character.

And for Zelda, curl your hair a bit more into a bob hairstyle, framing your face, and wear a feather boa. Still wear the flapper dress. Zelda loved that look!

Scarlett O'Hara (photo/Burda Style)

4. Scarlett O'Hara from Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind

Maybe you have never read Margaret Mitchell's classic 1936 novel, Gone with the Wind, but the novel inspired one of the most iconic Old Hollywood films ever made--Gone with the Wind, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.

It could be really fun to dress up as Scarlett O'Hara for Halloween. For one thing, the costume is all about layers. Set during the Civil War, you would need to find a dress suitable for a spoiled, well-to-do daughter of a plantation owner. Scarlett O'Hara is very sophisticated, so you'll want to find a costume that matches her personality. Finding a dress could be difficult in 2018, but try your best.

5. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice 

Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy (photo/Pinterest)

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Jane Austen's classic 1813 romantic novel, Pride and Prejudice, are also one of the most iconic couples in literary history. For one thing, these characters weren't supposed to fall in love, and it took them forever to actually fall in love. But perhaps that's why bookworms love them so much--they're real. But they also give us hope.

Elizabeth Bennet is a "plain" beauty, so you don't need an overly fancy dress. Find a simple gown that would be suitable for the early 1800s in Britain. For Darcy, on the other hand, find a sophisticated dress suit that would be perfect for glamorous balls.

Show up to a couples costume party as these two classic romantic figures and everyone will know who you are supposed to be.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (photo/Pinterest)

6. Laura Ingalls Wilder 

If you want to dress up as a pioneer woman, look no further! Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the popular children's series, Little House on the Prairie. The books inspired the popular 1970's television series of the same name. If you wear a traditional pioneer dress, apron, bonnet, and wear your hair in braided pigtails, everyone will know who you're supposed to be.

This could be a fun costume for all ages, but especially for the ones who treasured the classic books while they were growing up.

7. The Bronte Sisters 

The Bronte sisters (photo/Screener TV)

The Bronte sisters wrote some of the most classic and beloved works of British literature--Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Agnes Grey. If you're really close with two friends, why not dress up as the literary sisters for Halloween? Each of you could wear a different 1800's-inspired formal dress, complete with multiple layers, and wear different colored wigs to differentiate the sisters. Carry a copy of the book your author wrote--Wuthering Heights for Emily, Jane Eyre for Charlotte, and Agnes Grey for Anne--and you're all set.

You might get a few snickers and people may roll their eyes at your "geeky" costumes, but don't worry about that. Embrace your literary "nerdiness."

The Handmaid's Tale (photo/Complex)

8. Handmaids from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale 

Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel, The Handmaid's Tale, gained more popularity in 2017 with the television series adaptation, starring Elizabeth Moss, Alexis Bledel, and others. Multiple people dressed up as Handmaids for Halloween in 2017, and I imagine many will do the same thing this year, as well.

To dress up as these literary characters, all you need is a red cape and a white hood. Dress like this and everyone will know exactly who you're supposed to be.

Madeline (photo/the cozy birdhouse)

9. Madeline 

Madeline is the French orphan protagonist in Ludwig Bemelmans's 1939 children's book series, Madeline. The series inspired short films in the 1950s, as well as a feature film in 1998. Girls from my generation remember reading the Madeline books in early elementary school, but we also loved the movie. We loved the feisty redhead!

So, it's not surprising that there have been many Halloween costumes inspired by Madeline. It's a simple costume. All you need is a plain blue dress, a red scarf, white knee socks, black shoes, and a yellow hat. Oh, and if you can find a red wig, that's even better. This is one of the most adorable Halloween costumes, fit for every age.

10. Librarian/Book Fairy 

Book fairy costume (photo/Pinterest).

I'm concluding this list with a literary-themed Halloween costume, but it's not inspired by a book. Instead, it can be fun to dress up as a librarian or a book fairy for Halloween. There are many varieties of costumes you can choose from. You can wear a plaid skirt, sweater, glasses, and carry books in your hand. Or, you can invent something new with your own version.

For a book fairy, it's basically the concept of a tooth fairy, but with books. Make a tutu out of old book pages, make a wand out of book pages, and turn a book into your wings. You'll impress everyone at your costume party with this creative costume!

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I hope you have a good idea of some fun literary Halloween costumes you can wear this Halloween season. Whether you're attending a costume party or simply dressing up to go trick-or-treating, you'll impress many people with these nontraditional, creative costumes.

Literary fans, unite!

-KJL-