It's that time of year when we say goodbye to beach weather and long summer days, and hello to pumpkin spice lattes, cozy sweaters, and, all things related to Halloween.🦇 For book lovers, this is a PERFECT excuse to show off your love of reading by dressing up as your favorite fictional character. And since Halloween is right around the corner, we're getting into the spirit with a roundup of literary Halloween costumes.
We scoured Instagram (#cosplay) for our favorite bookish costumes, including Jo March, Nancy Drew, and Mia Thermopolis. We're so obsessed with their creativity we *may* just have to start dressing up every day leading up to October 31st. So many characters, so little time!
Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? If so, let us know who/what you'll be dressing up as in the comments below!
10 Literary Halloween Costumes Inspired by Fictional Characters
1. Jo March, Little Women
Embrace your brave & bold side with a Jo March costume, like this look by @cospleanor. We love the layered plaid and oversized blazer, which perfectly brings it all together. (While you're here, take a peek at the Jo March flower-pressed bookmark.)
Get the look:
2. Princess Tiana, Princess & The Frog/ The Frog Princess
All the magic! This Princess Tiana costume from @ebunnybee is truly the epitome of Disney joy. Take a peek at her Instagram for more of her cosplay looks!
Get the look:
- Green dress (or this costume is similar on Amazon)
- Elbow length gloves
- Beaded necklace
3. Nancy Drew
Why not dress up as your favorite fictional sleuth!? We think @reneejanis captures Nancy Drew perfectly with an adorable plaid dress, headband, white sweater, and pearl earrings. It's sweet and put-together. Plus, it's comfortable in case any Halloween mysteries need to be solved ;)
Get the look:
- Plaid dress (Target has a bunch of options to check out!)
- White sweater
- Headband (we love this 12-pack for $11)
- Pearl earrings
4. Mia Thermopolis, The Princess Diaries
A princess costume with a twist! We're obsessed with @heidihalford's Mia Thermopolis costume that's complete with the plaid skirt, vest, and tie. Eat pizza with M&Ms on it and break a hair brush, and you've got yourself the ultimate "Mia" night!
Get the look:
- Plaid skirt
- Blazer
- High socks
5. Stanley Yelnats/Caveman, Holes
When we saw this costume, we couldn't help but sing "dig it up, oh, oh..." But seriously, we are digging @jessbeachin's take on Camp Greenlake. And it totally makes us want to re-read the book and re-watch the movie, preferably in one sitting because they're THAT good.
Get the look:
- Orange jumpsuit/pains
- Water jug
- White shirt
- Shovel
6. Lara Jean, To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Sweet and simple! This Lara Jean costume from @thaolamta is one of those amazing costumes that you may be able to find in your closet.
Get the look:
- Pink cardigan (here's a relatively affordable version at Amazon)
- Plaid skirt
- Grey sweater
- White collared shirt
7. Wednesday Addams, The Addams Family
This list wouldn't be complete without the one and only Wednesday Addams. We love @thestylishgeek's look because it's super distinct and relatively easy to put together. As long as you have a few black pieces in your closet and some makeup, you're pretty much good to go!
Get the look:
- Black dress or black shirt & skirt/pants
- Black tights
- Black shoes
- Black lipstick
8. Hermione, Harry Potter
Say hello to Hogwarts with this look from @jessicamatarrelli. It also makes for an awesome group costume if you want to bring the whole gang together.
Get the look:
- Maroon scarf
- Black sweater
- Skirt
- Wand (check out this DIY Harry Potter wand tutorial)
9. Daphne Bridgerton, The Duke and I/Bridgerton
How gorgeous is this Bridgerton look by @lily_on_the_moon? It truly transports us to the Bridgerton universe. We also are IN LOVE with her Sabrina Spellman costume.
Get the look:
- Blue dress
- White elbow-length gloves
- Sparkly necklace
10. Velma, Scooby Doo
@Velmacosplayer has Velma down to a tee! This is another costume that you may already have in your closet. Or at the very least you'll likely be able to wear most of the pieces again even when you're not playing dress up. Always a plus!
Get the look:
- Orange sweater
- Red shoes & tights
- Glasses
- Red skirt
Feeling the Halloween spirit? Check out this list of thrillers & mysteries for "spooky" reads!