Portraying a Fictional Character
Choose someone you admire. Is Captain America your idea of a virtuous hero? Or do you prefer the wily tactics and sinuous stealth of Black Widow or Catwoman? Maybe your taste runs more toward Harry Potter or Elizabeth from "Pride and Prejudice." Whatever you decide, make sure your costume is something you'll enjoy representing.
Draw ideas from pop culture. These are some examples of characters you can portray for Halloween, taken from well-known books, movies and music: Cruella de Vil, Elsa, Flash Gordon, Spider-man, Luke Skywalker, Shrek or Fiona, Elvis, Belle or the Beast, an Egyptian mummy, Dorothy or another character from "The Wizard of Oz," Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin, Captain Hook or Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, the Cat in the Hat, Mary Poppins, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, a witch or a vampire.
Make it believable. If you choose to dress up as Elvis, for example, think of what people associate most with the King of Rock 'n' Roll. A white jumpsuit with colorful rhinestones would look great with some matching platform shoes. And don't forget that shiny black hair!
Dressing as a Historical Figure
Get the clothing right. The trick to dressing in period style is to understand the trends and fads of that era. So if you're dressing as the Great Gatsby, knowing a bit about the Roaring '20s is helpful. That means wearing a pinstripe suit, shoes with spats and maybe even a decorative cane or low-brimmed hat with a band.
Pick someone easily recognizable. When you think of history, what comes to mind? Great conquerors, presidents, royalty, celebrities? These are some examples of people to portray whom others will recognize immediately: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Queen Elizabeth I, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, a Roman gladiator, Joan of Arc, Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, William Wallace (Braveheart), Amelia Earhart, Florence Nightingale, a Viking, Albert Einstein or Pocahontas.
Don't skimp on accessories. If you choose to be Benjamin Franklin, you might find some colonial-style dress in a costume store, but what about a pair of spectacles or stockings? Sometimes, you might have to look elsewhere for these kinds of items, whether it's your grandmother's attic or a thrift store.
Designing Your Own Costume
Choose the right fabric. Whether you're sewing a queen's regal gown or a court jester's multi-colored leggings, it's important to have an idea of what color or type of material you'll need. Then you can gather the correct thread, along with other tools needed for the job. If you've decided to dress as Queen Elizabeth I, for instance, several yards of red satin or velvet should work well. You'll want to include the square, low-cut neckline particular to the Elizabethan period in England, along with a stiff white fabric for the high collar, or ruff, shown in the most common portraits of Elizabeth. A pearl diadem with a large pendant – or delicate headband that dips onto the forehead – will complete the look.
Give yourself enough time. If your costume is complicated or has several different pieces, such as in the Queen Elizabeth example above, you might want to begin putting it together well in advance of Halloween so it will be ready on time. Costumes like this one take many hours and several steps to assemble properly.
Find a pattern. Stop by your local fabric store or search online for a sewing pattern that matches what you plan to be for Halloween (for example, a nun or a witch). This will help save time by providing a template for the pieces of material you'll need to sew together. The variety of patterns available are as expansive as your imagination, so you're bound to find anything from a simple cat motif to a much more complex Frankenstein suit.
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