Harry Potter Halloween Costumes

Buying Harry Potter Halloween Costumes

While you may accessorize as you like, a ready-made costume is usually the easiest base to use for creating your magical look. Since you can’t go to Madam Malkin’s, try Hollywood Costumes and Party, which has an enormous selection of robes, props, wigs and masks, covering children and adults.

Even kids far too young to start at Hogwarts can dress in Gryffindor or (eek) Slytherin robes. There are Quidditch robes to be had, and of course broomsticks to go with them, available separately. You can wear the Sorting Hat, or, if you’re feeling animalistic, you can be Harry’s beloved owl, Hedwig. Adults can choose between being students or teachers, there are costumes for Dumbledore and Hagrid, as well as nasty scary creatures like Dementors. With glasses, cauldrons, scarves and magic wands galore, an entire group can be fitted out.

Scary Harry Potter Halloween Costumes

OK, so it’s great to be a hero and fight nasty Death Eaters, but come on, it’s Halloween! There are so many fun nasty characters in the Harry Potter universe, how can you resist dressing up as one? Here are some scary types guaranteed to create shivers:

• Dolores Umbridge: A bureaucrat who punishes kids by making them carve “I must not tell lies” with their own blood? And smiles while she does it? Everyone will scream when they see you coming. Fortunately, with the concurrent popularity of Hairspray, it’s very easy to find outfits that work as the evil Dolores. An early 1960s-style dress with a cape, in the nastiest shade of pink you can find, adorned with frills and an unflattering, fussy 1960s wig will be perfect. Carry a short wand and be sure to simper.

• Lucius and Draco Malfoy: A very fun costume for a father and son or even a couple if one is in drag. All you need are long dark robes and a long blond wig for Lucius (look for one modeled after Cher). Add a walking stick and you’re done. Draco needs short blond hair, which should be found in any costume shop.

• Bellatrix LeStrange: Very much just for grown-up witches, but a scream nonetheless. You can trick the look with a black corset top, black leather trousers and boots, long black gloves, a choker and a scary mass of curly dark hair.

Of course, there’s also the ultimate baddie, “You-Know-Who,” but since a snake face requires either an awesome mask or professional makeup, you’re probably better off being a minion. Then again, if you can get the mask and even have a fake black snake to wear around your shoulders, go for it! Just expect to hear a lot of hissing.

Friends of Harry

Harry Potter costume

The lightning-scarred boy will be seen everywhere this October, but Harry Potter Halloween costumes are the perfect get-up for a group. Gryffindor costumes are easy to buy, so if you get the right wigs, you can easily be Harry, Ron and Hermione. But don’t stop there!

Grab a blond wig and a funky girl and have Luna Lovegood join the crowd! A Luna costume is very fun. In addition to her robes and wig, make radish earrings, a cork necklace and wild plastic glasses to look like Spectrespecs. Can’t find a Ravenclaw scarf? No worries, there is a great new book available called Charmed Knits, which is full of fantastic knitting ideas for Harry Potter fans, including patterns for all the house scarves. You can make one of Ron’s Christmas sweaters, or a mismatched pair of Dobby’s beloved socks.

The seven-book saga may have come to an end, but you can be sure that Harry and his friends will be popular dress-up choices for generations of Muggles to come!