It's Halloween night and the perfect time for this guest post from Brittany Geragotelis, author of WHAT THE SPELL?, the first book in the young adult Life's a Witch series. Since Ms. Geragotelis writes about a teenage witch, she obviously knows a thing or two about the paranormal. She also happens to have some great ideas for costumes of famous literary characters!
The Best Literary Costumes for
Halloween
I love Halloween.
Seriously, it's one of my favorite holidays. Not just because it’s a day that’s
all about people going up to strangers and asking for (and getting) candy. It’s
not even because—being the horror buff that I am—I enjoy the creepiness of it
all. And I do (Hello?!?! It’s the only time of year when things that goes bump
in the night aren’t just explained away with logical excuses!). But the threat
of paranormal/supernatural/mystical/psychopathic danger isn’t even the main
reason I love this holiday.
No, the real reason I'm
such a sucker for Halloween is: I’m given a free pass—nay, I’m expected—to be
someone else for the night.
And for someone whose
mind is a constant imagination station, this is beyond exciting. One of the
things I love about writing books, is the fact that I can create any character
I want. By writing his or her story, I'm giving them life. And I get to control
what they look like, how they act and even what they wear. In a way, I sort of
get to be them. And sometimes, that can be incredibly freeing.
And fun.
This is why Halloween is
so special. You get the chance to embody a different character, good or bad,
sweet or sassy, supernatural or all natural. And what better place to look,
then your local bookstore or library for inspiration? Whether it’s emulating a
superhero or getting your tall, dark and creepy on, books can be a hotbed for
costume ideas. Here are some of my faves this Halloween.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The film, The Hunger Games, became one of the most
successful book to movies of all time this year, and rightfully so. Not only is
the story equal parts horrifying and entertaining, but the outfits the
characters wear in it are a futuristic fashionista’s dream.
Get
Katniss’ look: Her signature braid;all-weather jacket; Mockingjay pin; cargo pants; district 12 backpack
Twilight by
Stephanie Meyer
Another successful
franchise which began with a book. The thing that makes Bella such a hot
Halloween costume choice this year is because in the upcoming movie, we’re
finally introduced to Vampire Bella! And vamp Bella is a dangerous mamma bear,
with some wicked red eyes and an animalistic energy. It’s about time this
character came out from behind her male co-stars and took center stage!
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Jane Austin and Seth Grahame-Smith
This classic got a
horror remix when Seth Grahame-Smith decided to bring the undead to the party
to meet Mr. Darcy. Between the pretty dresses and the oozing wounds, you get
the best of both worlds with this classic horror costume.
Get Elizabeth Bennet’s look: Classic white dress; fake blood; rotten face makeup
Housewives everywhere
(and yes, even single ladies) are sneaking this popular read for its steamy
scenes between the beautiful Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele. Given the
popularity of dressing sexy for Halloween (you can sexify any costume—apparently
even Big Bird can be hot), taking on this book’s dominating couple won’t be
painful at all.
Sisters Red
by Jackson Pearce
This reimagining of
Little Red Riding Hood paints a completely different picture of the
cloak-wearing girl who goes to visit her grandmother. In this book, we’ve got
two sisters who, after their grandmother is savagely killed by a werewolf, go
on a lifelong quest to wipe out the creatures that tore their family apart. The
elder sister, Scarlett, wields a hatchet, an eye patch and crazy scars, given
to her by her grandmother’s killer. If you’re looking for a new twist on an old
character, Scarlett’s your girl.
Get Scarlett’s look: Little Red Riding Hood costume or red cape; scar makeup; Tutorial onscar makeup; hatchet; eye
patch
Nowhere But Up: The
Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom by Pattie Mallette
I know this book is
non-fiction and deals with a lot of serious subjects, but let’s be honest here:
this costume is all about Bieber fever! You know you got choked up when you watched
Never Say Never, you’re obsessed with
Belena, and Justin’s changing hairstyles are nearly as famous as he is. So why
not take a page from Pattie’s book and create a star this Halloween.
Lord of the Rings
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Since the prelude to Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, comes out in theaters in just a little over a month, I
had to include this series in our round-up. Whether you’re into Tolkien’s
hobbits, princesses or ghouls—there are plenty of mythological characters to
choose from.
Get the Lord of the Rings looks: Queen Arwen; Aragorn; Witch King; Legolas; Gandalf; Other charactersand accessories
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
I had to include a book from one of my favorite authors—and given its
popularity, The Princess Diaries was
an obvious choice. What girl doesn’t like dressing up like a Princess? The good
news is, Princess Mia is anything but perfect, so you won’t have to worry if
your tiara ends up a little askew. Pick this theme and give yourself the royal
treatment this Halloween.
What the Spell? by Brittany Geragotelis
Okay, I know the book’s
not out yet—but that just means that no one will steal your costume idea! There
are a ton of different, over-the-top characters in my new book What the Spell? that would be perfect to
dress up as for Halloween. The book is about Brooklyn, a teen witch who wants
to be popular and find love. After giving herself a magical makeover, she earns
the attention of the popular group of kids—called The Elite—as well as the
affection of the super-hot Asher. But it’s not long before she learns that you
have to be careful what you witch
for.
Get Brooklyn’s look: Black pleather or stretch pants; black tank or long-sleeved top; blond wig
Or go as a group: The Elite
Get Wheatley’s Look: Tight muscle tee; Jeans; baseball cap;
menacing look
Get Rhodes’ Look: Smart-lookingsweater or cardigan; Slacks
Summary of What the Spell?: Brooklyn Sparks is invisible. Because
she’s not a popular kid or an ubernerd, Brooklyn is stuck somewhere in the
middle of the high school food chain. But all of that is about to change.
On the eve of her sixteenth birthday,
Brooklyn comes of age as a witch. Her strict parents finally unbind her powers,
and along with giving herself an instant makeover, Brooklyn discovers her true
gift: She was born into a line of magical matchmakers.
After spending so long being overlooked,
Brooklyn’s getting exactly what she wants, including entrée into the elite
crowd and her crush’s undivided attention. But there’s a price to pay. The use
of her powers puts Brooklyn in the same dangerous position as her Salem
ancestors—if anyone finds out who she really is and what she can do, her life
is over. Now that she has everything she’s ever wanted, Brooklyn has everything
to lose.
*****
Website: http://www.brittanygeragotelis.com
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2 comments:
Literary costumes are the best! This is such a fun post.
Fun, fun, fun! Loved the ideas the photos and the links.
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