Halloween grows near and if you haven’t started thinking about what alter-ego you’re going to take on this year, now’s the time to start. Fortunately, there are plenty of quick and easy costume ideas to mine from TVs current lineup of shows. Here are just a few low-degree of difficulty options to explore.
Finn
Cartoons made the leap from children’s entertainment to legitimate medium for adults long ago. Cartoon characters are distinctive and unforgettable which makes them great Halloween costume fodder and few cartoon characters on TV right now are quite as memorable as Finn, the star of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time.
Pulling off Finn is a pretty low difficulty affair. The base of your costume should be a simple blue t-shirt, jean shorts, black shoes and white socks rolled down to the ankle. Finn’s green backpack is another important accessory you can probably find at a local thrift store.
But the most difficult to find and essential piece of any genuine Finn costume is his iconic, pillow-like white hat. You can also grab a Finn Helmet Hat from Amazon or make your own. Just be aware that no Finn costume is complete without the hat.
Dexter Morgan
The show Dexter has been on the radar for quite awhile now, so plenty of Halloween parties have featured a Dexter or two already. But, while you’re not going to gain much in the way of originality points, Dexter is an easy, recognizable costume that can be thrown together in a pinch.
Most of what you’ll need is already in your closet-a short sleeve button down shirt with dull stripes or a tropical pattern and some plain looking blue jeans or khaki pants. Just be sure that whatever outfit you choose, you’re willing to ruin it in the name of Halloween costume authenticity.
That’s because the key to any good Dexter costume is fake blood and lots of it. Fake blood should be available at any costume shop and there are plenty of “recipes” online if you want to make your own batch. Just be sure to apply the finished product liberally. Splatter it on your shirt, pour it on your pants, splash it on your face-there really is no such thing as too much gore in Dexter’s case.
You can also find a replica Dexter shirt from the show and other accessories from Amazon.
Leonard Hofstadter & Sheldon Cooper
The Big Bang Theory’s dynamic duo also offers up pretty easy to execute Halloween costumes. Chances are, if you watch The Big Bang Theory, you probably already have most of the components in your closet.
Channeling Leonard or Sheldon requires bright colors, layers and a super hero themed item or two.
Get your costume off on the right foot with the brightest long-sleeved undershirt you can find. Couple it with a short-sleeve over-shirt featuring a legendary DC Comics hero, preferably Flash or the The Green Lantern Logo With Striped Sleeves T-Shirt. Top it all off with an equally bright zip up hoodie that clashes with everything else in your ensemble.
Voila! You transformation into television’s version of an experimental physicist is complete.
The Doctor
Few shows can boast a longer run then Doctor Who’s nearly 33 seasons. It’s a gold mine for Halloween costume ideas, considering that eleven different actors have played the titular Doctor and each have had their own unique style.
The current Doctor, played by Matt Smith, is a relatively easy character to mimic. All you need is red suspenders, dark jeans, black boots, a brown tweed blazer and a bow tie to complete the look.
Want to really drive your costume home? Track down a replica of the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver and fez.
Never heard of the British science fiction phenomenon that is Doctor Who? Check out Timelordology 101 for a great introduction.
Peter Bruzzini writes about TV and popular culture, and loves Halloween more than any other holiday.
