Cover From Victorian governesses and ancient Greek suitors to witches, scientists and post-apocalyptic pilots, these book character Halloween costumes are worth the effort (Photo: IMDb)
From Victorian governesses and ancient Greek suitors to witches, scientists and post-apocalyptic pilots, these book character Halloween costumes are worth the effort (Photo: IMDb)
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These book Halloween character costumes take cues from memorable on-screen looks, from Carrie’s prom dress to Egg’s medieval travelling clothes
Halloween costumes based on books do not have to rely on the most obvious witches, vampires or fantasy heroes. Some of the most recognisable ideas come from characters whose wardrobes are rooted in a particular period, profession, setting or personality. Screen adaptations make these details especially useful because costume designers turn descriptions from the page into clothes, accessories and silhouettes that can be recreated outside the film or series.
This year, several literary characters have particularly distinctive screen wardrobes. Florence Pugh’s Cathy Ames in Netflix’s East of Eden moves through carefully constructed period looks, while Lili Reinhart’s Olive Smith in The Love Hypothesis gets a wardrobe that combines lab coats with floral dresses and trainers. Meanwhile, The Dog Stars, Victorian Psycho, The Odyssey, Margo’s Got Money Troubles and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms have all recently brought literary characters to the screen with looks that translate neatly into Halloween dressing. Older adaptations still offer plenty of options too, from the Owens sisters’ 1990s witchy wardrobes in Practical Magic to Carrie White’s unmistakable pink prom dress.
The best book character costumes are often built from a few specific details rather than an elaborate replica. A recognisable dress, coat, hairstyle or accessory can establish the character without requiring an entire wardrobe. These nine looks show how to recreate the visual language of the characters while keeping the costume practical enough for an evening out.
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Cathy Ames, ‘East of Eden’ by John Steinbeck
Florence Pugh’s Cathy Ames has several distinct looks in Netflix’s 2026 adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, making her one of the more flexible book character costumes on this list. Costume designer Kirsty Cameron developed Cathy’s wardrobe to change as her circumstances do, drawing on historical photographs and paintings.
For a recognisable Halloween version, take inspiration from Cathy’s later incarnation as Kate. Her wardrobe becomes more controlled and sophisticated, with cleaner lines, a severe palette and less decoration. The character also wears jewellery and keepsakes connected to men in her life, adding small personal details to otherwise edited outfits.
For an earlier version of Cathy, a long period dress with faded colouring works better. After meeting Adam Trask, she wears dresses belonging to his deceased mother, giving these outfits a deliberately worn quality. Her wedding dress, meanwhile, is comparatively simple and elegant.
Recreate the look: Choose a long vintage-style dress, understated jewellery and a neat hairstyle. For the Kate version, switch to a fitted black dress or skirt-and-blouse combination and add a few pieces of jewellery.
Olive Smith, ‘The Love Hypothesis’ by Ali Hazelwood
Olive Smith’s wardrobe in the 2026 screen adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis is particularly easy to translate into a Halloween costume because it combines recognisable everyday pieces with her identity as a biology PhD student.
Costume designer Myriam Hanahem worked with Lili Reinhart on a wardrobe that includes crop tops, floral prints, lab coats and Adidas trainers. A red Isabel Marant cardigan became an important reference point for Olive’s colour palette, while other outfits include a green floral Reformation mini dress, a green cardigan and a white lace-trimmed top.
Recreate the look: Wear a floral mini dress or crop top with trainers, then add a white lab coat. For a more immediately recognisable Olive Smith costume, carry a notebook or research papers and make the red cardigan the key piece.
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Sally and Gillian Owens, ‘Practical Magic’ by Alice Hoffman
Sally and Gillian Owens offer two versions of the same witchy wardrobe, making Practical Magic particularly useful for couples or friends looking for coordinated book character costumes.
Costume designer Judianna Makovsky deliberately gave the sisters different styles. Sally, played by Sandra Bullock, has a more understated wardrobe built around jeans, casual tops, floral pieces and comfortable clothing. One of her defining items is a green velvet leaf-embroidered sweater, while another memorable combination pairs light-wash denim with a simple top. Gillian, played by Nicole Kidman, has a more dramatic 1990s wardrobe influenced by Stevie Nicks and Marianne Faithfull. Her clothes include vintage slip dresses, velvet, long skirts and substantial jewellery.
Gillian’s green velvet dress is particularly distinctive. Makovsky reconstructed an existing garment and combined fabrics to create the final screen version, while Sally’s clothes were deliberately more ordinary.
Recreate the look: For Sally, wear light-wash jeans, a simple top, cardigan and boots. For Gillian, choose a green velvet slip dress, long red hair and layered jewellery. Together, the contrast makes the sisters immediately readable.
Hig, ‘The Dog Stars’ by Peter Heller
Hig from Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars is a useful option for anyone who wants a costume that looks like ordinary clothing rather than a conventional Halloween outfit. Jacob Elordi plays Hig in Ridley Scott’s 2026 film adaptation, and costume designer Janty Yates built his wardrobe around clothes suited to a mechanic and pilot living in a post-apocalyptic environment.
One of Hig’s key looks consists of loose utility trousers marked with oil and mud, a faded navy T-shirt over a once-white long-sleeved henley and a moss-green Carhartt jacket. Yates specifically imagined Hig as someone who would wear Carhartt, reflecting his practical background.
The clothes are intentionally worn rather than styled to look new. The production created multiple versions of the garments and matched their stains, rips and weathered appearance so Hig could maintain a limited wardrobe throughout the film.
Recreate the look: Start with loose work trousers, a navy T-shirt, a white or cream henley and a green work jacket. Add sturdy boots and lightly distress the clothes with washable dirt or fabric-safe marks.
Carrie, ‘Carrie’ by Stephen King
Carrie White’s wardrobe has changed considerably across the screen adaptations of Stephen King’s novel. Sissy Spacek’s pale pink prom dress in Brian De Palma’s 1976 film remains the most recognisable version, with its simple satin silhouette and understated styling. The 2013 adaptation starring Chloë Grace Moretz took a different approach, with costume designer Luis Sequeira creating a 1930s-influenced bias-cut dress inspired by vintage pattern books.
The latest version, Mike Flanagan’s 2026 Prime Video series starring Summer H. Howell, brings Carrie into the present day. Rather than reproducing the visual language of the earlier films, the series gives her a contemporary high-school wardrobe. First-look images show Howell in a long-sleeved top, vest and long green skirt, with the styling reflecting a teenager who has spent most of her life isolated from the outside world. Costume designer Tammy Joe is credited for the series.
The new adaptation also retains the familiar prom sequence, making the bloodied prom look an alternative a Halloween costume while keeping the everyday school outfit distinctly modern.
Recreate the look: For the classic Carrie, choose a pale pink satin dress with a simple silhouette and add a prom corsage. For the 2026 version, pair a long-sleeved top with a vest and long green skirt, keeping the styling deliberately modest and contemporary. For either version, washable theatrical blood can reference the character’s climactic prom appearance.
Winifred Notty, ‘Victorian Psycho’ by Virginia Feito
Winifred Notty, the governess at the centre of Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho, arrives on screen in Zachary Wigon’s 2026 adaptation as a respectable Victorian governess with a darker side. Maika Monroe plays Winifred, who arrives at the Pounds family’s Ensor House with a letter of recommendation and takes responsibility for their children. Costume designer Allison Byrne created the film’s period wardrobe, which establishes the formal world of the household while reflecting its gothic setting.
For a recognisable Halloween version, focus on the restrained silhouette of a 19th-century governess: a dark, modest dress with a high neckline and long skirt, paired with simple period accessories. A carpet bag is another useful detail, echoing Winifred’s arrival at Ensor House. The overall effect should be formal and understated rather than ornate, reflecting the character’s respectable appearance when she first enters the household.
Recreate the look: Wear a dark Victorian-style high-neck dress with a long skirt and simple period shoes. Keep the hair neatly pinned up and carry a structured carpet bag. For a more theatrical interpretation, add subtle gothic details while keeping the basic governess silhouette intact.
Antinous, ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer
Robert Pattinson’s Antinous gives The Odyssey one of its most distinctive male costumes. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick deliberately avoided a conventional sword-and-sandals approach for Christopher Nolan’s 2026 adaptation, using linen, leather and bronze as the foundation for a more timeless interpretation of the ancient world.
Antinous, one of Penelope’s suitors, is dressed to stand out from Odysseus and his worn-down crew. His courtly costume includes gleaming metallic decoration, intricate brass embellishments, an abbreviated kilt-like overskirt and over-the-knee Greek sandals. Mirojnick describes him as the film’s “peacock”, while his costume includes silver-plated ornamentation and a particularly short skirt.
Recreate the look: Start with a short ancient-Greek-inspired tunic or wrap skirt, then add metallic or bronze-toned embellishments, leather sandals and statement jewellery. Keep the costume polished rather than battle-worn.
Margo Millet, ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ by Rufi Thorpe
The screen version of Margo Millet, played by Elle Fanning in Apple TV’s adaptation of Rufi Thorpe’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles, offers several costume possibilities. Costume designer Mirren Gordon-Crozier designed Margo’s wardrobe to reflect her progression from university student to new mother and online creator, while keeping a playful element throughout.
One of the easiest looks to recreate comes from Margo’s everyday wardrobe: a vintage or oversized denim jacket, casual top, white lace skirt and cowboy boots. Gordon-Crozier identifies the denim jacket, white lace skirt, red tassel jacket and cowboy boots as recurring hero pieces in Margo’s wardrobe.
For a more theatrical version, recreate her Hungry Ghost persona. The alter ego uses teal body paint, silver spandex, a clear vinyl mini skirt, chunky boots and a DIY cone-shaped bra. The costume designer deliberately made it look homemade, drawing on 1960s science-fiction imagery and using accessible materials.
Recreate the look: For Margo herself, combine a denim jacket, lace skirt and boots. For Hungry Ghost, use teal body paint with a silver outfit, clear plastic details and futuristic accessories.
Egg, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ by George R.R. Martin
Egg is one of the more character-specific book character costumes because his appearance in HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is built around concealing his identity. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, the series follows Egg as he travels with Ser Duncan the Tall while hiding the fact that he is a Targaryen prince.
Costume designer Lorna Ó Ríordáin dressed Egg in travelling clothes that help him blend into the world around him. His early look is deliberately simple, with a distinctive textile pattern and garments suited to life on the road. Once his royal identity is revealed, his clothing changes to reflect his Targaryen heritage.
The shaved head remains the most immediately recognisable detail for a Halloween costume, while the travelling clothes establish him as a young squire rather than a prince. A dark hood or cloak can reinforce the disguised identity, although the key idea is simplicity rather than elaborate medieval costume.
Recreate the look: Start with a bald cap and simple medieval-style travelling clothes in muted tones. Add a dark hooded cloak or cape and a plain leather belt. If you want to emphasise Egg’s role as a squire, carry a wooden practice sword. Keep the outfit practical and understated rather than adding royal or heavily decorated details.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
