Literary Halloween costumes

Literary Halloween costumes are soooo much cooler than dressing up as Sarah Palin -- as if everyone and her sister hasn't already thought of her. Bookish costumes are almost endless -- you can go as a character, an author or even an idea.

I'm not sure how you might dress as, say, semiotics, but if you could do it, you would be welcome at the Brooklyn Bookstore McNally Jackson on Friday night. That's when the store is having its second annual literary costume contest.

Inspired by the bookstore's Halloween festivities (or maybe just hoping for a few costume ideas), the New Yorker's Book Bench blog has created a Flickr group for photos of literary Halloween costumes, and the blog would love for you to submit your pics.

Mine -- only one of which has been added -- include my friend Terry, left, dressed as Leonard Maltin. Soon to come is me as Nancy Drew. Too bad no photos survive of the year I dressed in a trashed wedding gown and wore only one shoe -- yes, I was Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations."

See, you knew that, because you're literary, but I did spend an awful lot of time that year explaining. "Creepy dead bride?" partygoers guessed, and the baby powder would fall from my "gray" hair as I shook my head no. The best way to avoid this conundrum is to do as Terry did and bring a book with you as kind of a literary visual aid.

--Carolyn Kellogg

Photo of Terry as Leonard Maltin by Carolyn Kellogg

Comments

[Maggie Hilliard]

Great Leonard Maltin costume! I would have loved to see your Miss Havisham outfit. I totally would have gotten it--in fact, I saw a wedding dress at Goodwill and considered a Havisham costume myself.

Dressing up as literary characters can be tough--we asked DailyLit readers about it this week on our weekly question, and at least one person had the same recognition problem you did (she was dressed, apparently unsuccessfully, as Ophelia).

http://dailylit.com/forums/other/etc/2008/10/26/question-of-the-week-10272008-what-books-scare-you

[Lorna Ruby]

Having worked at bookstores for most of my adult life I have used quite a few literary Halloween costumes over the years, for parties and for when my workday coincided with the holiday. My default has always been Nancy Drew, put on a sweater with a skirt and carry a magnifying glass. My most popular has been the children's book character Captain Underpants, kids and most hip parents have loved this one. Last year I tried another kid's book character, Bunnicula the vampire rabbit- but I had to keep explaining it. A dog in our store did try to grab my bunny tail off of me when I bent down and that was a funny moment.