It’s about that time, for the one chance a year (unless you’re a lucky convention-goer) for closeted geeks like us get to legitimately don our Hogwarts robes or elfish gowns and party in the streets – the Muggles will never be any wiser! But with only a week to go, maybe some of you are starting to sweat about finding that all-important costume…? Let Hypable help you out with some suggestions!

Divided into categories for your convenience, and with useful costume seller/inspiration links where possible:

The classic:

Though you might not win the prize for the most original costume of the night, you can never go wrong with these classic fandom-themed costumes! Show your Hogwarts pride with a cloak and House colours of your choice, and use your assets (and by that I mean hairstyle) to put a Ginny/Hermione/Luna flair to the costume! And along the same lines, think of the one costume that’ll reason with guys (geeks or otherwise) everywhere – there’s a reason the Princess Leia episode of Friends is considered one it its finest!

The timeless:

There are some costumes that, no matter how many years pass, will never go out of style. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of them – she never stops being the epitome of girl power! Of course there are many ways to be Buffy, but personally I think her most iconic outfit was probably the red leather trousers and black top! For something a bit edgier, go with Morticia Addams, who everyone will undoubtedly remember from their childhood but won’t necessarily have thought about for a long time. Evoking a sense of shared nostalgia is a great way to make friends. And finally, there will never be a time when Uma Thurman’s iconic Kill Bill look will be forgotten. It’s kickass, skin-tight and timelessly epic.

The cliché:

I know, the boys doing Hero Hype won’t thank me for this, but come on. It may be sexy, but Catwoman, Supergirl and their genre sisters are old news at this point. While they can be potentially very sexy and make you feel like you can fly, no one will congratulate you on a great costume idea! That said, with the new Batman film looming, being Catwoman will give you plenty of small talk topics to avoid those awkward silences!

The overkill:

And speaking of defying gravity… some people just need to go that extra mile to make themselves stand out. If you are one of them, consider these awesome, completely transformational costumes like Avatar‘s Neytiri or Wicked‘s Elphaba (depending on your favourite colour, maybe). It’s a lot of work, but you’re sure to be noticed and recognized! And then of course there is any variation of a Lady Gaga costume – bonus points if you can pull off that raw meat suit!

The ironic:

I didn’t put this in with the other superheroine costumes because really, if you can recreate Adrianne Palicki’s iconic Wonder Woman costume, you won’t only be hot stuff but you’ll also be making a very sophisticated reference to the TV show that almost was. And of course, if we’re being cute, why not put a modern spin on an old classic and try to twist your old Red Riding Hood costume into an Amanda Seyfried style?

The timely:

Looking for something current, a reflection of the times? While The Hunger Games‘ Katniss may still be a bit obscure, you’ll know that the people who recognize you are cool, and even if no one does, it’s just generally a kickass costume. I’m betting there’ll be a lot of Katnisses this year in fandom circles though, so make sure you check with your fellow Hunger Games fans so you don’t overlap! If I was to make an educated guess, I’d also say there’s gonna be a lot of Game of Thrones fans running around as Daenerys – the costume is sexy, instantly recognizable, and Dany is such an awesome character that everyone will admire you for wanting to be her for the night. You’ll be the Khaleesi of the party for sure.

Feel inspired? Got a better idea? What are you dressing up as for Halloween? Let us know, and have a ‘Halluva’ good time!