You have two problems: 1) you desperately need a Halloween costume that advertises your Harry Potter nerdery to everyone around you, 2) you don’t want to go down the “sexy schoolgirl” route. What do you do? You bust out one of these brilliant ideas!
1. Adult professional Quidditch player Ginny.
We don’t have a lot of information on her uniform or anything, so you have total freedom to put together your own interpretation. Just make sure you make your head red, you carry a broom, and you exude attitude.
2. Tom Riddle’s diary
Here’s a simple idea that works at the office, at school, or for any scenario when you want to rock a costume without getting too over-the-top. Throw a black cardigan, blazer, or zip-up (to represent the leather binding) over a white t-shirt. Use a Sharpie to write quotes from Tom all over the shirt. If you’re feeling particularly ballsy, add a circle of ink blood to the middle of the shirt and say you just got stabbed by a fang.
3. Sexy Veela
They’re basically just women who are terrifyingly beautiful in magic proportions. Wear whatever you would normally wear and let people know you’re related to Fleur Delacour.
4. Dementor on vacation
Dig that old black hood out of your closet from last Halloween. Put it on over your shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. Hanging out at Azkaban all day can be exhausting, you know?
5. Talking portrait
You can go full-out and dress in a suit of armor or a bloody Victorian gown, or you can take the more chill road and just dress like yourself. Carry around a picture frame with the glass punched out (or craft one out of cardboard!) and ham it up for anyone who approaches you. Ask people for the password to enter any room.
6. The Elder Wand
Wear head-to-toe black. Pull your long hair into a ponytail. Take tiny rubber bands and space them out all the way down your hair to create the bumpy shape of the wand. Cause all kinds of trouble and make sure you switch masters a couple of times throughout the day.
7. The Snitch
Any cheap costume wings that used to make you a fairy or an angel will do the trick! Throw them on with a gold shirt or dress. Write “I open at the close” on a headband or any other accessory. Jitter around all day and don’t let anyone catch you.
8. Crookshanks
The perfect use for that pair of cat ears that any weirdo (like myself) has lying around! Anyone who tries to tell you you’re boring can go ahead and suck it. You’re not just any old cat. You’re a badass cat. Wearing a name tag that says “Property of Hermione Granger” won’t hurt, either.
9. Femme Hagrid
Don’t do a single thing to your bushy hair. Don’t get a lip wax. Don’t worry about any stains, tatters, or animal hairs on your clothes. Own that grungy gamekeeper style and do it with your own little feminine twist.
10. Pumpkin juice
Follow our tutorial for dressing like the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Tell people you’re pumpkin juice. Look at you go!
Click here to see more great Halloween costume ideas!
All photos from WB’s Harry Potter franchise (2001-2021) unless otherwise specified.