Costume Ideas From Wonderland

Every year it can be a struggle to pick out the right costume for Halloween. Where to get ideas? What is going to be trendy this year? What can I buy or make that won't break my bank account (especially crucial for parents)? Hopefully, I can provide you with a few nice ideas for this year's costume based on a theme that's both "tried and true" and "currently hot."

The book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is almost 150 years old now, but still has fans of all ages. Over 20 different film adaptations have already been made since the first, a silent film made in 1903. It has spawned plays, comics, games, and even other books as the years went by, and its principal characters are recognizable to everyone; it's a part of our group culture. But this year more than most, the Alice theme will likely be fresh in people's minds, due to the new live-action film from Disney.

This year's movie was directed by Tim Burton, the director who brought us films like "Edward Scissorhands" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Should you've seen any of Burton's previous films, you realize he makes films that look incredible; he has a very unusual visual style. He is also working with Colleen Atwood, one of the better-known costume designers in Hollywood, with whom he has collaborated many times before. Finally, one of his favorite actors, the incredibly gifted Johnny Depp, is playing the part of perhaps the most distinctive character from the stories (besides Alice herself), the Mad Hatter.

Put it all together: a fantastic story with striking characters, a wonderfully visual director, an excellent costume designer, as well as the astounding talents of Johnny Depp, and you can then imagine what sort of fantastic costume ideas you could get from this movie! Let's do a fast rundown of the major characters along with the basics of their costumes:

Alice herself is usually portrayed as wearing a powder-blue dress with an apron. This year's Alice looks somewhat different (no apron, for example) but you'll find plenty of options for both when you look. That is a great girl's wonderland costume or teen wonderland costume, and there probably are lots of options for sexier womens Alice costumes. One thing to think about is that while Alice is the title character, she is definitely not the most gripping character. She's really more of an observer; the characters from Wonderland are of course the most gripping.

The Mad Hatter will probably be your best bet for a men's wonderland costume, though there are plenty of variations for women and kids, too. The most crucial part of the costume, of course, is the hat -- be sure to include a card tucked in the band that has the hat's price: "10/6" (10 schillings and 6 pence). You'll need a wild, frizzy orange or red wig to go under the hat, a weathered topcoat and suit, and the biggest, most flamboyant tie you can actually find.

The Red Queen (often called the Queen of Hearts) is probably the most striking women's costume you can take from Alice in Wonderland. A red dress with playing-card or heart accents is your starting point, combined with makeup based on the film, and of course a crown and lots of attitude. Practice shouting "off with their heads!"

The White Rabbit is the first character Alice meets, as well as the costume can work for men, women, children, as well as toddlers and infants. You simply need a white bunny costume, combined with a vest, a top hat, and a pocket watch! The March Hare and the White Rabbit are sometimes confused one with the other, but they are very different characters -- substitute a teacup and saucer for the pocket watch, and possibly go with a brown rabbit costume instead.

The Cheshire Cat makes a great choice also. The cat costume could be anything from a full-body cat to just accessory ears, whiskers and tail; the most crucial part is going to be the makeup. Be sure to put a big makeup smile on and people will know exactly who you are.

Pick up a copy of the film between now and Halloween, and watch it for ideas. There are other characters that would make great costumes that we don't enter into detail about in this article: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the White Queen, the Knave of Hearts, even the Caterpillar. Plenty of other articles are posted on the subject here and there, and dedicated websites such as the Wonderland Costume Shop or the Mad Hatter Costume Shop have collected some of the best costumes posted for purchase on the web.

Carly V. Ackley writes on a whole range of topics from programming to movies and books. She also provides consulting services in Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. Current customers include the Wonderland Costume Shop and the Mad Hatter Costume Shop