Tim Burton Inspired Couples' Costumes

Tim Burton's fun characters inspire endless costuming at Halloween and at conventions. Here are four great couple's costume options based on his movies:

Beetlejuice: Betelgeuse and Lydia Deetz

This is one creepy, but very popular, couple that calls for fun, outrageous hair styling.

To Dress as Lydia, you can choose from one of two options: 1.) You can present yourself as the gothic version of young Lydia in a draping black outfit or 2.) You can find a red, lacy dress that can substitute as the wedding dress from the wedding scene in the movie. The best place to shop for these clothing items is a second-hand store or a site where used clothing items are available, such as www.ebay.com . Variation is fine; don't expect to make the costume look exactly like an outfit from the movie. Focus on capturing Lydia's one-of-a-kind hair style (pointing bangs and high ponytail included). From that alone, people will be able to recognize you.

For Beetlejuice (Betelgeuse), there are more options at your disposal. While you could buy a second-hand, solid black men's suit and add the white stripes with white tape, there are plenty of options on the web. Because it has been around for so many years, the Beetlejuice costume is available in numerous stores. Online, Amazon has a great selection of Beetlejuice suits for all sizes. Also, this site offers the costume at various prices, depending on the quality of the costume:

http://www.buycostumes.com/Beetlejuice-Adult-Costume/33058/ProductDetail.aspx?REF=AFC-datafeed&AID=10273928&PID=2100672&SID=NAT893196-sc25498461

Corpse Bride: Emily and Victor

Shy Victor and dead Emily make a great pair to dress as, and the distinct Corpse Bride costume is easy for fellow party-goers to recognize.

Emily, the Corpse Bride, inspires an elegant, yet ghastly, costume that's available in many seasonal costume shops, as well as online costume stores. It's available in many sizes and variations. You get what you pay for in this case: her costume ranges from around $35 to about $150 depending on how well the costume is made. Accessorize the costume with a veil, wig, and/or dead bouquet. All of these items are available online; however, some of them can be made at home. The dead bouquet of flowers, for example, would be very easy to make with spray-painted fake flowers.

For great Corpse Bride costumes, I suggest doing a search at www.Amazon.com or visiting

http://www.costumecraze.com/Movie-Costumes-Corpse-Bride-Costumes.html .

Victor's costume is one that would probably be easier to find outside of the costume shop. I suggest finding a reference picture online and shopping at thrift stores for the appropriate costume pieces. For Victor's costume, you'll need striped trousers of a color between blue gray and brown, a white button-up shirt with a collar that can be lifted, a hip-length blue, buttoned jacket that resembles a "frock coat" with a collar, and a blue tie/scarf to tie around your upturned collar and stuff into your jacket. Or, you can choose to go as Victor in a groom's costume. Just keep in mind that the movie was set during the Victorian period, so your costume should reflect that in some way. For more info on Victorian costume, or to order individual pieces of the costume, visit http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/gentlemans.php .

Nightmare Before Christmas:Jack and Sally

Jack and Sally are probably Burton's most beloved couple, and their costumes are very easy to find.

Jack Skellington's costume can be bought with or without a mask at a number of locations. At most sites, however, it will be sold without the mask. Here's one place where you can find the mask:

http://www.buycostumes.com/Jack-Skellington-Mask/10678/ProductDetail.aspx . If you choose not to wear/buy the mask, you can simply substitute using white and black cream to fill in the mouth stitches and wide eyes.

Sally's costume is also available at several online costume shops. Most of the costumes come with stitched skin gloves. To fill in the skin not covered (including the face), I recommend simply drawing the stitches in over creamy blue-painted skin. Sally's wig usually comes with the costume, but at some sites, it's available as a separate purchase. Craftier Sally fans might opt to make their own out of orange and red yarn. One site that offers Sally costumes in both regular and plus sizes is http://www.buycostumes.com/The-Nightmare-Before-Christmas-Sally-Adult-Costume/10873/ProductDetail.aspx .

Also, this site has both costumes, as well as many other couple selections, available: http://www.nightmarefactory.com/couples.html

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett

This crazy couple has inspired a variety of costumes available on the web. Buycostumes.com has the most costumes available for both characters:

Sweeney: http://www.buycostumes.com/Sweeney-Todd-Adult-Costume/60164/ProductDetail.aspx?REF=AFC-datafeed&AID=10273928&PID=2100672&SID=NAT893196-sc25498580

Mrs. Lovett: http://www.buycostumes.com/Mrs-Lovett-Adult-Costume/60166/ProductDetail.aspx?REF=AFC-datafeed&AID=10273928&PID=2100672&SID=NAT893196-sc25498617

Hair is always a big deal when dressing as a Burton character, and it's especially distinctive in Sweeney Todd. However, it's not that hard to achieve the Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett looks. Both styles begin with major volume. Men with longer hair can achieve Sweeney's look without a wig by beginning with a little teasing, hair glue, and a shot of white/gray spray to one side to signify the streak in Sweeney's crazy mane. Mrs. Lovett's look is curly and piled high on her head.

Both character require only a little make-up. Use a vampire kit for the gray shading on Sweeney's face and under his eyes. Mrs. Lovett's make-up should also be dramatic and give her a tired expression.