Let’s face it Tim Burton is the king of strange, dark, and gothic-style movies. His list of credits includes some of the most iconic movies ever made. Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Nightmare Before Christmas to name a few. What makes his movies so compelling is the quirky and creative characters that are created with each film. Tim Burton’s characters give Halloween and Cosplay enthusiasts an endless source of inspiration and ideas every year.
We have combed over his producing credits to find the best and most creative characters to dress up as this year. We have full costume links and key items you will need to piece each outfit together. Here is the full list of Tim Burton Costume Ideas.
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1) Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a Tim Burton classic and Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands is a remarkable performance. His look is one of the hardest Burton characters to replicate if you choose his dark gothic outfit. I would prefer to dress up as his “preppy” look with a classic white button-down shirt and black suspenders. The main pieces you will need to complete an Edward Scissorhands costume are:
1) Halloween Scissorhands
2) Black Gothic Wig
3) Pale Makeup Cream
4) White Button Down Shirt
5) Black Suspenders
2) Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice has to be the most popular Halloween costume for Tim Burton characters. It’s much easier to pull off compared to Edward Scissorhands and you have full costume outfits as options. The main costume pieces you will need for Beetlejuice are:
1) Black and White Striped Suit
2) Beetlejuice Hair Wig
3) Beetlejuice Full Face Mask
4) Nasty Beetlejuice Teeth
Other Beetlejuice Options
Shrunken Head Beetlejuice Costume
Women’s Beetlejuice Costume
3) Penguin
One of Tim Burton’s most underrated characters is his version of The Penguin in Batman Returns. Played by the great Danny Devito his character is vicious and ugly but makes an excellent Halloween costume. Here are the main pieces you need for a Batman Penguin costume:
1) Black Top Hat
2) Black Tailcoat Jacket with Vest
3) Adult Fat Suit
4) Pointy Fake Nose
5) Checkered Suspenders
4) Catwoman
Also from the same Batman Returns movie we give you Catwoman who in my opinion was the best version of the character in the franchise. Her outfit is a classic black leather one-piece with white stitching. The full costume is an amazing replica but here are some pieces to put it together yourself:
1) Spandex Black Jumpsuit
2) Cat Ears and Facemask
3) Black Leather Long Gloves
4) Faux Leather Black Whip
Other Catwoman Options
3 Piece Frisky Feline Costume
Vixen Catwoman With Garter
5) Jack Skellington
When searching for Tim Burton costume inspiration you will no doubt see Jack Skellington on almost everyone’s character list. He’s unavoidable come Halloween time but his costume is not easy to put together. Your best bet is to just buy a full costume to be honest but here are some pieces you can use for Jack Skellington:
1) Jack Skellington T-Shirt
2) Jack Skellington Full Face Mask
3) Zebra Striped Suit and Bowtie
Other Options For Jack
Women’s Jack Skellington Dress
Children’s Skellington Costume
6) Sally
Jack’s co-star from the Nightmare Before Christmas is Sally and she is a popular Tim Burton costume for women. She has some really amazing costume ideas that are bright and colorful. If you are a good seamstress you might even be able to make her dress yourself. Here are some key Sally costume pieces:
1) Sally Cosplay Dress
2) Sally Makeup Kit and Scars
3) Sally Blue Leggings
Other Sally Options
Girls Sally Costume
7) Mars Attacks Aliens
Mars Attacks is not one of Tim Burton’s most famous movies but it does have some great, quirky characters to draw costume inspiration from. The obvious ones are the Aliens. Here are some great items to piece together the Aliens from Mars Attacks:
1) Mars Attacks Alien Mask
2) Green Spandex Bodysuit
3) Fake Alien Toy Gun
8) Martian Madame
The other standout character from Mars Attacks is Martian Madame or Martian Girl whose outfit is a head-turner. You might have to explain who you are but it will be worth it as you will be the standout of any Halloween party. Here are the items you will need:
1) Pink Swirls Long Dress
2) Beehive Blonde Wig
3) Dark Red Lipstick
4) Shiny Red Purse
9) The Riddler
As you would expect Jim Carrey played the most over-the-top Riddler in Tim Burton’s Batman Forever. His costume matches his personality and lights up the room with color. Here are the key pieces you need for The Riddler:
1) Green Eye Mask
2) Orange Haired Wig
3) Skull Cane
4) Riddler Suit Jacket
10) Corpse Bride
The Corpse Bride is another hit animation movie by Tim Burton. The main female character is the Corpse Bride and her costume is beautiful. It’s the wedding dress of the dead and perfect for any Halloween party or event. Here are the items you will need to make it happen:
1) Veil, Blue Wig and Flower Crown
2) Corpse Bride Makeup Kit
3) Gothic Victorian Dress
More Costume Ideas: