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Best vampire costume

Which vampire costume is best?

Vampire costumes are enduringly popular for Halloween. Whether your inspiration is more Bram Stoker or Anne Rice, there's a rich tradition of vampire books, films, myths and legends to work from.

Classic vampire costumes are the most common, but you can opt for something more contemporary. If you're looking for a standout costume and don't mind buying accessories separately, the Colorful House Plus-Size Medieval Dress is ideal.

What to know before you buy a vampire costume

Kids vs. adults

You can find both Halloween costumes for kids and adult costumes. So it's equally good news if you're looking to dress as a vampire or you're looking for a costume for your child.

  • Kids costumes: Kids vampire costumes are usually spooky but not too scary. You can find them in a range of sizes to fit babies, toddlers, little kids and big kids.
  • Adult costumes: Adults' vampire costumes are usually moderately spooky, but they can be more scary, gory or revealing than kids versions.

Costume contents

Vampire costumes can consist of various types of clothing. There are no hard-and-fast rules about who can wear what, but make sure you know what you're getting and that you're happy with it. Also, be aware that some costumes may require you to supply some of your own clothes, such as your own pants or skirt.

  • Dress: Some vampire outfits feature dresses. These are usually long and flowing with a gothic flair, but they can be short.
  • Pants: Pants are usually black and simple, but they can be of poor quality in cheap costumes, so you may prefer an option where you supply your own pants.
  • Top: Frilly white shirts and waistcoats are typical of vampire costumes. Sometimes these are combined into one garment.
  • Cape: Although you don't need a cape for a vampire costume, it can help complete the look.

Accessories

Some costumes come with all the accessories you need, but in some cases you must buy them separately.

  • Fangs: Fangs transform a vampire costume, but cheap plastic ones can be uncomfortable to wear. If you're serious about your costume, consider buying fangs that adhere to your canine teeth.
  • Fake blood: Some carefully placed fake blood adds a more horrific effect to your vampire look.
  • Makeup and effects: You might choose to use makeup to complete your outfit. You can also buy transfers and prosthetics to transform your brow if you want to dress as a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" vampire.

What to look for in a quality vampire costume

Flourishes

The little flourishes in a costume turn it from basic to breathtaking. Frilly shirt collars, stand-up cape collars, antique-style buttons, bell sleeves and lace detailing all add to the outfit's appearance.

Colors

Most costumes are black, red and a touch of white feature widely in vampire outfits. If you want a classic costume, it's best to stick to this color palette, but it's also fine to break the rules.

How much you can expect to spend on a vampire costume

Basic kids' costumes can cost less than $20, while the most elaborate options cost over $100.

Vampire costume FAQ

How do you make a simple vampire costume?

A. If you want to make a simple vampire costume or are on a strict budget, a cape and a pair of fangs go a long way. Wear them with a basic black outfit and you can easily transform yourself into a creature of the night.

How do you make your face pale like a vampire?

A. In most stories and legends, vampires can't go out in daylight, so they're often characterized as having pale skin. Of course, this isn't necessarily accurate (hypothetically speaking), since vampires could have any natural skin tone and come from any ethnic background. However, if you want to make your complexion paler as part of your vampire costume, use a pale foundation or even white face paint.

What do vampires wear?

A. Most vampire costumes focus on traditional Victorian style, such as long, flowing dresses or dress pants, shirts and waistcoats. This helps make costumes instantly recognizable. That said, if vampires were real, they wouldn't necessarily dress in fashions from centuries past. In modern vampire movies and TV shows, they often dress in contemporary clothes. So, with the right accessories, you could dress as a vampire in your street clothes.

What’s the best vampire costume to buy?

Top vampire costume

Colorful House Plus-Size Medieval Dress

What you need to know: Although it isn't explicitly a vampire costume, its black and wine-red velvet and hooded design make it perfect with the right accessories.

What you’ll love: It has gorgeous detailing, such as bell sleeves and a laced bodice. It looks vampiric in black and deep red with a gold trim, but there's also a dark green version. You can choose from sizes M-3XL.

What you should consider: The material is somewhat thin and slightly translucent, so you may want to wear a tank top and shorts underneath.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top vampire costume for the money

Lingway Toys Kids Vampire of Darkness Costume

What you need to know: With a shirt and waistcoat and cape, you just need to add black pants and fangs to complete the look.

What you’ll love: There's nice attention to detail, such as the antique-style buttons and cape fastening. It comes in a range of sizes to fit kids roughly 3 to 14 years old.

What you should consider: Pants aren't included, so you'll need to find suitable ones.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

California Costumes Child Royal Vampire Costume

What you need to know: The dramatic sleeves and collar make this vampire costume stand out.

What you’ll love: The black-and-red dress is elegant and looks fit for a creature of darkness. It also comes with a cameo choker to nicely complete the look. Sizes range from kids S-XXL, to fit kids from around ages 6 to 8, through to teenagers.

What you should consider: It's slightly long, so it may need to be taken up for younger and shorter kids.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

 

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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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