As any true Harry Potter fan knows, it doesn’t have to be Halloween for us to geek out, brainstorm some Harry Potter costume ideas, and have a HP-themed extravaganza. From brave Gryffindors to cunning Slytherins, memorable professors, and even more memorable pets, there are a ton of Harry Potter costumes ideas you can try this year. Wear your house colors or turn into your favorite character – it’s up to you! Here you will find everything you need to start!
We’ve put together some cool Harry Potter costume ideas ranging from basic ones that you don’t have to put a lot of work into to out of this world options that everyone will swoon over. We’ve also included shout outs to talented creators on Instagram who nailed their respective costumes so that you can get inspired. If you want more ideas on how to rock a Harry Potter costume outside the canonic realm, don’t forget to check out the best Harry Potter fanfiction stories we found for you this year! I mean… Hermione in a Slytherin outfit? Yes, please! Ron in a chicken suit? Wait, what? Hold your broom, we’ll get there soon enough!
Harry Potter Costume Ideas for Beginners
For people who don’t feel like dressing up that much or for people who want to go all out. Check out the Harry Potter costume ideas below and tell us which one you would wear at the next cosplay contest!
There’s no shortage here of characters you can be, since some of the most famous Harry Potter characters are loyal, brave Gryffindors.
1. Harry Potter
You can easily buy an adult Harry Potter costume online, and if you’re the kind of person who needs their children to also be HP fans, buy them a Harry Potter child costume as well, so you can match.
If you want to be Harry, you just need some robes, a pair of round glasses, and a wand. Not that high maintenance, right?
Shout out to: Kevin Goulet for going the extra mile
2. Ron Weasley
If you prefer Ron, it’s even easier. Just dye your hair red if you dare. Wigs are for weaklings. However, if you want to portray Ron from the beloved Harry Potter fanfiction story “The Champion’s Champion,” go online and get yourself an oversized chicken costume! It is a bit niche, but the connoisseurs will know immediately you are into some heavy Ron bashing and overall entertainment!
Shout out to: Hugo Oliveira for the uncanny resemblance to our own Ronald Bilius Weasley.
3. Hermione Granger
Hermione is another obvious choice for a Gryffindor that’s really badass. A Hermione costume is easy to find, and bushy hair is a must. If you read the fanfic story The Green Girl, wearing a Slytherin costume on a Hermione impersonation will definitely make some of your Potterhead friends squeal with joy!
Shout out to: Anna the Adventuress for all the SPEW feels
4. Professor Dumbledore
Who can forget the iconic beard and snazzy robes Albus Dumbledore used to wear? If you go for a Dumbledore costume, don’t forget the attitude: “Did ya put ya name in the Goblet of Fiyah?” On the other hand, you can try the “find light in the darkest of times” attitude. Everybody needs a little positivity and optimism right now.
Even better, go for a young Dumbledore who apparently favors sexy suits to eye-catching robes.
Shout out to: Dumbledore UK for the incredible dedication
Let me start by saying I’m a Slytherin, so I maaay be biased, but a Slytherin costume is clearly the best way to go when brainstorming Harry Potter costume ideas. You may not love Draco Malfoy, you may totally despise Lucius, or never fully understand Snape, bot nobody can deny the Slytherin their ambition, intelligence, and competitive spirit.
5. Draco Malfoy
As the hero’s arch-nemesis throughout the books, Draco is one of the most cosplayed Harry Potter characters ever. Just make sure that when you cosplay Draco to pronounce the word P-p-p-potter with the oomph Draco uses in the movies.
Shout out to: Procerperficio for that gorgeous hair
6. Snape
Are you ready to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses? We hope so! Who hasn’t dreamt about having Snape’s fabulous hair at least once in their lives? Pair that with some dark robes and a posh accent and you’re good to go. Don’t forget about Snape’s wand, one of the most mysterious of them all!
Shout out to: luke_iezzi for the attitude
7. Bellatrix Lestrange
A personal favorite of mine, Bellatrix demands respect. Buy a Bellatrix Lestrange costume and use her wand to scare off little children, just like Helena Bonham Carter does. I am not sure what advice to give you about her hair, but I’m sure you’ll think of something!
Shout out to: Kelsey Ellison for pretty much everything
PS: I cosplayed Bellatrix at East European Comic Con 2019. Follow me on Instagram at @lauraandreeaa to see how it turned out.
8. Voldemort
A true classic, Voldemort is the character we all love to hate. You might think the lack of a nose would make people stay away from a Voldemort costume, but you’d be wrong. If you get the Voldemort movie version’s accent, you are good to go!
Shout out to: Pietro Civera for acquainting Voldemort with modern technology. Shout out to the make-up artist who helped make this happen, Alessio Morando.
Show your house pride parading around in a Ravenclaw costume for the ages. Since we are here, let us know which is your favorite Ravenclaw character! And, speaking of characters, which is your favorite superhero costume idea you would like to try this year?
9. Luna Lovegood
Ah, how I adore Luna’s character! She’s wonderfully quirky and sweet, and we should all aspire to be more like her, starting with her outfit. If you ever see invisible animals, it means you are channeling your inner Luna in more ways than one!
Shout out to: Anastasya for the attention to detail
10. Cho Chang
Another Ravenclaw people love to dress up as is Cho. If you can pull off the brooding look, there isn’t much else you need to worry about. Except maybe your relationship with Cedric…
Shout out to: The Artist Librarian for being the perfect Cho
11. Gilderoy Lockhart
Professor Gilderoy Lockhart might not be one of the brightest minds of his generation, but he is the comic relief we sometimes need. Mr. Gilderoy did more than releasing crazy pixies in a classroom full of students – he actually made us laugh out of our minds.
Shout out to: squishyshmu for the million dollar attitude
I think we can all agree Hufflepuffs are one of the greatest people on this planet. There are some truly great Hufflepuffs out there, and lots of Harry Potter costume ideas suited for Hufflepuffs. Have you read the Harry the Hufflepuff fanfic story? That one would keep you entertained for a while!
12. Newt Scamander
If you don’t absolutely adore Newt Scamander, you can quit reading this article at once. Just kidding, we need those views.
Shout out to: Alyson Tabbitha for remembering Pickett
13. Cedric Diggory
This may still be too soon for some people, but what better way to celebrate Cedric’s life than to dress up as him?
Shout out to: Irma for reminding us how unfair the world is
14. Tonks
Always Tonks, never Nymphadora, the Metamorphmagus is great as a costume inspiration, since you can play around with her features and hair color. And what better way to celebrate her bravery than dressing up as her?
Shout out to: AlyCat Cosplay for making our book Tonks dreams come true
Ingenious Harry Potter Costume Ideas
For people who don’t feel like dressing up that much or for people who want to go all out.
15. The Sorting Hat
I’m not talking a full on Sorting Hat costume, but literally just a hat to wear on your God-given head. What is more low maintenance than that? On the other hand, you can have a blast at any Comic Con event going up to random people and trying to sort them into Hogwarts houses.
Shout out to: Bianca for being a wise Ravenclaw anxious to be sorted into her house
16. Death Eater
Depending on how you want to play this, you can just buy a pretty cool looking Death Eater mask and say your name is Mark, an underappreciated Death Eater Voldemort never paid that much attention to. On the other hand, you can go full creep with a well-thought Death Eater costume and make a sensation at any cosplay-based event anywhere in the world!
Shout out to: Michael Burson for pulling off evil like a pro
17. Dobby
Again, the internet is filled with Dobby masks, from some pretty realistic ones to ones that are truly terrifying. Pick your poison! And remember, as Dobby, you are a free elf and a hero of your kind, so don’t hold back!
Shout out to: Klaudia “Karczak” Barczak for not settling for a Dobby mask
18. Professor McGonagall
If you don’t want to go for the full Minerva McGonagall costume, you can just buy a Professor McGonagall hat online and be done with it.
It will be impossible for you to be as sarcastic, snarky, and wonderful as her, but you can always try.
Shout out to: Zwillingsnadel for actually making my jaw drop
19. Dementor
A Dementor costume is pretty easy to find, but you can also fashion your own if you’re into DIY. If you want to know more about making DIY cosplay costumes, check out our guide on the best anime cosplay ideas we shared not so long ago!
Shout out to: mylcreates for the amazing make-up
20. Pets
Harry Potter pets are some of the most beloved animals in the fantasy world.
From Hedwig, the cute, self-sacrificing owl to Crookshanks, the grumpy but lovable cat, or even Scabbers, the rat turned traitor, you can just strap some feathers or cat ears on and have a (semi) complete look.
Shout out to: Maracuja Cosplay for delivering that letter to Harry
Harry Potter Costumes for Creative Geniuses
If you really want to put together a fabulous Harry Potter costume that will Avada Kedavra everyone around you, check out the rest of my ideas below. They are not hard to put together if you buy some of the pieces online, but keep in mind that the best cosplay – and the most important part of this artistic manifestation – is to make the costume yourself from scratch!
21. Professor Trelawney
Professor Trelawney is so eccentric that she needed to be included in this category. You will also have to gather quite a few items in order to cosplay her, from her iconic Professor Trelawney glasses to her long skirt, knitted layers, and head scarf. Don’t forget to make the movie version voice and walk around a crystal ball for the full effect. It works with a cup of tea now that I think of it. As long as you say The Grim every few words, you should be fine!
Shout out to: Joshi Lenferink for going for real tea
22. Quidditch Player
Is your boyfriend a Seeker, Chaser, Beater, or is he a Keeper? *wink *. Lame jokes aside, regardless of your gender, you can impress with a really well thought out Quidditch player costume. You can even go out of budget and get a broom as well, in case you don’t have one already.
Shout out to: Kenzie Cosplays for her spot-on badass Ginny cosplay
23. The Golden Snitch
Speaking of Quidditch, you could also buy gold everything and declare that you only open at the close. A gold sequined dress, sparkly makeup, and some gold wings and you’ll be worth 150 points.
Shout out to: Sylvia Morales for those magnificent wings
24. Patronus
The cool thing about dressing up as a Patronus is that you can get really creative since a Patronus can be a variety of creatures. Either go for the Patronus you’ve been assigned on Pottermore or for the one you find most stylish. Or you can try finding your worst fear of them all, process it, and make your own Patronus charm against it – as long as it is blue and glowing :))
Shout out to: BlueCh3rry for a truly magical look
25. Basilisk
Out of all of the amazing Harry Potter costume ideas I would like to try, a Basilisk is very appealing to me, being the snake that I am.
You can play with clothes, prints, hairstyles, contacts, and makeup to create your own interpretation of a Basilisk. Or do you think Nagini is easier? Hmm… have to think about that…
Shout out to: sophie for a truly unique spin
Finite Incantatem
Now that you’re free from the spell cast by these magical costumes, all there’s left for me to do is wish you happy costume hunting.
I would love to see your Harry Potter costumes on Instagram, be they for Halloween, cosplay, or when you’re visiting the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio tour, where people love to dress up as their favorite characters. Just use the hashtag #geekftwcostumes.
If you have any other Harry Potter costume ideas you’d like to share with the rest of our readers, leave a comment below! In fact, leave a comment below with any costume you love to wear and any cosplay you are proud of, as here, we encourage all play-pretend, no matter what your favorite franchise is!
Andreea Voicu
Executive Editor
If you were to look for me most days of the week, you would find me either in front of my laptop watching TV shows, or reading a book with my cats beside me.
I enjoy keeping up-to-date with TV shows and movies that strive to provide positive and accurate representations of different aspects of society and groups of people. Moreover, I am a geek at heart when it comes to franchises like Harry Potter and Star Wars. If you think I own too many Harry Potter bits and bobs, you’re definitely right.
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