Dressing the TV Part for Halloween

This Halloween turn to your TV for fresh costume inspiration. Whether you're going solo, want the perfect costume for the perfect couple, or hanging out with a bunch of friends, click through this slideshow for cool costume ideas, including exclusive tips from the actual costume designers.Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

You may not be able to dance like a "Dancing with the Stars" pro, but with our help you can still look like one with a few simple tricks. "DWTS" Emmy-winning costume designer Randall Christensen says must-haves for Julianne Hough wannabes are a good pair of nude boy shorts, a skimpy dress with tons of sequins and fringe, strappy heels, and long, voluminous blonde hair (if you're already a blonde, make sure you add clip-ons or extensions to give it that extra oomph). "Julianne looks best in pink, white, coral, and turquoise, so try to find a short dress in those colors. You can customize the dress by cutting it and adding rhinestones and bugle beads to make it sparkle or give it movement with fringe." Randall also suggests wearing rhinestone fishnets and getting flesh-colored, high-heeled sandals or dyeing a pair of old ones nude to help elongate the length of your legs. "Keep it simple for Derek. He likes to show off his partner," Randall says. All you'll need to get Derek's look is a basic pair of black slacks, a tight-fitting, button-up shirt, and black shoes -- Derek wears men's Cuban shoes that have an inch and a half heel. Top off your Derek costume by slicking back your hair and whitening your teeth. So even if you lack the fancy footwork, these caliente "DWTS" costumes will no doubt score you a perfect 30. Level of Difficulty: MediumABC/Kelsey McNeal - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

If you want twins to come flocking to you Halloween night, then your best bet is to channel your inner womanizer and dress like Chuck Bass. Eric Daman, "Gossip Girl" stylist extraordinaire (the genius responsible for all of the show's fabulous outfits), says Chuck is actually his favorite character to dress and is part of his goal to get straight men to dress better. Chuck is the most colorful of all three guys on the show, so make sure you have an ensemble suit that has as much color as possible. And be seasonally appropriate with your palette; think deep purple, dusty orange, and brown. Chuck rocks a bowtie like nobody's business, but for a sleazier look opt for a patterned scarf or handkerchief tied around the neck. Add more accessories by wearing snazzy cufflinks or suspenders and you can even borrow your girlfriend's most masculine bag to carry as a man-purse. Finish off the look with dress shoes, sans socks of course! Since you probably can't afford Chuck's lavish designer wardrobe, you'd be surprise what you can find at your local thrift shop or even your grandpa's closet. And when Chuck isn't scheming, he's drinking, so a glass in hand is a must. Level of Difficulty: EasyThe CW/Giovanni Rufino - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Look like you can crack any case as a Crime Scene Investigator from "CSI." The beauty of this costume? You and all your friends can dress up as the same thing, because as we know there are plenty of CSIs to go around thanks to three different series. The key item here is a blue or grey lab coat. Then you'll want to grab some latex gloves and whatever other science-ish accessories you can get your hands on like test tubes, a beaker, a mini-flashlight, and a magnifying glass. And don't forget to dust the place for prints before you leave the Halloween party. Level of Difficulty: EasyCBS/Ron Jaffe - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Tina Fey is a busy woman these days, so fans have their choice of costumes with which to emulate her: Tina as single comedy writer Liz Lemon from "30 Rock." or Tina as VP candidate and hockey mom of five Sarah Palin from "Saturday Night Live." Can't decide? Grab a friend and go as the two Tinas! For Liz, go for jeans, Converse sneakers, a scoop-neck top, and a cardigan or blazer over it. And don't forget the oval, dark-rimmed glasses. Of course, if you don't have dark, shoulder-length hair, you'll need a wig. As an accessory, carry around a manila envelope labeled "This week's TGS script" so people know you mean business. As for Fey's Palin, get a long, dark-haired wig with bangs and pin up half the hair in the back. Wear a solid color skirt suit (red ideally), heels, and those signature rectangular, frameless glasses. Palin's real ones cost hundreds, but you can get a magnifying pair at the drug store for a few bucks. And to distinguish Tina's Palin from the real Palin, see if you can get your hands on a flute, or another musical instrument, and then ask when the talent portion of the debate is starting… Level of Difficulty: Liz Lemon – Easy/ Sarah Palin - MediumNBC/Dana Edelson/Eric Liebowitz - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Take a cue from top fashion designers Michael Kors and Peter Som, who both named "Mad Men" as a source of inspiration for their fall collections, and dress up as the best looking '60s couple: Don and Betty Draper. You and your partner will be dressed to the nines in the old-timey New York era garb. For Madison Avenue ad exec Don, gel your hair into a glossy, flat mat. To get his clothes, "Mad Men" costume designer Janie Bryant suggests visiting vintage shops to find a "white shirt with french cuffs, dark sweater vest (preferably in brown tones), high-waisted trousers with skinny legs, black socks, and penny loafers." For Don's long-suffering housewife Betty, make sure you have a perfectly coiffed blonde wig and bright red lipstick. Deck yourself out in a "shirt waist dress with a full skirt and matching belt." You'll have to wear the dress with a nice petti coat and medium heeled pumps. If you have sewing skills, Janie says you can make Betty's dress using yards of eyelet, but you can always get the same look by combing through vintage stores, online, or the flea market for both the dress and coat. A Betty Draper costume won't be complete without pearl earrings and a necklace. Level of Difficulty: MediumAMC - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

It's easy to look like troubled genius "House" with just a few items. First off, don't shave for a few days before Halloween to get a stubbly beard going. After you throw on a pair of jeans and running shoes, you'll have to master the art of layering with a blazer over a crumpled dress shirt over a T-shirt. Don't forget your walking cane. And be sure to polish up your rude bedside manner, because without that nobody would ever guess who you were. Level of Difficulty: EasyFOX/Michael Yarish - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

There are a lot of simple costume options for TV's nerdiest, and dare we say, most complicated, couple. According to "The Office's" costume designer Alysia Raycraft, think mustard yellow and muddy browns or greens to get started for Dwight. "Dwight's look is easily achieved by hitting your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Look for men's short sleeve dress shirts, ties and pants all in the same color ranges." While you're at the thrift store, find a pair of sensible black shoes and '70s-styled eyeglasses. Finish off your Dwight look by parting your hair in the center. Alysia says, "Angela needs a little more fluff and lace. There are cardigan sweaters at your local mall waiting to be embellished with lace and ribbon trimming [from] your local fabric and crafts stores." Tie your hair into a simple ponytail and "remember not to smile when wearing your [Angela] creation." Get into the Halloween spirit by adding the ghost of Angela's white fluffy Persian mix cat Sprinkles into the mix. "Find a willing feline, or if the dear kitten keeps running off, a stuffed cat would probably behave perfectly for Halloween dress-up time." Level of Difficulty: EasyNBC/Paul Drinkwater - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Jump in on the hip-hop craze this Halloween and bust a move as "America's Best Dance Crew" Season 1 champs JabbaWockeeZ. The signature look of a JabbaWockeeZ is his white mask, white gloves, and headwear -- these items are essential. The ideal headwear is a red baseball cap or a furry Kangol bucket hat. With the popularity of JabbaWockeeZ, it may be hard to find a white mask, so the show's costume designer (who also happens to be "Project Runway" alum) Kara Saun recommends just painting your face white. Now that you have the JabbaWockeeZ basics, put on some Nikes or Converse All-Stars, buy a pair of Dickies (ideally black, but depending on the Jabba look you're aiming for, red or blue works too) and from there you can either purchase an official JabbaWockeeZ t-shirt (jbwkz.com) or as Kara proposes, "find a plain black button-up, long sleeve shirt and a white tie for one of the Jabba's most-recognized looks." Keep the talking to a minimum while donning a Jabba mask, and brush up on your miming skills 'cause trick-or-treating without saying a word could prove harder than you'd expect. Level of Difficulty: EasyChris Polk/WireImage.com - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

If you're short on time, on-again/off-again Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek Shepherd from "Grey's Anatomy" make an easy couple's costume. Get scrubs (light blue for her, dark blue for him) and white lab coats where you can write the doctor's name and "Seattle Grace" on the front. Meredith will need a long, dirty blonde wig while Derek will need a wig of short, dark, wavy hair to match McDreamy's luscious locks. For accessories, try to find a toy scalpel at a toy store or just bring a couple of plastic butter knives along. And if you're actually in a romantic relationship with your costumed partner, try to make it through Halloween without breaking up multiple times.ABC/Bob D'Amico - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Shut it down on Halloween night by channeling your inner fashion diva with a "Rachel Zoe" haute hippie costume. To get the foundation of Rachel's look down you must get a straggly, dirty blonde wig, tons of mascara and eyeliner, bronzer, and a pair of bug-eyed sunglasses. Then, throw on a '70s-style top with some wide-leg pants, or a printed frock with black tights. Finally pile on the gold accessories. Make sure every finger is adorned with a giant ring and your wrists should be dragging from the weight of your multiple bangles. And if you're not drowning in fur, you're NOT Rachel Zoe yet, so go bananas with the faux pelts. You can achieve all of this with a simple run to the nearest Forever 21 store. Complete your Rachel look by beginning every sentence with "I die." Level of Difficulty: EasyDimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

If you want to dress up as satirical newsman Stephen Colbert of "The Colbert Report" for Halloween night, there are a couple of must-haves: a dark, tailored suit, light-colored dress shirt, a patterned tie, and round, frameless glasses. If you already have short, dark hair, try to part it on the side and add some hair gel for his slick, school-boy look. If not, you'll have to grab a wig. With election night just around the corner, be sure to showoff how American you really are and accessorize with lots of red, white, and blue (eh, mostly red). And finally, if you can master Colbert's signature one-eyebrow-up-one-eyebrow-down look, you'll have Colbert nailed! Level of Difficulty: EasyComedy Central/Erin Patrice O'Brien - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Go for the unlikely costume idea of the unlikely Emmy-winner Kathy Griffin, who now has two Emmy Awards to show off from her reality series "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-list." Get a long-haired, blazing-red wig, a ball gown, a couple of trophies (you must have some left over from your middle school sports days, right?), and you'll be looking D-list in no time. To keep it truly authentic, steer clear of any real celebrities on Halloween night. Level of Difficulty: EasyBarry King/WireImage.com - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Follow the 'code of Harry' and knock 'em dead this Halloween as "Dexter" Morgan. By day Dexter is a well-liked Miami cop, but by night he turns into a serial killer… and the night look is what you're going for. Start off with military-green shirt and pants, then put on a shiny black apron, latex gloves, and a splatter of fake red blood, and you should be all set. If you can't find any of these items around the house or for super cheap, you can make things simpler for yourself by purchasing the complete costume online (buycostumes.com). Level of Difficulty: EasyShowtime - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

Whether or not you have kids, you and a friend can pretend to be the exhausted parents of twins and sextuplets just for a day as Jon and Kate Gosselin from "Jon and Kate Plus 8." For Kate, you'll need a short, women's blonde wig. Try to find a temporary hair streaking stick at the drug store to paint on Kate's highlights and then use a pick and some hair spray to get Kate's puffy-haired look. For wardrobe, you have a few choices. You can either go with her fuzzy robe (and accessorize with a coffee mug) or you can choose a fitted t-shirt and khaki capri pants. For dad Jon, you can play up the fact that he recently heeded to Kate's request to get hair plugs by getting a bald cap and gluing tufts of dark hair onto it. For wardrobe, Jon should wear a V-neck sweater with a button-down shirt underneath paired with khaki pants. Most importantly, don't forget to grab eight dolls to accompany you… and make sure Kate snaps at Jon at least a few times to make it realistic.The best part is, life will seem so easy at the end of the night when you can stop shlepping eight kids around! Level of Difficulty: MediumTLC/Karen Alquist - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM

For Halloween, most girls subscribe to the mantra that less is more. And even though you've worked hard all season long to get that killer bod, you're having second thoughts about going out in public in an itty, bitty top and barely there bottoms. If you still want to show off your body and simultaneously expose as little skin as possible, the best costume choice for you is to be a "Hole In the Wall" contestant. To get the unique look, stop by American Apparel and pick up the shiny silver bodysuit and leggings. Then strap on red or blue elbow and knee pads and matching helmet -- if you don't already have these items, any local sporting goods store will carry them. Finally, find a large piece of foam at an arts and crafts store and cut out a funky shape (since it's Halloween think about cutting out ghoulish shapes like a bat or a witch on a broomstick) for your own personal hole in the wall. Level of Difficulty: EasyFOX/Patrick Wymore - Tuesday, October, 28, 2008, 10:28 PM