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Top Book Week Costumes
New Book Week Costumes
Book Week Costumes
Become your favourite character for one magical day with our wonderful Book Week costumes!
If you’re reading this, it means Book Week is fast approaching and it’s time to get your Book Week costume sorted. Book Week is a great excuse to dress up as your all-time favourite book character, whether it’s Little Red Riding Hood, Willy Wonka, Fantastic Mr Fox or Alice from Alice in Wonderland!
Here at Shindigs, we love having an excuse to dress up, which is why we stock an incredible range of Book Week costumes to add some extra magic to the occasion! Our costumes cover all the classics as well as newer books and movies, so you can share your love of the fantastic stories printed on paper with ink.
Browse through our collection of Book Week costumes and check out online! We offer fast and affordable shipping throughout Australia, as well as a free click and collect service so you can pick up costumes for Book Week from our store in Lambton. While you’re here, you can pick up extra goodies and accessories to really make your costume pop!
What is Book Week?
Every year since 1945, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has brought children and books together for Book Week — a wonderful week when schools and public libraries celebrate books as well as Australian children’s authors and illustrators. Teachers and librarians alike put up colourful displays, plan activities, run competitions and tell stories related to the year’s theme (e.g. “Dreaming with Eyes Open” in 2022), all to highlight the importance of reading for children.
One of the best parts of Book Week is the dress ups and parades! Kids are encouraged to dress up as their favourite book character and share book recommendations with their peers, or even share a presentation with the class about their favourite characters and plotlines.
Some schools even have book fairs during Book Week when kids can browse through stacks of affordable books in their school library, and walk away with some new stories to spark their imagination!
Book Week costume ideas for kids and adults alike
Need some Book Week inspiration? We’ve got hundreds of Book Week costumes to choose from so we’ve put together a quick guide to some of our most popular book themes and costumes to make Book Week shopping simple.
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland is one of our all-time favourites! Written in 1865 by Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland follows the story of an adventurous girl who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world with walking, talking animals and over-the-top characters. Alice in Wonderland sits in the “literary nonsense” genre… and it’s easy to see why!
There are lots of memorable characters to dress up as for Book Week. Alice, for example, is always a popular choice — with a bright blue dress, a white apron, a black headband and long white socks, anyone can transform into the lovable, ever-curious Alice.
Of course, you can always dress like the Mad Hatter with wild orange hair and a top hat (it’s rumoured that his hat was filled with mercury, which can make you go insane!). Just add a cup of tea and a cumberbund, and you’re sure to catch a few glances.
Alternatively, you can dress like the White Rabbit! All you need is a fuzzy white tail, some bunny ears, a vest and an oversized pocket watch. Then, all you need to do is shout, “I’m late for a very important date!”
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an absolutely classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson telling a tale of “buccaneers and buried gold”. It was serialised between 1881 and 1882 and needless to say, this coming-of-age story has withstood the test of time! The tale follows a boy named Jim Hawkins who is warned about “a one-legged seafaring man” by a pirate named Billy Bones.
When Jim’s family’s inn is ransacked by pirates, Jim escapes with Bones’ map of Treasure Island and is whisked away, eventually battling Long John Silver — the pirate Bones warned him about.
Dressing up as any of the characters from Treasure Island is easy with Shindigs. We’ve got stacks of pirate costumes with eye patches, headbands, wigs, boots and stripy trousers. Just add some doubloons and a pistol!
Peter Pan
We all know the classic tale of Peter Pan — the flying, free-spirited boy from Neverland who would never grow up — but did you know the character actually comes from a series of books and stage plays? Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie, and Peter appeared in his novels The Little White Bird, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Peter and Wendy.
Peter’s story also appeared in the West End stage play Peter Pan; or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.
Whether you want to be Peter Pan, Tinkerbell or the terrible Captain Hook, we have deluxe costumes packed and ready to go for you!
Robin Hood
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood was written in 1883 by the American illustrator and writer Howard Pyle. Originally, Pyle compiled the Robin Hood ballads as a series of episodes in a complete narrative and he adapted the late Middle English ballads into a language that’s suitable for children.
The story follows Robin Hood who becomes an outlaw through his adventures and run-ins with the law. Over time, he recruits his Merry Men and resists the authorities to help those less fortunate. In the end, Robin and his Merry Men are pardoned by King Richard the Lionheart (to the dismay of Robin’s enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham).
Dress up as Robin or one of his Merry Men for Book Week — Little John is always popular with his ironically giant stature and fighting skills!
Harry Potter
It wouldn’t be Book Week without a few witches and wizards running around the place. Harry Potter follows the story of Harry i.e. the Boy Who Lived and his neverending quest to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort. Dress up as Harry Potter himself with thick round glasses and a lightning bolt scar on your forehead or throw on a red wig and draw on some freckles to be his best friend, Ronald Weasley.
You could even be Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of her time who’s always rescuing Ron and Harry. All you need is big frizzy hair and a copy of Hogwarts: A History under your arm!
The Hundred and One Dalmatians
Before it was a timeless Disney movie, The Hundred and One Dalmatians was a popular children’s novel written by Dodie Smith. The original novels follow two dalmatians, Pongo and Missis, finding their kidnapped puppies and rescuing them from a fur farm owned by the villain, Cruella de Vil.
Dress up as Pongo or Missis in one of our dalmatian costumes, and if you have little ones, dress them up in matching outfits to be your puppies! Alternatively, take a walk on the wild side and dress like Cruella de Vil — our costumes come complete with a black and white wig.
Where’s Wally?
Looking for something quick and simple? You can’t go wrong with Where’s Wally! All the costume needs is a red and white striped jumper with a matching beanie and scarf, and don’t forget a pair of thick glasses! Opt for a complete costume (we have options for men, women, boys and girls) or add separate accessories to match your old stripey jumper — Where’s Wally is always an easy choice for Book Week!
Historical figures
Who said your Book Week character had to be fictional? There have been hundreds (if not thousands) of incredible stories written down in history books, and we’ve got the costumes to match! For example, you might dress up as Henry VIII, the King of England who was famous for beheading his wives.
Alternatively, you might dress up as Cleopatra, Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, who made major waves in Roman politics — we have Cleopatra costumes for kids and teachers alike.
Greek Gods/Mythological Creatures
There are scores of stories about the Ancient Greek Gods and the mythical creatures demi-gods faced! Medusa is one of the most famous — considered a Gorgon, Medusa had the body of a human woman with live snakes for hair! Anyone who locked eyes with Medusa immediately turned to stone and only the mighty Perseus could defeat her.
We have a stunning Medusa Snake Headband that will do the trick — just add a Toga to complete the costume.
Characters from musicals
If you love the theatre, you might choose to be a character from a musical like Phantom of the Opera! Hiding in the shadows, the Phantom teaches a beautiful primadonna how to sing and become the star she was meant to be. However, the Phantom is scarred beneath his mask and the primadonna cannot fall in love with him. All you need to become the epic Phantom is a black cape, a mask that covers half your face and a red rose!
FAQs about our Book Week costumes
Do you have sizes for everyone?
Can I hire a costume?
No. We do not offer costumes or accessories for hire — they are available for sale only. You’ll find our costumes and accessories are very affordable and can be used again and again in future — besides, there’s never a bad time to start collecting costumes in a costume box.
Do you have accessories I can add to my costume?
Absolutely! We stock hundreds of fun accessories to add the finishing touches and details to your costume. From feather boas to wigs and facial hair, hats, tattoos and so much more, you’ll be amazed at the level of detail you can achieve with Shindigs.
Are your special effects and face paints safe?
Yes, we would never stock a product that is unsafe for our customers. However, if you are prone to skin allergies, we recommend getting in touch with our team at (02) 4950 9561 or messaging us via live chat. Our team can provide more information about the ingredients in our products and offer expert recommendations, advice and alternatives.
How long will it take for my Book Week costume to arrive?
It depends on what shipping method you choose and where you’re located. For example, we can deliver to Newcastle, the Central Coast and surrounding areas in the Hunter Region within three business days via standard shipping, or to regional areas within five business days via standard shipping.
Orders placed before 11am will be dispatched on the same day from Monday to Friday. Orders placed after 11am will be dispatched the following business day. We do our best to dispatch parcels the same day they are ordered.
Check out our shipping and delivery information for more detailed time estimates.
Please keep in mind that delivery times can vary based on severe weather conditions and public holidays. On these occasions, please allow for an additional three to five business days.
Find the perfect costume for Book Week online at Shindigs!
Found the perfect costume for Book Week? Check out online for fast and affordable shipping throughout Australia! Alternatively, come and visit us in-store to see our entire collection of costumes in person. We have change rooms on-site so you can try your costume on for size, and walk away feeling confident you’ve made the right choice for Book Week this year.
Shop now!
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