Let’s face it: the range of Austenian Halloween costumes for ladies is not that great. Like, congratulations! You have a lovely empire-waist gown and a spencer! You are…one of any number of unidentifiable Regency characters? No clever object costumes, either—bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, as I imagine the Sound of Music folks would do, assuming there are in fact Sound of Music folks out there (who aren’t also attending the sing-along)—which brings up a whole thing about the relative unimportance of objects, symbolic or otherwise, in Jane’s work, but we’re not here to talk about objects symbolic or otherwise. We’re here to talk about Halloween.
(Somewhat ironically for a writer whose works are so generally female-centric, more recognizable male-oriented costumes spring to mind. Wear a pink cloak and be Mr. Rushworth! And of course, all glory, laud, and honor to any man who has the foresight to wear wet breeches and a soaked shirt and call himself Mr. Darcy.)
In any case, may we offer a few last-minute costume ideas for the Regency-attired?
– Action Jane
White dress, green spencer, plastic face—or at the very least, painted-on smile. Arms that bend only in unnatural ways. Photo album of all your adventures?
– Kitty Bennet
Be as suggestible as possible. Cough.
– Fanny Price
Sit on a bench somewhere, preferably near a locked gate. Disapprove.
– Marianne Dashwood
Tumble down a hill; if nobody handsome appears, lather, rinse, repeat. (Liability? What liability?)
I feel like I’m missing someone. Who am I missing?
(Also, we might judge you just a skosh for adding “slutty” to any of these costumes…but then, you don’t have to tell us.)
austenacious 
Elizabeth Bennet! All you need is a petticoat six inches deep in mud. And there has to be a way to work Northanger Abbey into this somehow. I bet Catherine Morland would just love Hallowe’en. Perhaps you could wear a Dreadful Black Veil?
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Sophie … and carry a “horrid novel”!
Hilarious costume ideas!
Lydia was kinda slutty anyway. Or at least loose!
I’ve got a few
Mrs Bennet: complain loudly about how ill-used you are by everybody and encourage your daughters to run after officers. If you don’t have daughters, then reminisce about how you used to chase officers. Don’t forget to complain.
Lady Bertram: dress fancy, look vague and unconcerned, and carry a pug. Nod off every once in a while.
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I’m a little late to the party, but I wanted to represent my beloved Persuasion and suggest Mary Musgrove (lounge about and complain about being really so dreadfully unwell) or Louisa (jump from high places until you end up in a coma).
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