image from The Washington Post

What does Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games all have in common?  Yes, they are each a book series and yes, they each have movie versions, but that is not what I am talking about.  Each of these movies draw an audience who do not only feel it is enough to go see the movies but feel the need to go one step further: to dress up to go to the movie in costume as one of the characters.

There is a wide range on the spectrum of fans who dress for such movies.  When each of the Harry Potter movies were released, some showed up with a simple lightning bolt on the forehead while others went all out in Halloween-costume-contest worthy outfits.  For Twilight, some showed up in t-shirts while others came in fangs.  For The Hunger Games, fans came in all out outrageous Capitol dress or rugged game attire.  They resembled specific characters, most popular Katniss and Peeta, since they are main characters and all.  There seems to be a set of rules when dressing up for the movies though.

Dressing up in character for the movies is only appropriate in certain occasions.  No one is dressing up like a cop to go see 21 Jump Street.  Also, smearing mud on your face or dressing in flames might get a few stares at the 11am feature of The Hunger Games (although dressing in real flames in a movie just leads to an arrest and bad cliché).

So when is it okay?  Dressing up in character to go see a movie is only appropriate for the premiere.  It actually seems like a must to dress somewhat themed.

Some of the fans kept it simple with a Hunger Games t-shirt, jeans and boots.  Others took it the next step by wearing a top and make-up to resemble characters.  The next level of fandom included outrageous Capitol-inspired makeup and/or headpiece.  Others went all out with full outfit, makeup, hair (resembling Katniss’s simple braid down her back), and props.  Bringing props to the movies may be a step too far, as bringing a bow and arrow, however fake, may be dangerous and may not be allowed in the theater.  The above and beyond status seems to have gone to those who have painted their bodies in paint or spiked there long hair into six long points shooting in every direction.

USA Today provides a media gallery by Getty Images of fans in costume here.

The good news is you have plenty of time to find an outfit displaying how die hard of a fan you are as the second Hunger Games movie will be released in November 2013.

-TravelBug

I’m reading A Writer’s Reference