6 Baby-Sitters Club–Inspired Halloween Costumes for Couples

Kristy Thomas and her great idea
How to pull it off: 
Kristy: Jeans, turtleneck, sweater, baseball cap with a collie on it in memory of dear Louie, hair in a ponytail. Stick a catcher’s mitt under your arm if you need a way to carry multiple drinks and/or extra candy during the evening. Be short, be loud, be bossy.
Her great idea: Now this could go a couple different ways. You could go with being a giant light bulb with a big Baby-Sitters Club logo on it. Or you could be a big thought bubble. The choice is yours. But be great.

Claudia Kishi and her room
How to pull it off: 
Claudia: We all know Claudia is known for her outrageous fashion choices, but rather than try to embody and put together our own Claudia-essence outfit, we’re pulling straight from the pages of Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls: purple pants that stop just below the knees and are held up with suspenders, white tights with clocks on them, a purple-plaid shirt with a matching hat, high-top sneakers, and lobster earrings. Be bad at spelling, good at art.
Her room: Tuck a Nancy Drew mystery under each arm, fill your pockets with Ring Dings and Doritos, create some paintings and collages to attach to your ensemble, throw on a fedora, carry around a landline phone—after all, having a phone is what got Claudia her vice presidency in the BSC.

Mary Anne and her makeover 
How to pull it off: 
Pre-makeover Mary Anne: Mary Anne essentially undergoes two makeovers during her time in the BSC—one in Mary Anne Saves the Day, when she finally convinces her dad to start letting her wear her hair in a style other than pigtails every day (BTW, super-weird rule, Mr. Spier), and then another one in Mary Anne’s Makeover, when she chops off all her hair and buys some trendy new clothes much to the rest of the club’s chagrin (BTW, super-weird reaction, girls). To make the most of this costume contrast, we say one person goes as the “before”: braided pigtails, plaid skirt, turtleneck, knee socks, penny loafers, no makeup.
Post-makeover Mary Anne: Short and sassy hair (think ’90s mom but make it fashion), and if you want true authenticity, Mary Anne’s dance outfit: “A fiery red, off-the-shoulder crepe dress, with shirred sleeves, a fitted bodice, and a skirt that flared to mid-calf.” Or you can rock one of her new casual looks: “An oversized, indigo cable-knit sweater; and a pair of floral print Lycra leggings with a French terry top.”

Dawn and the state of California
How to pull it off: 
Dawn: Dawn’s friends call her style “California casual,” which apparently means lots of baggy sweaters and stretchy pants or “baggy jeans with the cuffs rolled up, shirts with the tails out, and big belts.” Three earrings in each ear and allow your waist-length blonde hair to flow as freely as Dawn’s spirit. Bring some whole wheat crackers to munch on because Dawn wouldn’t be caught dead with Halloween candy—let everyone know this, and be self-righteous about your healthy food choices.
California: Other than being a health-food nut, the one thing Dawn never lets anyone forget is the fact that she’s from California. Be the state in which Ms. Schafer was born and raised by cutting out a giant California silhouette from cardboard and wearing it proudly. Bonus points for finding the fictional city from which Dawn hails, Palo City, which is apparently equidistant from both Los Angeles and Disneyland (surely not via the 405).

Mallory and boys and gym
How to pull it off: 
Mallory: Curly red hair, glasses, braces. Pay homage to the outfit Mallory wore to her very first BSC meeting: “red jumper that said Mallory across the front, a short-sleeved white blouse, and white tights with little red hearts all over them” or opt for more casual Mal with jeans and a sweatshirt that says, “I’d rather be working on my novel.” Constantly talk about how your parents treat you like a baby.
Boys and gym: Yes, we could have given Mallory a horse for the other half of her couple’s costume, but something like that isn’t going to give her the necessary strife in her life that she’s going to need to become a great writer like she hopes. So what does Mallory hate most? Boys and gym! Better yet, you can be a boy wearing gym clothes. Mal will really hate that. Way to build that artist angst for Mallory.

Jessi and a ballet barre
How to pull it off: 
Jessi: Jessi Ramsey and ballet—one can’t exist without the other. So embrace your inner ballerina and start prepping for your Julliard audition with a black leotard, pink tights, pink ballet shoes, leg warmers (duh), and a tightly pulled bun. Stretch often. Point those toes. And don’t even think about touching any Halloween candy—Madame Noelle would be so upset.
Ballet barre: Naturally, with all that stretching, Jessi’s going to need some support—hello, ballet barre. It’s going to be a long night, so we recommend fashioning the bar out of PVC pipe or something else lightweight. Bonus for you: Jessi won’t be touching any of the Halloween candy you guys get, so it’s all yours, you supportive barre. And since you’re an inanimate object, you don’t have to talk to anyone—introverts, this one’s for you!