It's almost Halloween, which means it's time to buy a costume representing your favorite pop culture property and hope people get the reference.
In many cases, studios own the rights to produce products for their franchises, and costume-making companies buy a license to make them. Warner Bros., for instance, decides which manufacturers can make official "Harry Potter" costumes, and Disney isn't going to let a costume of Elsa from "Froze" exist without getting a slice of that revenue.
Some of the manufacturers left out of these deals resort to making knock-offs. They're presumably just different enough not to violate trademark laws, but still recognizable enough if you want to get a cheaper, bootleg-looking Hermione cloak for Halloween.
ADVERTISEMENT
Entertainment Weekly correspondent Dana Schwartz asked her followers to share their favorite knock-off Halloween costumes, and people were game.
Her personal favorite was an alternative for a "Clueless" costume.
Related content
This one is for "the top student at Chogborts!"
Related content
ADVERTISEMENT
You can be a dude from "The Matrix," or a priest if you cant pull that off.
Related content
"Beetlejuice," anyone?
Related content
Thats one description for Harley Quinn.
ADVERTISEMENT
Related content
The creator of the hit song "Purple Water Drops From The Sky."
Related content
I thought the whole point was that she wasnt in Kansas anymore?
Related content
ADVERTISEMENT
This one is low-effort.
Related content
Hint: Its a factory where they make chocolate.
Related content
ADVERTISEMENT
A lot of them are baffling.
Related content
The euphamisms for "Mario" characters are out there.
Related content
Related content
ADVERTISEMENT
But this one is a pretty spot-on description of the Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland."
Related content
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7scHLrJxnppdkr6p7y6Kdnqukrrmme8uinZ6rpK65pnnPnqappJVirrOxjKyfmqqZo7RuwMeeoKtllpbDsL7IrZxmoJGhubDDxJ6lZpufqMG2ucRmoqenk6B6sLLFrGSappRiwamx2KucaKxnqX6nwJQ%3D