Are you looking for a history or science inspired Halloween costume? This is a great idea for students and teachers alike…so look no further than Thomas Edison for inspiration! From his iconic lightbulb to his iconic relationships, there are so many ways you can use this historical figure’s image to inspire your costume this year.

Thomas Edison

One route you can choose to go is the classic historical figure – Thomas Edison himself! This simple costume is as easy as pie (Edison’s favorite dessert). A dress shirt, suit or vest, and a bow tie are staples in Edison’s wardrobe. A grey wig or grey hair spray will give you the “old” look or you can opt for an old-fashioned bowler hat that Edison was often seen sporting. Don’t forget to carry around his iconic invention – the lightbulb!

Light Bulb

Speaking of a lightbulb, some people want to get a little more creative with this costume. Whether it is an Edison style light bulb (Find the pictured hat on Amazon!) or a new LED bulb, this costume will definitely stand out bright among the rest!

Thomas Edison & Mina Miller

If you’re looking for a couple costume, Edison and Mina are one of the cutest couples of their time. Did you know that he proposed to her in Morse code and often wrote her handwritten love letters with doodles quite often? Well, pair the first costume on this list with Mina’s old-fashioned garden look and you could be just as romantic!

The Vagabonds

However, if you need a group costume, The Vagabonds are a fun and easy costume! Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs embarked on a series of iconic camping trips from 1916-1924. They drove around Ford’s newest cars, read newspapers in the wild, and talked about all of their latest ideas and businesses on these trips – all in their dress shirts & bow ties! Start with that basic look, with each character adding their distinguished style into the costume – Edison’s iconic vest, Burroughs’s long white beard, Firestone’s hair parted in the middle, and Ford usually wore a tie instead of a bowtie. Don’t forget the newspapers and pipes!

If you choose to be any of these costumes for Halloween, be sure to tag #EdisonHalloween on Facebook or Instagram to be featured on our channels!! You can also send a picture of your Edison-Inspired looks to info@thomasedison.org. Happy Halloween!