As much as I hate seeing warm weather come to an end, I have to admit that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It’s so much fun to dress up and checkout everyone’s costumes for the day. Here at work, we even get to have a costume contest every year. In the spirit of the holiday, I thought it would be fun to look at the top 2010 Halloween costumes ideas. What better way to explore Halloween costume suggestions than by offering shoe ideas for this year’s NRF Best Costume Ideas Guide?

1) Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

Ok, maybe not the most creative choice but this costume has staying power! Witch dresses and costumes have been around for a long time and don’t look like they’re going anywhere soon. My suggestion for anyone planning to dress as a witch this year is to go for a pair of black over-the-knee boots – the higher the heel the better. This gives you a great excuse to snap up one of this season’s biggest footwear trends. The Luichiny Ardiente Over Load Boot and the Franco Sarto Social Boot are both great choices that would transition well to everyday with a great pair of leggings or jeggings.

2) I Want to Suck Your Blood…

I’ll bet I know one reason this costume idea is so high on the list this year! Twilight has done a lot to bring vampires back in style. I must admit that this is also one of the only vampire related movies that doesn’t scare me! If you’re planning to wear a vampire costume this year, I think red shoes are the way to go. They add a kick of color, and if they remind people of a vampire’s favorite meal all the better! Either the Naughty Monkey Emerald City Pump or the Steve Madden Trinitie Pump would tie in well with these blood-thirsty monsters.

3) A Pirate’s Life For Me

Pirate costumes are actually what made me decide to offer advice on Halloween costume inspired footwear. I have a comfy pair of boots that can be worn cuffed or un-cuffed. My husband saw them cuffed and thought they looked a little piratey. All I could think was ‘what a great secondary purpose for my new shoes!’ If you’re planning on dressing like a pirate this year, I think a pair of flat, slouchy brown boots is the perfect choice. Wear them cuffed with your pirate costume and uncuffed over a pair of skinny jeans or paired with a skirt. Some surefire choices are the Zigi Effie Boot, the BCBGeneration Fancy Boot and the Chinese Laundry Newbie Boot.

4) A Heart of Gold

For some reason, it surprised me to see ‘nurse’ on the top 10 Halloween Costume list this year. I can’t speak to how easy it is to find a good nurse costume, but I can let you know it’s pretty easy to find the perfect pair of shoes! If you’re planning to go contemporary with a pair of scrubs, some authentic Nurse Mates or the Crocs Juniper would both be great choices for nurse outfit shoes. If an old-fashion nurse dress is more your style take a look at the Beacon Newport Slip-On or the Easy Spirit Audrey Skimmer.

5) Ahoy Matey!

If you prefer to kick up the sex appeal for Halloween but still want to hop on the pirate bandwagon, the number five costume – a wench – might be the perfect compromise. Although this look would probably work with the shoe choices suggested for pirate costumes above, I think something with a heel is called for here. Brown high heel booties would be a great option – take a look at the Madeline Matilda Bootie or the Volatile Holla Back Bootie. If you love the look of a tall boot but want to add on some height, I would recommend the Jessica Simpson Alany Boot or the Unlisted Tuck Charm Boot.

To Be Continued . . .

There are still six more top costumes to look at – watch for a new post with shoe suggestions for cat costumes, zombie outfits, fairy getups, star athletes, Batman & Dracula next week! In the meantime, if you want personal help selecting shoes for your Halloween costume please leave a comment below. I’d be happy to offer some suggestions!

Image courtesy of shhevaun