Every year it could be a struggle to pick out the right costume for Halloween. Where to come up with ideas? What is going to become popular this year? What can I buy or make that won't break my bank account (especially main for those with kids)? Hopefully, I can provide you with some good ideas for this year's costume based on a theme which is both "tried and true" and "currently hot."

The book "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is almost 150 years old now, but still has fans of all ages. Over 20 different film adaptations are already made since the first, a silent film made in 1903. It has inspired plays, comics, games, and even other books as the years have passed, and its primary characters are recognizable to everyone; it can be a part of our group culture. But this year more than most, the Alice theme is going to be fresh in people's minds, because of the original live-action film from Disney.

This year's movie was directed by Tim Burton, the director who brought us movies like "Edward Scissorhands" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas." When you've seen any of Burton's previous works, you know he makes films that look unbelievable; he has a very striking visual style. He is also working with Colleen Atwood, one of the better-known costume designers in Hollywood, with whom he has collaborated frequently before. Finally, one of his favorite actors, the incredibly versatile Johnny Depp, is playing the part of perhaps the best-known character in the stories (apart from Alice herself), the Mad Hatter.

Add it all up: a fantastic story with wonderful characters, a wonderfully visual director, an excellent costume designer, and also the improbable talents of Johnny Depp, and you'll be able to imagine what sort of fantastic costume ideas you could get from this movie! Let's do a fast rundown of the major characters as well as basics of their costumes:

Alice herself is almost always portrayed as wearing a sky-blue dress with an apron. This year's Alice looks a bit different (no apron, for example) but you'll find plenty of options for both if you look. This is a great girl's wonderland costume or teen wonderland costume, and there probably are lots of options for sexier womens Alice costumes. One thing to contemplate is that while Alice is the title character, she's definitely not the most fascinating character. She's really more of an observer; the characters from Wonderland are of course the most intriguing.

The Mad Hatter will probably be your best bet for a men's wonderland costume, though there are plenty of variations for women and kids, too. The most important part of the costume, of course, is the hat -- be sure to include a card in the band with the hat's price: "10/6" (10 schillings and 6 pence). You'll need a wild, frizzy orange or red wig to go under the hat, a beat-up topcoat and suit, and the biggest, most flamboyant tie you can actually find.

The Red Queen (sometimes called the Queen of Hearts) is really the most striking women's costume you'll be able to take from Alice in Wonderland. A red-and-black dress with playing-card or heart accents is your starting point, combined with makeup based on the film, and of course a crown and lots of attitude. Practice shouting "off with their heads!"

The White Rabbit is the first character Alice meets, as well as costume can work for men, women, kids, or even just toddlers and infants. You just need a white bunny costume, combined with a vest, a top hat, and a pocket watch! The March Hare and the White Rabbit are sometimes confused one with the other, but they are different characters -- substitute a teacup and saucer for the pocket watch, and possibly go with a brown rabbit costume instead.

The Cheshire Cat makes a great choice to boot. The cat costume could be anything from a full-body cat to just accessory ears, whiskers and tail; the most crucial part will likely be the makeup. Be sure to put a big makeup smile on and people will know exactly who you are.

Pick up a copy of the film between now and Halloween, and watch it for ideas. There probably are other characters that would make great costumes that we don't get into detail about in this article: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the White Queen, the Knave of Hearts, even the Caterpillar. Plenty of other articles are found on the subject here and there, and dedicated websites like the Wonderland Costume Shop or the Mad Hatter Costume Shop have collected some of the very best costumes made available for purchase on the web.