The Addams Family

The Addams Family premiered on ABC on September 18, 1964. It ran for only two seasons and 64 episodes, it was shot in black and white, and it's still the version most people picture when someone snaps their fingers twice. John Astin's Gomez was a pinstriped romantic with a cigar and far too much energy. Carolyn Jones's Morticia floated through the house in a black gown that pooled on the floor. And around them were a stone-faced daughter, a son who played with explosives, a bald uncle who lit light bulbs in his mouth and a butler roughly the size of a door. Netflix's Wednesday has made the family popular all over again, but for a group costume, the original cast is hard to beat. HalloweenCostumes.com sells a 1960s line for most of the family, and it starts with the man of the house: The Addams Family 1960's Gomez Addams Costume for Men, priced at $59.99.

Every costume in this line is officially licensed and part of the site's "Made By Us" range, so they were designed together. That's useful for a family group, because the colors and the style line up. Here's what each costume includes, how the sizes work and what you'll need to add.

Gomez: the pinstripe suit

The Gomez costume (item FUN96098AD) comes with four pieces. You get a jacket and pants, plus a tie and a stick-on mustache. Everything except the mustache is 100% polyester.

The jacket is a purple pinstripe with a button front and shoulder pads. On a black-and-white TV, that suit just looked dark and striped, but the purple gives it a little color in person, which helps in photos. The pants match the jacket and have an elastic waistband. The black tie closes with an elastic band, so there's no knot to tie. And the mustache is nylon fiber with a sticky back.

The listing describes it as capturing Gomez's "debonair flair," and that's the right goal. Gomez isn't scary. He's charming and slightly unhinged, and very much in love with his wife.

What's missing is the white shirt, which the listing says is sold separately. Any plain white dress shirt from your closet will work, since only the collar and front show under the jacket.

How Gomez fits

Gomez comes in four sizes, from Small to X-Large. The jacket chest runs from 40 inches on the Small to 52 inches on the X-Large. Since the pants have an elastic waist, each size covers a wide range, from 26 to 34 inches on the Small up to 38 to 46 inches on the X-Large.

The inseam is 31.75 inches in every size. That's fine for average height. Taller men may find the pants a little short, which is a good excuse to wear black dress shoes with dark socks.

There's also a Plus Size The Addams Family 60's Gomez Addams Men's Costume for $79.99.

Morticia: the velvet gown

The 1960s Morticia Addams Costume for Women is on sale for $49.99, down from $59.99. It's just the dress. The wig is sold separately.

It's a pullover gown in stretch velvet, 93% polyester and 7% spandex, with sheer chiffon draping on the sleeves. The lower back of the hem has interfacing and a tattered, torn look, which matches the way Morticia's dress seemed to trail off into nothing on the show. Because it's a pullover, there's no zipper or hook-and-loop to come undone in the middle of a party.

It comes in XS through XL. The Medium has a 33.5-inch chest and a 58.5-inch dress length. The chest and waist numbers on this chart are on the smaller side, so measure before you order and size up if you're between sizes. The spandex helps, but velvet doesn't stretch forever.

Length matters with Morticia. Her dress should touch the floor. If you're tall, wear flats, and if you're petite, a small heel won't show.

For the hair, you'll want something long and black, parted down the center. The site has several long black wigs. And a pale foundation with a dark lip finishes the face. The Plus Size 1960s Morticia Addams Costume is on sale for $59.99.

Wednesday: the collar

The 1960s Wednesday Addams costume comes in both girls' and women's sizes, and both are on sale for $39.99, down from $59.99.

Both versions are a single pullover dress in black jersey knit, 90% polyester and 10% spandex. There are faux buttons down the front and a white collar that closes with an elastic loop and a button at the back. The cuffs match the collar. On the women's version, the listing calls the fabric a "medium-weight polyester jersey, giving it just enough heft to hang cleanly."

The girls' version (item FUN96100CH) comes in Small through X-Large, for kids' sizes 6X-8 through 16. The women's version comes in Small through X-Large too, with a dress chest from 36 to 44.5 inches. There's also a plus-size women's version, on sale for $44.99 to $69.99.

Wig and tights are sold separately. For Wednesday, you need two long dark braids and a blank expression. The braids are easy to do with real hair if it's long enough. The blank expression takes practice.

One fun note: the 1960s Wednesday dress is a little different from the Netflix version. Lisa Loring's Wednesday wore a simpler dark dress with a white collar, and that's what this costume is based on. It's a nice choice if you want the original, or if you'd like your Wednesday to stand out from the many Netflix Wednesdays at the party.

Pugsley: the stripes

There's no 1960s Pugsley on the site, but the 2019 Addams Family Pugsley Boy's Costume is close enough. It's based on the animated movie and costs $24.99 on sale, down from $39.99.

It includes a red and white striped T-shirt and a pair of brown shorts, both stretchy jersey knit with spandex. The shorts have an elastic waistband. That striped shirt is Pugsley's look in almost every version of the family, so it fits right in with the 1960s group.

It comes in Small through X-Large, all at $24.99. The size chart says "Coming Soon" for the measurements, so you'll have to go by your kid's usual size for now. The stretchy fabric gives you some room for error.

For adults, there's a 2019 Addams Family Pugsley Men's Costume on sale for $29.99, which makes for a very funny grown-up Pugsley.

Uncle Fester: the light bulb

The Men's 1960s Addams Family Fester Costume (item FUN96328AD) costs $69.99. It includes a black robe with shoulder pads and hook-and-loop fasteners, a faux fur collar with satin lining and, best of all, a light-up light bulb prop.

That bulb is the detail that makes it. In the show, Fester could light a bulb just by putting it in his mouth, and it's one of the most famous gags in the series. The prop runs on three button cell batteries, which are sold separately, so buy them in advance.

It comes in Small through X-Large, all at $69.99. A plus-size version costs $79.99 to $89.99.

Fester needs a bald head. A bald cap is the easy way to get it, and the site recommends one on the product page. Add some pale makeup and dark circles under the eyes, and you're done. Jackie Coogan played Fester with a big grin, so practice that too.

Lurch: the tall one

The Men's 1960s Addams Family Lurch Costume costs $59.99 and comes with four pieces: a black blazer with foam shoulder pads, black pants, a black bowtie with an elastic band and a gray faux hair wig.

The shoulder pads matter here. Lurch was played by Ted Cassidy, who was about 6 feet 9 inches tall, and the costume is built to make the wearer look bigger and squarer. The blazer has a button front and a back vent. The pants have a zipper fly with a loop and button closure.

It comes in three sizes only, Medium through X-Large. The jacket chest is 42 inches on the Medium and 50 inches on the X-Large. There's no Small, so a slimmer guy may find it roomy. A Plus Size 1960s Addams Family Lurch Costume costs $69.99.

Two things to know. A white dress shirt isn't included, just like with Gomez. And the costume isn't returnable once the package is opened, so check the size chart closely before you order.

Your only line for the night is "You rang?" Say it very slowly.

Cousin Itt: the hairy one

The Adult 1960s Addams Family Cousin Itt Costume is the priciest costume in the family at $149.99. It includes a faux hair tunic with ties at the back, a felt bowler hat with attached synthetic hair and a pair of plastic sunglasses.

The tunic is lined with poly knit and has elastic in the sleeves, so it stays in place. The hair runs from head to toe, and the overall length is 49.5 inches, with a 55-inch chest. It comes in one standard size.

There's also a Kid's 1960s Addams Family Cousin Itt Costume, on sale for $89.99, down from $114.99. It has a 37-inch chest and a 34.25-inch length. A small Cousin Itt might be the cutest thing in this entire lineup.

Itt is hot to wear, since it's basically a big wig with sleeves. It's a great choice for a cold night, and a less great choice for a warm party. And plan for low visibility. The sunglasses are part of the look, but they make it harder to see.

What about Thing and Grandmama?

Thing, the hand that lives in a box, is easy to add. The Wednesday Thing Costume Shoulder Sitter Accessory costs $39.99. It's a 5.5-inch latex hand, modeled on the Netflix version, with a magnet that's meant to go under your shirt to hold it on your shoulder. It's sold as a Wednesday accessory, but Thing has been part of the family since the 1960s, so it works for any version.

The site doesn't sell a 1960s Grandmama, but there's a 2019 Addams Family Grandmama Women's Costume for $89.99 to $114.99. It's based on the animated movie, so it won't match the TV look exactly. A long dark shawl, a gray wig and a wooden spoon will get you close for much less.

What the whole family costs

Here's what a classic six-person family would cost. Gomez is $59.99, Morticia is $49.99, a girl's Wednesday is $39.99, a boy's Pugsley is $24.99, Fester is $69.99 and Lurch is $59.99. That's $304.94.

A family of four, just Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday and Pugsley, comes to $174.96. That's about $44 a person, which is very reasonable for licensed costumes.

Add the adult Cousin Itt, and the full seven-person group comes to $454.93. If you have a kid who wants to be Itt, the kids' version saves you $60.

On top of that, plan for a Morticia wig, two white shirts for Gomez and Lurch, batteries for Fester's bulb, a bald cap and a little makeup.

Tips for a properly gloomy family

Measure everyone before you order. Several of these costumes have detailed size charts, and they're worth checking, especially for Morticia's dress and Lurch's jacket. Remember that Lurch isn't returnable once opened.

Buy the extras at the same time. The white shirts and wigs are the things people forget until October 30.

Think about the colors. The 1960s show was black and white, so the costumes stick mostly to black and white, with Gomez's purple suit as the exception. If anyone in the group is adding their own pieces, keep them dark.

And practice the pose. Gomez kisses Morticia's hand, Wednesday stares at the camera without blinking, Pugsley holds something he shouldn't, Fester holds up his bulb, and Lurch stands in the back looking like he'd rather be somewhere else. Everyone snaps twice.

Summary

The Addams Family 1960's Gomez Addams Costume for Men from FUN Costumes is a purple pinstripe suit with a tie and a stick-on mustache for $59.99, missing only a white shirt. It's part of a matching 1960s line that also includes Morticia's velvet gown, Wednesday's collared dress, Fester's robe with a light-up bulb, Lurch's padded blazer and wig and a full-length Cousin Itt. A family of four costs about $175, and a six-person group about $305, before wigs and shirts.

So, is the Addams Family worth it?

Yes, especially for families who want something recognizable that isn't just another Netflix Wednesday. The 1960s line is well thought out, the pieces match and the prices for the parents and Wednesday are very fair. Fester's light bulb and Lurch's wig are the kinds of extras that make a group costume feel complete.

I'll admit my favorite part of this line is Cousin Itt. It's the most expensive costume here, and probably the least practical, but there's nothing funnier than a pile of hair in a bowler hat walking up to someone's front door.

So measure everyone, buy the white shirts and batteries early and decide who gets to be Lurch. Then line up the family and snap twice. Now head out. With a crew this strange, you're definitely getting the full-size candy bars.