Sanderson Sisters

Hocus Pocus opened on July 16, 1993, and at first almost nobody showed up. It took in $53.2 million in the U.S. and was considered a flop. Then it started playing on TV every October, and something strange happened. A whole generation grew up on it, and the Sanderson sisters became the most popular witches of the season. Hocus Pocus 2 brought Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy back on Disney+ in 2022, and a third movie was officially announced this year, with all three sisters returning. So if you have two friends and a good sense of humor, you already know what to wear on Halloween. HalloweenCostumes.com sells a matching deluxe line for all three sisters under its own FUN Costumes label, and this guide starts with the youngest: the Women's Deluxe Disney Sarah Sanderson Costume, priced at $79.99.

Winifred and Mary are $79.99 each too, so a full trio costs $239.97 for the three dresses. Wigs and props are extra. Here's what each costume includes, how they fit and how to finish the look.

Sarah: the one who sings

Sarah is the youngest sister, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. She's dreamy and boy-crazy, and a little bit spacey, and her big talent is a song that lures children to the sisters' cottage. She rides a mop instead of a broom, which is the kind of detail kids love to point out.

Her costume is the most colorful of the three. In the movie, she wears a layered gown in purple and gold with touches of red, with a laced bodice and lacy sleeves. The deluxe costume follows that design closely.

What's in the bag

The Deluxe Sarah Sanderson costume (item FUN4729AD) is officially licensed and part of the site's "Made By Us" line. It's one piece, the dress. The wig is sold separately.

The listing describes it as "a combo of satin, jersey, and chiffon materials." The bodice is satin with a printed floral pattern, and it has plastic boning to hold its shape, so it looks structured like a real corset without being as tight. Pink faux suede lacing runs down the front. The sleeves are red crocheted lace, which is one of Sarah's signature details.

The skirt is layered, with chiffon panels in purple, brown and gold, purple peplums at the waist and a jersey knit panel. The listing calls it "a purple, gold, and red paneled skirt with purple peplums and printed embellishments." And it closes with a hidden zipper down the center back, so nothing shows from behind.

That's a lot of design for one dress. It's the kind of costume that looks good in a group photo and up close.

How Sarah fits

The Sarah costume comes in X-Small through X-Large, all at $79.99. The chest runs from 32 inches on the XS to 34, 36, 39 and 42.5 inches on the XL. The waist runs from 25 inches to 35.5. And the sleeves go from 23 to 24.5 inches.

The bodice has boning and a zipper, so it doesn't stretch much. Go by your chest and waist measurements, not your usual dress size. If you're between sizes, pick the one that fits your bigger measurement. A slightly loose bodice is easier to fix with a safety pin than one that won't zip.

The dress length is the number to look at twice. It runs from 46.25 inches on the XS to 48.25 inches on the XL. That's much shorter than the other two sisters' dresses, which run closer to 57 to 60 inches. On an average-height woman, Sarah's dress will probably land somewhere around mid-calf, not at the floor.

That's not a problem, as long as you plan for it. Tall boots and dark tights fill the gap and look right for Sarah. The site sells Disney Hocus Pocus Sarah Sanderson Boots for Women, on sale for $69.99, down from $89.99.

There's a Plus Size Deluxe Disney Sarah Sanderson Costume for Women for $89.99.

Sarah's hair

Sarah's hair is half her look. It's long and light blonde, with curls and a center part. The Women's Disney Hocus Pocus Sarah Sanderson Wig, also from the "Made By Us" line, is styled "with a center part and long curls, with a narrow braid at the left side." It has a mesh cap with an elastic edge for heads 18 to 25 inches around, and it can be styled with non-heated tools.

The product page lists it at $39.99, though the Hocus Pocus category page showed $49.99 when I checked. Look at your cart before you order. And note that it isn't returnable once the package is opened.

There's also a cheaper Women's Hocus Pocus Deluxe Sarah Wig for $29.99.

Winifred: the one in charge

Winifred, or Winnie, is the oldest sister and the leader, played by Bette Midler. She has the buck teeth, the red hair swept up into two points and the spell book. She's furious most of the time, and very theatrical about it.

The Women's Deluxe Disney Winifred Sanderson Costume costs $79.99. Like Sarah's, it's one dress. It's styled to look like a crushed velvet jacket over a green crepe gown, with purple chiffon accents. The jacket has gold braid edging and printed metallic gold symbols, and gold cord laces through loops on the bodice. It closes with a concealed back zipper.

The fabrics are 95% polyester and 5% spandex crushed velvet, plus polyester crepe and crinkle chiffon. The velvet's spandex should give it a bit more stretch than Sarah's bodice.

It comes in X-Small through X-Large. The chest runs from 31 inches on the XS to 41.5 on the XL, and the Small has a 33-inch chest, a 27-inch waist and a 58-inch length. Right now, only the Small is listed as in stock, with the other sizes marked "TBD," so if you're Winnie, order soon.

The Women's Hocus Pocus Winifred Sanderson Wig costs $49.99. And for Winnie's teeth, the site sells Buck Teeth for $19.99. They make a big difference. There's also a Disney Hocus Pocus Winifred Sanderson Broom Accessory on sale for $29.99.

If you want to go all out, there's an Authentic Hocus Pocus Winifred Sanderson Costume for Women for $159.99. And for plus sizes, the Plus Size Deluxe Disney Winifred Sanderson costume is on sale for $79.99 to $99.99.

Mary: the one with the nose

Mary is the middle sister, played by Kathy Najimy. She's loyal, a little goofy and has a famous sense of smell. She sniffs out children from across town. Her hair swoops up into a dramatic point, and her lipstick sits crooked on purpose.

The Women's Deluxe Disney Hocus Pocus Mary Sanderson Costume costs $79.99. It's one dress designed to look like Mary's blouse and vest from the film. The bodice is polyester tweed with faux suede lacing, and there's bronze metal chain and rings sewn into the collar and the waist. The sleeves are gathered with elastic, and the skirt has three layers, with an attached apron that has printed pockets. It closes with a hidden zipper at the back.

It comes in Small through X-Large. There's no X-Small. The chest runs from 34.5 inches on the Small to 43 inches on the XL, and the length from about 56.75 to 59.75 inches.

The Women's Hocus Pocus Mary Sanderson Wig costs $39.99. And for Hocus Pocus 2 fans, there's a Disney Costume Companion Mary Sanderson Vacuum Cleaner Bag for $39.99. In the sequel, Mary rides two vacuums, and a vacuum-shaped bag is a great joke for anyone who knows.

There's a Plus Size Deluxe Disney Hocus Pocus Women's Mary Costume for $89.99.

How the three fit together

Since all three dresses come from the same "Made By Us" line, they look like a set. The colors work together, the fabrics have a similar weight and the level of detail matches. That's the big advantage over mixing brands.

But the sizes don't line up exactly. Sarah and Winifred come in XS through XL, while Mary starts at Small. And Sarah's dress is about 10 inches shorter than the others. So if your trio has different heights, it can work in your favor. Give Sarah's dress to the friend who loves boots, or pair it with the tallest boots in the group.

What a full trio costs

The three dresses cost $79.99 each, for a total of $239.97.

Add the three wigs at the product-page prices, $39.99 for Sarah, $49.99 for Winifred and $39.99 for Mary, and you're at $369.94. That's about $123 per person.

To save, the deluxe wigs are cheaper. The Women's Hocus Pocus Deluxe Sarah Wig is $29.99, the Hocus Pocus Adult Deluxe Wini Wig is $39.99 and the Hocus Pocus Deluxe Mary Wig for Adults is $39.99. And for the props, a $12.99 witch broom from the site's general accessories works fine for Winnie or Mary.

There's also a classic line by Disguise, with Sarah and Mary on sale for $49.99 to $59.99, if you want a simpler and cheaper set.

The capelets and props

In the movie, all three sisters wear hooded capes when they fly. The site sells hooded capelets for each one. The Hocus Pocus Sarah Sanderson Hooded Capelet for Women costs $24.99, the Winifred Sanderson Hooded Capelet costs $24.99 and the Mary Sanderson Hooded Capelet is on sale for $4.99, down from $19.99. That last one is a very good deal.

For the flying gear, Sarah needs her mop. The Disney Hocus Pocus Sarah Sanderson Mop Accessory is on sale for $29.99, down from $39.99. Winnie gets the broom, and Mary gets a vacuum, or the vacuum bag, depending on which movie you're going for.

And the spell book is a must for Winnie. A big old book wrapped in brown paper with an eye drawn on the cover gets you close enough.

Making it bigger

If you have more than three people, the site has the rest of the cast. Thackery Binx, the boy turned into a black cat, comes as Disney Hocus Pocus Thackery Binx Costume for Adults for $69.99, and in kids' and toddler sizes. Billy Butcherson, Winnie's zombie ex-boyfriend, comes as a Men's Deluxe Disney Billy Butcherson Costume for $69.99.

For the heroes, there's a Dani Dennison Hocus Pocus Costume for Adults for $79.99 and a Disney Hocus Pocus Adult Max Dennison Costume for $69.99.

And for families, the deluxe sisters come in kids' sizes too. There's a Deluxe Disney Hocus Pocus Girl's Sarah Sanderson Costume for $54.99, a Girl's Deluxe Disney Winifred Sanderson Costume for $69.99 and a Deluxe Disney Hocus Pocus Mary Sanderson Girl's Costume for $59.99, plus toddler versions of all three for $49.99 each. A mom-and-daughters trio would be adorable. And there's even a Disney Hocus Pocus Winifred Sanderson Pet Costume, on sale for $19.99.

Tips for a witchy trio

Measure before you order. The bodices have zippers and, in Sarah's case, boning, so they won't stretch much. Check your chest and waist against each chart, and remember that each sister's dress has its own measurements.

Order the wigs early. All three sisters' hairstyles are part of the joke, and a wig that arrives late leaves you with half a costume. Also remember that the Sarah wig isn't returnable once opened.

Practice the walk. The sisters move as a group, with Winnie in the middle, Mary sniffing the air and Sarah drifting a step behind. And practice the hand gestures. Winnie points a lot.

Finally, plan for the weather. The dresses are lightweight, and the capelets add a little warmth for a cold October night.

Summary

The Women's Deluxe Disney Sarah Sanderson Costume from FUN Costumes is a one-piece dress with a boned satin bodice, red lace sleeves and a layered chiffon skirt, for $79.99. It's part of a matching deluxe line with Winifred and Mary, also $79.99 each, so a full trio costs $239.97, or about $370 with wigs. Sarah's dress runs shorter than the others, so plan on tall boots, and measure carefully, since the bodices don't stretch much.

So, are the Sanderson sisters worth it?

Yes, for any group of three. It's one of the most recognizable trio costumes there is, and the deluxe line looks like it was designed as a set. At $79.99 per dress, the price is fair for this much detail.

I'll admit the wigs are what make me hesitate on the budget. They add more than $100 for the group. But without the hair, the sisters lose half their personality, so it's the one place I wouldn't cut corners.

So measure each sister, order the wigs with the dresses and grab Sarah a pair of tall boots. Pick up the mop and the broom, and don't forget the vacuum. Then light a candle, preferably not the black one, and head out for a night of mischief. Just keep Mary away from the candy bowl. She can smell it from a mile off.