Laszlo Costume From What We Do In The Shadows 2026

Q: What is the Jackie Daytona disguise?

When fleeing a vampire named Jim over an unpaid debt, Laszlo fled to Pennsylvania and became a bartender named Jackie Daytona. His disguise was a plaid flannel shirt, jeans, and a single toothpick. The town believed him completely. He got deeply invested in the local volleyball team, burned the bar down for insurance money to fund their tournament fees, and returned home.

Q: Did Laszlo write Kokomo and Come on Eileen?

According to the show, yes. Laszlo and Nadja composed a seafaring song in 1792 that became the Beach Boys' Kokomo, and an 1852 tribute that became Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners. He did not discover the covers existed until 2020.

Q: Is Laszlo a villain in What We Do in the Shadows?

Not straightforwardly. He has confessed to being Jack the Ripper and turned a baby into a vampire out of boredom, but he loves his wife, cares about his neighbor Sean, and took custody of a reborn infant Colin Robinson without being asked.

Q: What props should I carry as Laszlo for Halloween?

A crystal glass or goblet gives you something to do with your hands and is accurate to the character. A toothpick is the Jackie Daytona alternative and gets a response from people who know Season 2.

Laszlo Halloween Costume Items

Laszlo from What We Do in the Shadows Halloween costume infographic showing all eleven items: ruffled Victorian shirt, curly dark wig, fake beard and mustache, brocade waistcoat, double breasted trench coat, black gothic trousers, gold ring, black onyx ring, vampire fangs, black nail polish, and tall leather boots

Laszlo Costume Items

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Laszlo What We Do in the Shadows Matt Berry Vampire

1 Victorian Black Cosplay ShirtLoose-fitting Georgian pirate shirt with ruffled front or lace cravat. The collar detail needs to stay visible under the waistcoat.
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2 Short Curly Dark WigShort, dark, loosely curly. If your own hair matches this description, skip it. Everyone else needs it or the build reads as generic gothic.
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3 Black Fake Mustache and Beard (essential)The most character-specific facial detail. Buy mustache and beard from the same product to avoid shade mismatch. Apply with spirit gum. Without the beard, this is a generic Victorian vampire.
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4 Victorian Waistcoat (essential)Brocade or damask in rich tones: olive green, burnt gold, deep bronze with metallic threadwork. A plain solid waistcoat does not read as Laszlo. Spend more here than anywhere else in the build.
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5 Double Breasted Black Trench CoatWorn open and draped, not buttoned. A sweeping velvet cloak or long black coat with high collar reads correctly. A plain wool overcoat does not.
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6 Black Gothic TrousersTailored dark trousers. Check your wardrobe first.
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7 Gold Titanium RingLaszlo’s ornate accessories are a character trait. Any warm-toned metal ring with presence works.
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8 Black Onyx Silver RingWorn with the gold ring. The combination on one hand is the specific detail. Check your own jewelry before buying.
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9 Custom Vampire FangsCustom-fit, not universal tray fangs. Laszlo talks constantly. Fangs that shift mid-sentence are worse than no fangs. Fit them before the event and give the adhesive time to set.
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10 Black Nail PolishApplied to all fingers. Together with the rings, this adds character specificity. Check your cabinet before buying.
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11 Tall Leather BootsKnee-high black riding boots. Worn-in looks more accurate than new. Check your closet first.
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How to Style the Laszlo Halloween Costume

The waistcoat is what people read first. If it is plain or the wrong color, the build collapses into generic Victorian gothic rather than a specific character. Apply the wig and beard before the coat goes on, because the coat makes it hard to check the beard edges properly. If the beard shade differs from the wig, that mismatch reads from across the room.

Laszlo fled a debt to Pennsylvania, disguised himself as a bartender named Jackie Daytona using only a toothpick, became the most popular person in town, and burned down the bar for the insurance money to fund the local volleyball team’s tournament. He returned home. Nadja was overjoyed. He does not consider this an unusual chapter of his life.

Apply the Beard Before the Coat

The trench coat makes it awkward to reach the chin and jaw once it is on. Apply the beard with the shirt and waistcoat on but the coat off, check edges in good light, then put the coat on last. Spirit gum holds better than included adhesive on most fake beard sets.

Fit the Fangs Before the Night

Custom fangs need a fitting session before the event. Heat the putty, press to teeth, let cool, test for twenty minutes. Universal tray fangs fall out mid-sentence. Laszlo speaks at length. The fangs will be tested.

Laszlo Group Halloween Costume Ideas

Couples Idea

Laszlo & Nadja

Excellent couple with genuine on-screen chemistry. Nadja turned Laszlo into a vampire in 1757 and they have been married since. The visual contrast between Laszlo’s brocade and Nadja’s elaborate gothic gown reads as a matched set from a distance.

Laszlo Nadja

Group Idea: The Household

Laszlo, Nadja, Nandor, Guillermo, Colin Robinson

Excellent group for WWDITS viewers. Each character has a distinct silhouette and completely different energy so no two costumes overlap. Reads as a coherent household to fans, and as a very strange collection of people to everyone else. Both readings are correct.

Laszlo Nadja Nandor Guillermo Colin Robinson

Group Idea: Classic Vampires

Laszlo, Dracula, Lestat de Lioncourt, Deacon Brücke

Strong group for a crowd that knows vampire fiction broadly. Four completely different visual identities across the same creature type. Anyone at the party understands the concept. Anyone who knows the specific characters will appreciate the choices.

Laszlo Dracula Lestat Deacon Brücke

Group Idea: Gothic Literary

Laszlo, Edgar Allan Poe, Wolfman, Dracula

Might work, but Poe is a real historical figure while the others are fictional, which creates a tonal mismatch. The gothic through-line is clear enough for most party crowds and the visual range is genuinely interesting.

Laszlo Edgar Allan Poe Wolfman Dracula

Laszlo, Nandor, and Guillermo de la Cruz from What We Do in the Shadows showing the visual contrast between each character's distinct costume build

Laszlo Halloween Costume DIY Tips

Building the Look

Buy the waistcoat specifically. Everything else has a workable substitute.

Victorian shirt: theatrical costume shops and Renaissance fair suppliers. Ruffled front is the detail you need.
Waistcoat: buy new in brocade. A plain version reads wrong. This is not the item to thrift.
Trench coat or cloak: vintage stores stock long black coats regularly.
Trousers: check your wardrobe. Any tailored dark trouser works.
Wig and beard: same supplier if possible. Shade matching matters more here than most builds.
Rings: check your own jewelry first.
Black nail polish: check your cabinet.
Boots: charity shops frequently stock tall leather boots.
Fangs: custom-fit only. Universal tray fangs are not appropriate for this character.

Playing Laszlo at the Party

Laszlo is laid-back, enthusiastic, and almost entirely unconcerned with consequences. He is not brooding. He is having a very good time.

State your full name with emphasis on Cravensworth. Do not explain further.
He is a “lover of the macabre” delivered the same way someone mentions liking Italian food. Casually.
If someone mentions serial killers: pivot. Not from shame, just because the conversation has moved on.
Claim to have written any famous song. Commit to it.
When things go wrong: theatrical gesture, grand declaration, move on. He does not dwell.

Laszlo Halloween Costume: FAQ

How do I dress like Laszlo for Halloween 2026?

The brocade Victorian waistcoat is the item that defines the look. Layer the ruffled shirt underneath, add the double breasted coat over the top. Put the curly dark wig and fake beard on before the coat. Add both rings, black nail polish, custom fangs, and tall leather boots. The waistcoat and facial hair are what make this read as Laszlo.

Is the Laszlo Halloween costume still a good choice for Halloween 2026?

Yes, for the right crowd. What We Do in the Shadows has run since 2019 with a loyal following, and Laszlo is the character most people quote when thinking of the show. At a general party it reads as Victorian gothic vampire. Anyone who watches the show will place it from the beard alone.

Who plays Laszlo in What We Do in the Shadows?

Laszlo is played by Matt Berry, a British actor and musician known for The IT Crowd and Toast of London. The song Laszlo performs in Season 3, “Take My Hand,” is a real Matt Berry track from Toast of London (WWDITS Wiki).

What is the Jackie Daytona disguise?

Laszlo fled a debt to Pennsylvania and became a bartender named Jackie Daytona using only a plaid shirt, jeans, and a toothpick as his disguise. The town believed him. He got invested in the local volleyball team, burned the bar down for insurance money to fund their tournament, and went home.

Did Laszlo write Kokomo and Come on Eileen?

According to the show, yes. A seafaring song from 1792 became Kokomo. An 1852 tribute to a fishmonger’s wife became Come On Eileen. He did not discover these covers existed until 2020.

Is Laszlo a villain in What We Do in the Shadows?

Not exactly. He has confessed to being Jack the Ripper and turned a baby into a vampire out of boredom. He also loves his wife genuinely, cares about his neighbor Sean, and raised a reborn infant Colin Robinson without being asked. The crimes coexist comfortably with the rest of his personality.

What props should I carry as Laszlo for Halloween?

A crystal glass gives you something to do with your hands and is accurate to the character. A single toothpick is the Jackie Daytona reference and gets an immediate response from anyone who knows Season 2.