July 2007 is the ultimate month for Harry Potter. Not only is the fifth film coming out on July 11, but the final book of the series will hit bookshelves on July 21. As someone who grew up with these characters, I am incredibly excited for all the upcoming events. In fact, my friends and I have already bought our midnight tickets to a special Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix IMAX 3D showing and we intend to attend release parties at as many bookstores as possible. And yes, we will dress up, but we will do it very carefully.

See, anyone not under the age of eighteen is probably a little too old to dress as their favorite characters without looking completely stupid. Well, fear not fellow over-eighteen Harry Potter geeks! I have created a guide to help you show your HP love as well as maintain some semblance of dignity at the same time. This is based mainly on the female version of the ever-popular Hogwarts student uniform, so if you're hoping to dress as a lady-Hagrid or a centaur, I'm afraid you will have to look elsewhere.

Hair: Okay, I said this guide would be based on the student uniform, but I lied a little. I'm bad, I know, but I have to include some Nymphadora Tonks related hair tips. As a hair dye fanatic, I get a lot of questions from people about what brand is the best to use for bright, unnatural colors. For anyone who is thinking about doing their hair Tonks style, look into Special Effects or Manic Panic. Special Effects tends to last pretty long and, personally, I've found that it's slightly less messy than other dyes. Manic Panic seemed like it gave me the most punchy color, but it would stain my fingernails every time I played with my hair, even when it wasn't wet. However, both brands are great for mirroring Tonks' pink hair. I'm quite fond of Special Effect's Virgin Rose and Manic Panic's Hot Hot Pink. Try Pimpin' Purple if you want movie-Tonks' hair, because I haven't seen any pictures of her bubblegum locks, just wild purple-ness. As always, consult with a specialist before you bleach your hair on your own. Bleaching can cause some serious damage to your hair unless you really know how to do it and how much your hair can handle.

Tie: The all-important tie! The easy thing to do would be to jump online and buy an official Hogwarts tie, but they all have the cheesy House crests printed on the bottom and you know as well as I do that, after the book and films come and go, that tie won't ever see the light of day again. If you're willing to spend a little extra, why not opt to buy a good-quality tie that you can wear to the parties and then pass on to your favorite guy for normal wear? Brooks Brothers is known for its excellent ties and beautiful quality. I took a peek at their website and they actually have striped ties all the House colors.

Accessories: I know you're tempted to take a shard of glass and carve a lightning bolt on your forehead to show your love for Harry, but I have a feeling that just a simple necklace will do the trick. I've seen plenty of stores and boutiques with silver or gold necklaces with lightning bolt pendants, so dig around some accessory sections. If you'd rather take the easy way, Amazon.com has some great choices. Something as simple as this kind of necklace can be worn at any time as a fun addition to an everyday outfit. As for earrings, those of you that are hoping to channel Luna Lovegood's kookiness might want to look into some radish earrings like the ones that she wears in the new film. They're horrible and very arts-and-crafty, but if you're hardcore for Luna, check out these eBay listings.

Shirt and Sweater Vest: A proper dress shirt is extremely important, as is a nice sweater vest. Both of these items are workplace staples, so they are most likely already in your closet. If not, check out Banana Republic for tailored dress shirts (I find that they fit beautifully and my BRs' sale sections are always filled to the brim with these shirts). Remember that darts are your friends, ladies, and don't be afraid to fall in love with the always elegant French cuff. As for sweater vests, make sure they fit your form in clean lines. A lumpy sweater vest can completely ruin the effect of a crisp collared shirt. I found this cable sweater vest from Target to be satisfactory because it fit my curves well, although I would have liked it better if it was V-necked like the uniforms in the films.

Skirt: Now comes the matter of finding a schoolgirl skirt that doesn't look like a schoolgirl skirt. Find something cute and black (or dark grey, sure) and not obscene. Pleats are a plus, but aren't exactly necessary. Take a look at this selection from Amazon and you'll see what I mean when I say you should get a schoolgirl skirt that doesn't look like a schoolgirl skirt. There are going to be kids around all Harry Potter related things. Leave the naughty Catholic schoolgirl get-up for Halloween or the bedroom, yeah?

Tights or Socks: These will probably be the easiest things to find, thanks to the recent tights craze. Grab a pair of full-length black tights/leggings or some high, dark grey socks.

Shoes: Hurrah, hurrah! It's time for shoes. Oxford spectators, how I love thee. A pair of shiny, all-black spectators are probably the best to wear, but I have found it terribly difficult to spot the perfect pair without killing my credit card. The cheap ones look blatantly so, so unless you find the ideal pair of Oxford spectators, look for some alternatives. Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. has these weird Oxford pumps. I wouldn't be caught dead in them, but I thought they looked like something the sluttiest Slytherin girl would wear and I had to share. Here are some slightly cheaper Oxford heels. They aren't as fun as the L.A.M.B. pumps, but they'll get the job done. For those of you that would rather avoid the Oxford look (or don't want to strain your wallet), Target has these simple, but cone heel Mary Janes.