Ever noticed how in zombie films the zombies are always in uniform? This could just be because of an excess of old costumes in production company storerooms, but I think there's more to it.
This is really key to your whole zombie persona. If you have a set costume you open up huge possibilities for imaginative causes of death, extra props, and face it, it looks cool to be dressed as a zombie cop.
So here I'll try and outline some of the main characters you may have thought of, with some pros and cons, as well as a few that might not occur normally
Zombie Costume Themes
Doctor:
Doctors work with evil implements
Potential for zombie-causing virus/infection
Goes well with nurse/patient for pairs of zombies
All you need is a white jacket. Stethoscope optional
Cop:
Cause of death can be gunshot wound - good for FX makeup
Good prop potential - handcuffed to disembodied hand for example
Uniform not too easy to do cheaply
Fireman:
Burns are a great makeup effect
Fire axes good cause of death
Ladies like the uniform :-)
Bride:
Costume has great initial 'wow' factor
Blood looks great on white dresses
Even in thrift stores, second hand dresses can be very expensive ($50 and up)
Sports Player:
Often have uniforms to hand. Cheap in stores
Some great props - hockey sticks, NFL padding, tennis racket
Lots of exposed skin (legs, arms) for protruding bones etc...
Businessman:
Can be hard to tell the difference
Can blend in to a crowd, people give you funny looks on the subway
Amusing cause of death potential - office stationery is easy to embed in prosthetics
This is a small selection to sow ideas. Think of anything in the 'what would you like to be when you grow up' type children’s books and you should have a winner.
Once you've picked your profession, you should be ready to determine cause of death
lol