With Halloween just around the corner, you may still be scrambling to figure out your costume. Never fear—you can look to the following sources for inspiration.
1. Past decades
Bygone eras always serve as great fodder for Halloween costumes. You can throw on a short, swingy dress, some faux pearls, and a feather headpiece and be a flapper. Put on a psychedelic patterned dress, round sunglasses, and tall boots, and you’re a hippie. Easily recognizable costumes like this are fun and easy to put together.
2. Nature
There are plenty of different aspects of nature that can inspire your costume. You can go for the tried-and-true animal costume look. It’s as easy as putting on a leopard-print dress or a pair of animal ears. If you want something slightly more unique, try being a season. Dress up in green and florals for spring and icy white for winter. For a fun fall costume, cover yourself in fake leaves. If you’re brave, try wearing a bikini for a summer costume. (I don’t really recommend that last one.)
3. Books
Why not look to your favorite books to stimulate your imagination? Your costume doesn’t necessarily have to be an easily recognizable character, like Hermione Granger. Dress up as someone like Holden Caulfield or Hester Prynne, and half the fun you’ll have on Halloween night will be watching people’s faces light up as you explain your costume to them.
In high school, I dressed up as Scout Finch in her ham costume. (Shout out to my mom for sewing it for me.) If you’re going to go that route, I have one final tip: make sure you include armholes.