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Your “Go To” Costume Guide

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bucknell chapter.

It is exactly two days before Halloween and if you’re anything like I am, you do not yet have a costume, let alone a costume idea.  However, there are a plethora of costume ideas, whether you want to be risqué (isn’t Halloween the one night a year when girls can dress inappropriately and no other girls can say anything about it?), scary a la Li-Lo in Mean Girls, or funny, we all want to have the most attention-grabbing costume come Halloween night.  Even if you already have one costume, you might need another.  Who knows how many nights we will dress up this year, with Halloween falling on a Monday.  Also, rumor has it there are an excess amount of date parties this weekend. (I know, I know, these are threatening to many of our social lives.  For all my single ladies, try your best to snag an invite.  I’ll be working on it all week.)  I’ll even throw in costume ideas for you and your date if you are lucky enough to get yourself invited to one of these parties. 
 
Solo Costumes:
 
Animal: For those of you who would like to keep your identity anonymous on this Halloween eve, a gorilla/dog/lion costume is prime.  The main challenge with any of the full-body costumes is the sweat factor.  We all know how crowded events at Bucknell can be and wearing a full gorilla outfit could be wildly sweat inducing. 
 
Celebrity:  Dressing as a celebrity can be oh so entertaining.  Whether you want to buy one of those Obama masks at a Halloween store and pair it with a suit, or get creative and dress as the drunken mess that is Lindsay Lohan—celebs are always an interesting and relevant route to take.  Another fan favorite?  Martha Stewart.  Simply grab a chef hat, a light blue, non-revealing shirt, khaki pants, and an apron with some cooking supplies and you’re set.  For you non-blondes, a wig would help make your outfit more authentic.  And if you’re feeling a little frisky, you could throw in an ankle monitor to poke some fun at the housekeeping queen. 
 
Statue of Liberty:  An American classic.  Paint your face green, throw on a crown/green sheet, and grab a flashlight.  Easy as cake. 
 
Couple Costumes:
 
Tacky Tourists:  This costume really allows you to get creative.  You can wear a Hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts, or an overwhelming floral dress, each paired with different sunglasses, shoes, (think Teevas with socks) and makeup.  And when I say makeup, yes, I am including sunscreen.  For an added effect, throw a pillow or two under your shirt and carry a disposable camera. 
 
Sex Switch:  This sounds way more scandalous than it is.  The main point is, who doesn’t crack up at the sight of a boy in a dress, or a girl with a mustache drawn on?  This outfit is also easy to get a hold of, since you can just swap with your date.
 
Famous couples:  This is just as fun as dressing like a celebrity on your own!  Possible options include Sunny and Cher, JFK and Jackie O/Marilyn Monroe (scandal!), Brad and Angelina, Demi and Ashton (tell your date to middle part his hair while you put on an old lady outfit.  For reference, look at Ashton’s dialogue on SNL).  Similarly, you could dress up as a couple from a movie, including the Flinstones, Tarzan and Jane, Ernie and Bert, or Little Bo Peep and her sheep. 
 
Group Costumes:
 
Phases of Britney Spears:  This allows all of your friends to dress up as the same person!  Here are the phases: you can dress as “innocent” Britney in the “Baby, One More Time” video (schoolgirl outfit), sexy Britney in her red jumpsuit, scandalous Britney in the “Slave 4 U” video, and, my personal favorite, Britney when she went off the deep end.  The last phase can be split in two: Britney pregnant with a shaved head and Britney with a baby.  Both can be emphasized by going barefoot.
 
Deal or No Deal Girls:  Self-explanatory and simple, all you girls need are matching dresses, heels, and briefcases!  The best part is that it’s perfect for those of you who actually want to look cute. 
 
Television Shows:  These are good for groups as well.  Possibilities include dressing as the Addams Family, the babies from Rugrats, or the Thornberries, among others.
 
Hopefully this list will help get you brainstorming for your own Halloween costume in the remaining hours approaching the big event.  I will be dressing as SpongeBob—my go-to in high school—for the fifth time, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get creative.  Most importantly, though, have fun with what you wear, and be comfortable!  Good luck ladies!

Michelle Joline is a senior at Bucknell University, majoring in Art History with minors in French and English (Creative Writing). Michelle is pursuing a career in broadcast media and entertainment, stemming off her long love of television and film. She is a co-founder and editor for Bucknell's branch of Her Campus and also spends her time as the Arts & Life editor of her school's newspaper, The Bucknellian. Michelle enjoys frozen yogurt, her golden retriever, New York City, movie trivia, and religiously reading The New York Times. She has been told her celebrity lookalike is none other than Michelle Tanner.