Halloween, in my opinion, is the best holiday of the year, but picking a costume can be stressful. Yeah, you can always whip out the eyeliner and make yourself a black cat in a pinch, but sometimes you sit there wondering, “How can I dress as something, this year, that is so me?”
Now if you think some generic article can’t actually help you out with a unique costume, hold on, buddy, because I’m not handing out suggestions; I’m handing out strategies. Here’s how to brainstorm a look that will pop out on Franklin Street and make you feel special.
- Be a Sexy [Something that Should Not Be Sexy]
-
This is an easy one I’ve seen a lot of people do, but it’s easy to customize based on your interests. For instance, I happen to own a truly awful silver bowl-cut wig, which, this year, I will be pairing with a turtle neck, shorts and fishnets, and I’ll be carrying my drinks around in a Campbell’s soup can. Who am I? Who else but Sexy Andy Warhol?
Now, should anyone ever think of Andy Warhol as such? Probably not, but those are my plans, and they’re not really open for criticism.
You get the idea though. This costume can also easily become a Sexy Steve Jobs, if you do not have access to terrible, awful silver wigs.
- Be a pun
-
What’s a totally innocuous phrase you never thought could be a costume or a sounds-alike scenario you could dress up as? If that seems confusing, here’s an example:
Picture this: a wizard robe, Gandalf beard and staff, paired with a Wisconsin Cheeseheads hat – this could be none other than Cheez Whiz.
A possible contender: You come in, dressed in leopard print, hair styled into horns, and if anyone looks at you twice, you flash them a rock-on symbol. Across your forehead is a lightning bolt scar. Is this Scary Spice? Harry Potter? The answer is yes to both; you are Scary Potter.
- Be political
-
Is this risky territory? You betcha. Does that bother you? Apparently, not one bit. You wanna wrap up in a green towel, carry around a flashlight, give yourself a fake black eye and say you’re the Current State of American Democracy? Go right ahead. You wanna get one of those Greek Drama happy/sad masks and say you’re the Duality of Social Media Performance and Social Media Impact on American Teens? I applaud you.
Seriously though, if you don’t mind explaining it to people all night, think about stuff that has been on your mind lately. Is there a topic that gets you going or a theme you see running in the news? See if you can figure out a way to embody that!
- Work with what you’ve got
-
This is an important tactic people don’t always jump to immediately. It’s one thing to have a costume idea and then try to pull it off with what you’ve got, even if all your pieces aren’t quite right. It’s another thing to go through your closet at the beginning, see if anything catches your eye and build a costume off of that.
For instance, I’ve got a pair of red rainboots – Paddington Bear. I’ve got a tweedy-looking skirt – 1920’s archeologist (Evie from The Mummy anyone?) I’ve got a pink bathrobe – a Victoria’s Secret angel (but a cozy one). That’s just from glancing around my closet. Go take a peek in your drawers and see if you can’t kickstart your imagination with that!
- Or, you know, if nothing here is striking your fancy, black cats works for a reason.
-
Happy Halloween!
Note: While most of these are free suggestions proposed for anyone to take, if I see another Sexy Andy Warhol on Franklin on Thursday, I will be upsetti. That one’s mine.