The fallen leaves on South Street, pumpkins displayed in windows down Market Street, and the general crisp air signify it is officially spooky season. With Halloween fast approaching, the clock is ticking to decide how you will dress up. If you’re anything like me, an adept procrastinator when it comes to planning, choosing what to wear can be a nightmare and ultimately add unnecessary stress to your life. This comprehensive list of last-minute costumes will hopefully assuage any impending costume anxiety and allow you, instead, to focus on appreciating the beauty of Autumn in St Andrews.
The first option is to channel the iconic Audrey Hepburn “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” outfit, a timeless classic that requires minimal planning and execution. To pull off this look, simply locate any black attire you possess and pair it with oversized sunglasses, a chic bun up-do, and a pearl necklace (I would recommend scanning the jewelry section of H&M). Another option along this same vein is to go as Mia Thermopolis from the beloved Princess Diaries films. All you need for this is a short dress, preferably puffy, sunglasses, and a pair of wired headphones. The tiara, of course, is what pulls the whole outfit together, which I also recommend scanning the H&M accessories section for.
Another easy and comfortable option is an athlete. For this costume, I would don a sports jersey or t-shirt (the more oversized the better), athletic shorts, leggings, a skirt, and a baseball cap to finish off the look.
I had to dedicate a section to costumes you can build around my favorite type of shoe, the Mary Jane. They are both versatile and dainty, making them perfect for any type of fairytale character or princess. For instance, starting with a combination of frilly white socks and black Mary Jane, you can go as either Alice in Wonderland or Little Red Riding Hood, depending on whether you pair it with a blue or red outfit. A red Mary Jane can also work for a Queen of Hearts look, or Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.
A timeless classic that is easy to pull together is a pirate. For this, I would wear any flowy, white shirt paired with a skirt or dress, and layer it with a corset or belt. If you don’t already possess a pirate’s hat, as I expect most people do not, simply tie a scarf or bandana around your head. I would finish this off with some brown or black knee-high boots and gold accessories.
Another simple yet iconic childhood classic is to go as Kim Possible. All you need for this one is some kind of green bottom, whether pants or a skirt, a tight black top, a brown belt, and some black boots. Extra points if you have red hair or a red wig!
If you want to dress in tune with 2023 pop culture trends, here are some of my favorite options. Naturally, Barbie deserves a spot on this list, given the plethora of iconic outfits showcased in the movie that are tailor-made for a Halloween transformation. If you’re inclined towards a classic Barbie look, I would scrounge up any pink items you can find and throw an outfit together. However, there are also a variety of Barbie characters to choose from, meaning you could dress in business casual and go as President Barbie, or sport a lab coat to go as Physicist Barbie. Alternatively, for those of you who are channeling more mojo-dojo casa house energy, I would recommend donning any denim you own, accentuated with a bandana or cowboy hat. To embody Ken’s professional “My Job is Beach” style, you can wear men’s swim trunks, a relaxed co-ord set, flip-flops, and top it off with some cool shades. Finally, you can recreate Ken’s iconic “Just Ken” outfit, which requires an athletic headband, sweatpants, trainers, and of course, the largest fur jacket you can get your hands on.
A dual-costume idea inspired by a funny 2023 pop culture moment is to recreate Hailey and Justin Bieber’s looks from the Rhode Strawberry Glaze launch. To pull this off, have one person wear an oversized grey zip-up sweatshirt and sweat-shorts (or pants for cold weather purposes), a backward baseball cap, and Crocs (preferably yellow) with tube socks. For Hailey’s outfit, sport a red dress or skirt and top, and recreate her classic slick-back bun. Extra points if you can find strawberry earrings!
Whether you’re pressed for time or simply enjoy the thrill of throwing together a last-minute outfit, I hope this collection of ideas has provided some inspiration for original and creative under-the-wire costumes. I hope to see you donning your unforgettable outfits on the streets of St Andrews this week. Happy Halloween!