The 10 Do’s and Don’ts to College Halloween Costumes

Is October not the best month of the entire year? Homecoming, fall concerts, Halloween: What a lineup. And yet, it can be a stressful time. The key to staying on top of things is to plan your Halloween costumes early. And by “early” I mean, if you haven’t already decided what you’re being, you’re behind. You will blink and it will be the night of. Here’s are the Yes and No’s of Halloween Costumes to get the ideas brewing for you.

1)   Store bought costumes: NO.

It is okay to purchase accessories from a Halloween store, but a $75 slutty sailor costume from Spencers or iParty? Come on. You’re going to walk into a party and find 15 other slutty sailors with the same thing on. The homemade costumes are not only the cutest but they’re the most flattering for your body. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a strong advocate of slutty Halloween costumes….BUT a costume doesn’t have to be expensive to be good. Cardboard boxes, duct tape, big t-shirts, and paint are some basics that can create some of the most legendary Halloween costumes. Personalizing them will undoubtedly make them much more memorable.

2)   Fake eyelashes: YES.

This is the one night of the year where you can have obnoxious eyelashes and not a single soul will think you are crazy. Go to Rite-Aid and buy the longest, craziest eyelashes you can find (do not, I repeat, DO NOT, buy the spider web ones from Spencer’s, they’re creepy).

3)   Platform heels: YES.

But, here’s where it gets a little tricky. A good pair of shoes can make or break your entire costume. You have to factor in the party aspect. For the constant heel wearers: the higher the better. For those of you who don’t typically wear heels: don’t kill yourself to make your costume better. You will complain the whole night and you will go home early.

4)   Borrowing from friends: YES.

We have three nights of Halloween to dress up for (maybe 4 if you’re ambitious). Recycling Halloween costumes is OKAY. It will reduce your stress and save you some money. How creative can a girl possibly be for three nights in a row? Find yourself one or two great costumes that reflect your personality, and borrow a third. Thursday night should be your BEST costume. For those of you with Friday classes, buy your Gatorades the night before (you’ll thank me Friday morning).

5)   Couples costumes: NO.

I’ll say it once more for emphasis… NO. Are you kidding me? We know you’re dating. We know you have been dating every other day of the year. Let’s give it a rest on Halloween. You get one day of the year to wear whatever you want and he can’t even comment. Take it and run with it. Not to mention your boyfriend is ABSOLUTELY going to hate you if you make him be something that matches you. Let him do something stupid with his friends.

6)   Wigs: I don’t even get it.

Are you 40? Are you prematurely bald?  Are you a drag queen? Do they not make temporary hair dye? Do they even sell wigs to people our age? Are you serious?

7)   Group costumes: YES.

A six pack, crayons, Spice Girls… generic but cool. A good third night outfit. Homemade, easy, fun for you and your friends (not to mention you’ll get some cool cover photos).

8)   The “Walk of Shame Girl”: NOOOOOOOOO.

Don’t you walk of shame enough during the school year? Do you really have to dedicate this night to it too? Wearing your guy friend’s button down shirt and your brightest Victoria’s Secret bra does not constitute as clothes and is not acceptable or appreciated. And does the guy ever really give you a button down to wear? No. Teasing your hair and smudging your red lipstick is creepier than anything. Have some imagination ladies, and some self-respect too.

9)   Scary costumes: NO.

Unless your makeup is absolutely legit and awesome, scary is never really cool. And what about masks? GOODBYE. I want to take a poll. Has anyone ever actually purchased a mask? Are they just in the stores for show? Yeah, when you’re five years old dressing up as a Power Ranger masks are cool, but other than that I’m going to say that masks are over.

10)  Funny costumes: YES.

It’s true that our generation has turned Halloween into a holiday for risqué costumes, but if that’s not your thing there is nothing wrong with that. A hilarious costume can trump a showy costume any day of the week. The most important thing for this holiday is to be comfortable and  to be you, whatever that may be.