With Halloween just around the corner, the search for unique, original costumes arises, and we all know the struggle of trying to avoid an overused look. For many of us who live on Pinterest and TikTok, this is easy. But let’s be real, some of the ‘trends’ we keep seeing are overdue for a change and need to be left in the past.
Basic Masks and Corsets are Boring
Halloween should be more than throwing on a mask or tossing some cat ears into a monochromatic outfit. It deserves more thought, more layers. Squeezing into corsets has also become a favorite, but it’s starting to feel overdone, they’re everywhere. Yes, corsets are flattering and sure, they bring a little edge to the outfit, but relying on a corset alone is boring. You’re not a Disney princess or a mouse or anything else by just adding a corset—it’s become too basic. There needs to be a substantial piece, like a silk dress or an actual costume piece that shows you put some thought into it. There is so much more that could be done.
Marie Antoinette is the Blueprint
Marie Antoinette-inspired looks are where it’s at, they capture the Halloween spirit so well. The exaggerated blonde pouf hairstyle with soft pink bows and the classic powdered white face blended with pastel eyeshadow and light baby pink blush, all come together to create an elegant look. The accessories, stacked pearl necklaces, lace gloves, tights, and the key component of the handheld fan, build character. Here, a corset is not only chronologically appropriate but aesthetically fitting, as the details of the dress itself are layered with lace and subtle pink. This costume is not just thrown together but meticulously built, the accessory aspects of this costume are what I’m drawn to the most.
Makeup Can Go a Long Way
What sets a memorable costume apart from the basics is the attention to detail in makeup, similar to those seen in artists like Chappell Roan. Super up-to-trend and bold, not the everyday makeup look you would wear, this stands out and is playful. The statements of using bold lips and colorful dramatic eyeshadow, with the incorporation of vibrant colors and textures in colored eyeliner, mascara, and eye glitter are all super fun. A good makeup look can completely transform even the simplistic costumes, and make them more eye-catching.
Wardrobes as Costumes?
The Rory Gilmore look, for instance, is just an excuse to wear your Brandy Melville closet, it falls flat for Halloween. Sure, it is niche, but Halloween is about dressing up, and not looking like you’re headed to a coffee shop to study for hours. Throwing on jeans and a knitted sweater–staple items from your closet–takes the fun away from dressing up. Same with the whole Adam Sandler craze, it was fun the first time around, but now it’s just a tired excuse to avoid creativity. It’s boring, It’s been done, feels so last year and the year before it. Grabbing an oversized t-shirt and basketball shorts is nothing special anymore, these just feel like a missed opportunity for Halloween Fun.
Minions? We’ve Seen Enough Yellow
I love minions, but every year when a new minion movie is released it’s the same yellow-painted crowd. Our feeds have already been overflowed with yellow minion costumes while using the same minion audio, year after year. It’s nostalgic for some, sure, but it’s beginning to feel like the meme-fueled repetition we see on Facebook, a reuse of pop culture humor that has overstayed its welcome. A minion costume might’ve been cute a few years back, but it’s time to move on.
Time to Rethink Juno
Then there’s Juno, the 2007 indie comedy about high schoolers Juno Macguff and Paulie Bleeker who find themselves dealing with teenage pregnancy, the film’s central theme. While Juno the character is beloved for her humor, I believe dressing up in a huge belly to impersonate a pregnant teenager is not quirky or niche. As much as Juno is a layered, meaningful movie, the costume feels like it’s glorifying the serious issue of teenage pregnancy that the film itself handles with nuance.
Please End Frat Boys
No more frat boys, please. The frat boy costume is way past its expiration date. The backward cap, oversized polo, and untied ties are everywhere already. This costume lacks excitement and creativity, looking less like a Halloween costume and more like what we would see up on campus. Halloween is about dressing out, not blending in, so let’s leave the frat boy look behind and try something different.
Halloween Is About Not Playing it Safe
Halloween is the time to step out of your comfort zone and throw on some bold, creative, and original. A chance to explore classic vintage 90s characters, play with old-school looks and today’s trends, or show up as a ghost. The whole purpose of Halloween is to sell out on the very last night of October, so have fun.
