Halloween is quickly approaching, but it’s not too late to find “the” costume, whether it is store-bought or something that can be thrown together with the contents of one’s closet. When it comes to Halloween, some people may choose costumes that are cute, funny, extravagant, or really out there. Either way, the purpose of dressing up is to have a good time with friends and make fun memories! A great way to do this is by dressing up in pairs, trios, or larger groups. Being creative and incorporating personality into Halloween costumes is what makes them special. Here are some ideas to help think of the perfect Halloween costume, which can all be worn individually or with a group as well!

Movies and TV Shows

The year of 2021 has been a monumental year in the cinema world, with many new tv shows and movies gaining success. Examples include Marvel’s new movies Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and tv shows such as the Korean drama Squid Game. It may be fun to dress up as a character in a show or movie, especially one of the well-known shows or movies. 

As a group, one way of dressing up is choosing a show or movie that everyone enjoys, and each person can be a different character from the show or movie. For example, dressing up as a character from Squid Game, which has become the talk of the school, would be a prominent costume that is recognized by many students. Each person taking part in this costume would be able to choose whether they wanted to dress up as a worker (red) or a player (green). Those who choose to be a player can dress in all green and wear a tag with a number on it. Workers would wear a red hoodie and a black mask with either a circle, triangle, or square drawn on it. This is one of the many examples of costumes that can be inspired by tv shows and movies, when really dressing up as any movie or show would be a memorable experience.

Celebrities

Dressing up as a celebrity is also a broad category that allows for a lot of creativity and personality. Everyone has their own celebrity look-alike, and there are many ways for someone to capture the celebrities’ persona and image. After choosing a celebrity, it is vital to copy their signature look which for example could mean a high ponytail for Ariana Grande or a signature statement outfit for Harry Styles. 

In case there are any Ariana Grande fans out there, becoming her for a day does not seem like a bad idea. This costume can easily be accomplished with a high ponytail, some cat ears, boots, a cute outfit, and a grande size Starbucks drink. Hitting Starbucks in the morning and getting a grande Starbucks drink will complete the costume, putting the “Grande” in Ariana Grande.

This is also an interesting idea for people who want to do group costumes. A variety of group costumes can be done with celebrities, however, one of the group costumes that will surely stand out is having everyone dress up as different phases or looks from the same celebrity. Celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Brittney Spears would work very well for this purpose since they have many looks from different music videos. 

Clever and Funny Word Plays

So far, all of the ideas mentioned will be fun, especially within groups of friends, however if standing out from others is a goal, funny and clever costumes may be the way to go. Everyone enjoys a good laugh, so why not bring joy to people through your costume? 

Firstly, an example of a clever costume that puts a spin on words is called Taco Belle (allisonmarieborden). When thinking of Taco Bell, one would think of the restaurant, however when adding an “e” to the end of “Bell” the meaning can change entirely. Based on the Disney princess Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Taco Belle is basically a Belle costume with tacos, which can be made out of colored paper or fabric, which will definitely make people laugh. 

Additionally, a figurative saying that is taken literally can also turn into a funny Halloween costume. The phrase “Holy Cow ”, when taken literally, can be depicted as some sort of an angel cow. A costume surrounding this idea can include a cow print outfit along with a halo and angel wings to represent being a holy cow (magicwandprofessor).

Lastly, using words that sound similar but have completely different meanings can also make quite the costume. The word “cereal” has no relation at all to the word “serial” in definition,  but they do sound the same. Dressing up as a cereal killer for Halloween may be a fun take on the word “serial killer,” with bloody boxes of cereal.

When people think of holidays, Halloween is not necessarily the first thing to pop into mind. Nonetheless, dressing up to go to school and showcasing costumes to your classmates is always fun and something that never gets old. Minchae Kim (10) shares her thoughts on dressing up on Halloween, and how “[she doesn’t] think there’s an age limit for people who want to dress up for Halloween,” emphasizing that “group costumes are fun and they make Halloween more memorable for everyone.” These are just some examples in case someone needs some last-minute ideas or inspiration. Teachers, students, and staff are all looking forward to seeing the Halloween spirit this Halloween and all the creative and festive costumes at YLHS!