First of all, I love Halloween and costumes and the ability to be someone else for an evening. I also get that not everyone loves it the way I do. But the trick to a great costume is really quite simple – Be specific and focus on the details.
The key to a great costume is in the details. I’ve found the best way to do this is to pick someone specific and embody the character. For example, rather than going for a generic 70s vibe, try going as Jackie Burkhart from That 70s Show. How? Beyond general 70s trends, Jackie wears lots of pink and loves unicorns. She often wears necklaces or scarves tied at the throat. If her hair isn’t down in classic 70s fashion, she wears hairclips, sometimes berets. In short, identify important accessories, and don’t ignore hair and makeup. These make a huge difference in the recognizability of the costume.
As for finding pieces for your costume, you do not need to spend a lot of money. A lot of the fun comes from repurposing items you already own and combining them in a new way. For those items you must purchase, you have a plethora of options depending on your budget and level of advanced planning. You can find some great deals online, but these obviously won’t help if you need a costume tonight. In that case, craft stores and dollar stores are your best friend. Costume shops are great if you’re interested in purchasing a full outfit or one statement piece. This is often my approach – Find one awesome costume item (skirt, bustier, hat, etc.) and build the entire costume around that. Wigs can definitely help in the hair department, but colored hairsprays will often do the trick for less.
Obviously, it goes without saying, but the most important part of a great costume is having fun! Pick someone you are excited to be. Pick a character or person you’d love to talk about when someone asks about your costume. Even if it’s obscure, if you have focused on the details and committed to the character, you’ll have a great conversation starter at any party, and more importantly, you’ll have a great time.
Now, I’ve put together examples for several categories to get you thinking, but I hope you find inspiration for your own costumes. Happy Halloween!
Categories:
- Music
- Historical – I have to say that “historical” is a surprisingly challenging category. There are numerous options for iconic individuals, but matching the style well can become difficult without investing in good costume pieces. These are a couple of options based on items you should already own!
- TV Shows
- Books/Movies – So many books have been made into movies that I decided to combine these two categories.
- Creepy
Music:
- MICHAEL JACKSON
- Black pants or dark jeans, cuffed at the bottom
- White shirt
- Jacket – black or red are especially iconic
- If you have long hair, wear it in a half or low ponytail.
- White socks with loafers. Socks should be visible.
- Dark eyeliner on both top and bottom lids.
- Optional: One white glove worn on the right hand or white tape on the index, ring, and pinky fingers of the right hand.
- MADONNA
- Mesh or lace top – black or neon colors
- Skirt with cropped leggings/tights – also probably black
- Curled, teased hair, tied with large black bow
- Lots of bracelets and large earrings (possibly crosses)
- Cross/crucifix necklace among other necklaces
- Grungy eye makeup
- Optional: Mole underneath right nostril
Historical:
- SALLY RIDE – I love this one for something simple, original, and last-minute.
- High-waisted, vintage-style jeans
- Navy button-down top
- American flag pin(s) or jewelry
- Print NASA logos to pin to your top
- 80s-style hair
- Add a name tag, if desired
- Optional: Learn some fun facts about outer space.
- WALT DISNEY – Obviously, Disney has given us some incredible characters over the years, but why ignore the man himself?
- Alternatively, you could do dress pants with button-down shirt and sweater.
- Slick hair back
- Fake mustache – Available from costume shops or Amazon
- Flower on lapel
- Add Disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, and Donald Duck are probably most true to form). You can tuck these in pockets, attach them to your shoulders or lapels, and carry them. You can find Disney stickers online or at craft stores, or look for Disney toys at stores like Walmart. Or you can always print out some favorites.
- Optional: Learn a few Walt Disney quotes like “If you can dream it, you can do it” to introduce yourself in style.
TV Shows:
- PHOEBE from Friends – The great thing about this one is that you can basically mix and match whatever random items you’d like. I’m thinking of “The One Where No One’s Ready,” where Phoebe sticks a giant Christmas bow on her yellow evening gown because there’s a stain. You can get as quirky as you’d like here. Here are some recommendations.
- Long, flowy dress/skirt
- Fun prints
- Long, flowy sweater or vest
- Large statement jewelry
- Hair adornments – clips, rhinestones, etc. She wears her hair in lots of fun styles, including pigtails.
- JACKIE BURKHART from That 70s Show
- Bell-bottom jeans
- T-shirt with rainbows or unicorns; pink sweater
- Short, thin scarf to tie at the throat
- Hairclips
- Optional: pink beret; Carry a unicorn stuffed animal or put unicorn stickers on your shirt.
Books/Movies:
- SANDY from Grease – This is a popular costume, but it’s a classic for a reason.
- Black or dark-wash, ideally high-waisted jeans/pants
- Black top, fitted, ideally off the shoulder
- Red high heels
- Hoop earrings
- Red lipstick
- Dark eyeliner
- Focus on the hair – curled, teased, lots of volume, and pinned on one side.
- THE TIN MAN from The Wizard of Oz
- Gray/silver clothes
- Silver-colored hairspray
- Silver cone-shaped party hat. Purchase from dollar store or party store. Wrap it in tin foil if you can’t find the right color. Spray paint if you’re feeling ambitious.
- You can find wooden or foam shapes from craft stores like Michaels. Or use a giant sticker. Or cut a heart out of red paper. Or print one. Basically, get yourself a heart.
- Optional: Make a fake ax out of cardboard and tin foil.
- MARY POPPINS from … Mary Poppins – I’m convinced I need to be Mary Poppins next year. I’m frankly shocked I’ve never done this one before!
- Long dark-colored skirt that sits at the waist
- White or light-colored button-down top – wear this tucked in and buttoned to the neck
- Wear hair at the nape of the neck, such as in a low bun
- Sensible shoes
- Carry a long umbrella
- Optional:
- For indoors Mary Poppins – white apron; small, red bow/pin at the neck
- For traveling Mary Poppins – long, dark coat; black straw hat adorned with daisies and berries; reddish orange scarf; carpet bag
- VIOLET BEAUREGARD from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – This is another great one if you’re in a pinch.
- Wear entirely blue/purple – violet in fact
- Make yourself a Golden Ticket and stick it in your shirt pocket or pin it to your shirt.
- Chew gum. Be fairly obnoxious while you do. Carry other candy as desired.
- Optional: Paint your face blue with costume makeup. Add blue hairspray to hair.
- WILLY WONKA from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- Purple top – likely long-sleeved button-down since I assume most of us don’t own a purple velvet jacket
- Khaki pants
- Large green or gold bow at the neck
- Top hat – His is brown, but black works too.
- Optional: Walking stick; Adorn the hat with candy and a golden ticket in the band for good measure.
- DAISY BUCHANAN from The Great Gatsby
- White, loose-fitting 1920’s dress – ideally bedazzled or with fringe. To be true to Fitzgerald’s description, it is important to wear white or light colors and lots of sparkle.
- Lots of jewelry and sparkle
- Headband with feather or hairclips
- Optional: blonde bobbed wig, feather boa or faux-fur stole
Creepy
- THE TWINS from The Shining
- Light blue, knee-length dress – color is more critical than style here
- Light pink ribbon tied around the waist
- White knee-high socks
- Black shoes
- Hair down and pinned with a barrette on the left side
- Optional: Find someone to accompany you on this one to increase the scare factor.
- PATRICK BATEMAN from American Psycho
- Suit obviously.
- Ideally, a red tie
- Suspenders
- Slick hair back with gel
- Sunglasses
- Optional: Make a fake ax with cardboard and tin foil. Add fake blood to your face. Don’t worry – confining the blood to your face is an accurate detail since he protects his clothes with plastic anyway.
- RANDALL FLAGG from The Stand – Seriously, this guy is about as creepy as they come.
- Worn jeans
- Jean jacket/button-down shirt
- Cowboy boots
- Optional: Carry around a copy of Stephen King’s The Stand if you want a prop and feel like giving people a hint on this one.
Thank you! I’m going as Phoebe!!!