We Should Be More Creative with our Halloween Costumes

I love Halloween because I love to dress up and see other people’s costumes. However, it seems that some people aren’t as committed to originality as they should be. While Halloween may be just a day to get plastered for some college students, you still need to be creative with your costume choices. 

Men, I’m going to hold your hand when I say this: stop being a prisoner for Halloween. This ranks No. 1 for the worst and most overdone costume out there. I know it’s easy and you get to carry around handcuffs in public but its so unoriginal I could vomit. I swear at every party and every bar, the prisoner costume ratio is one in 10 people. 

Even guys agree that this one needs to be put to rest. “I think it’s just the most common and easily repeatable [costume,]” said Oscar Maldonado, a conservation biology major. 

Dressing as a prisoner shows your true colors — and unfortunately, they are bright orange. Please try again. 

Some other lame costumes for guys that are worth avoiding are cop, firefighter, clown, Patrick Bateman from “American Psycho” and last but not least, the killer from “Scream.” If you plan to be any of these, rethink all of your life choices. 

Men aren’t the only culprits. For the ladies, generic ideas result in a generic evening. The key to good costumes is making them niche.

“The most overdone Halloween costume is definitely a cat for a girl. Honestly, it’s just a lazy costume,” said Jack Hayward, a computer science major. It’s simple, turn that generic cat costume into a specific cat: Cat in the Hat, Catwoman, Pete the Cat, Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh, Mufasa — the list goes on. 

Unoriginal costumes for women don’t end with cats. “If you’re like, a fairy or a demon or an angel, there’s nothing. There is no originality, no hard work,” said Felix Filson, an English major. Some other women's costumes that I think need a breather as well are cop, nurse, fairy, Princess Peach and pirates. These are all bland, basic and boring. 

I will take a moment to briefly address the elephant in the room regarding women’s Halloween costumes. Some people say they are too promiscuous, and to that I respond: pound sand. Let us wear what we want to wear. Women want to dress in a flattering way, and Halloween is no exception. If you’re really going to be pressed about what we wear for a silly holiday, then please escort yourself out. 

Now, back to the issue at hand. If you plan to wear any of the costumes previously mentioned, you will lack creative flair. Buying a pre-made costume from Spirit Halloween limits the opportunity to make your outfits more creative — for example, through DIY or accessorization.

Make use of your closet and thrift stores. It’s surprising how much of what you might already own can apply to all sorts of different costumes if you think outside of the box. “I respect the costumes that take a little bit of thought beforehand and also a little bit of ingenuity,” Filson said. 

Spending quality time and effort into creating a costume doesn't go unnoticed. For example, if you plan to be Steve from Minecraft, you can build diamond armor out of cardboard. Yes, it takes time but it takes it to the next level instead of just a blue shirt, jeans and a sword. Don’t be afraid of a little DIY moment. 

A few years ago, I was the Queen of Hearts. At the time, I could've just bought that costume from Spirit or put on a red dress with a scepter and called it good. Instead, I took a deck of cards and glued them to a corset. Boom. With some jewelry, a tiara and tall red socks, it was obvious who I was, which I achieved while being original. 

To clarify, I don’t think buying common accessories like goggles, wings, hats, wigs and canes is a crime. These can be necessary for many costumes and it’s efficient to buy them from places like Spirit Halloween. The actual outfit is what needs the va-va-voom.

Halloween is a time for fun, hot, silly and admiration-worthy costumes. This year, I encourage you all to let your imagination run wild. If you're going to be something basic, for the love of everything in the universe, at least add some spice to it! Have a happy Halloween, and don’t be lame.