With the evolution of American pop culture, dressing up for Halloween has taken on new meaning from its Pagan roots. More specifically, the once sacred Pagan holiday, previously known as All Hallows' Eve, has become a pop culture–infused night that is most closely associated with cheap costumes, candy, and—for college students in the United States—an excuse to consume copious amounts of alcohol on a weeknight.
The same costumes have been seen time and time again, and—sorry to break the news—dressing up as a black cat, a vampire, any Star Wars character, or a pirate feels … slightly stale. Not to say these costumes cannot be executed well, but they are so frequently defaulted to as a last minute throw together that they are no longer fresh or exciting—I should know, I put together my pirate costume on Oct. 30 last year. With so many "unique" costume ideas making their way onto social media platforms and amassing millions of likes, it feels like everything is slightly overdone these days. When posts amass millions of likes, how is it possible to not accidentally match with someone come Oct. 31?
The answer is simple: concept costumes. Concept costumes are exactly what they sound like: One dresses up as an abstract idea rather than a well–known character or "spooky" figure. This genre of costume is meant to facilitate creativity and can be applied to almost anything if properly executed. The goal is ultimately to dress up as far away from the literal concept as possible while still being recognizable. Although not very well–known as a category of costume, concept costumes arguably allow for the most creative and financial freedom. Participants can dress up as everything from a phrase to their favorite piece of artwork—all while using articles of clothing they either already own or can wear again in a different, non–Halloween setting. With Halloween approaching terrifyingly fast, here are a few concept costumes that are worth exploring:
Solo Costumes:
Dirty Martini:
To encapsulate the vibe of a dirty martini, think sophisticated yet fun and flashy. Place emphasis on olive tones and sparkly silver to emulate a martini glass and vodka. Make sure to order a martini in this one.
American Pie:
Think patriotic baker, but cute and Lana Del Rey Americana. A red and lacy gingham waist apron, curly pigtails, and some reference to pie—in top, accessories, or shoes—should get the idea across nicely. The only risk here is someone mistaking you as a snack.
Flower Bouquet:
This costume requires you to embody spring right as it starts to get unbearably cold. For this costume, look for a frilly, preferably V–neck dress that embodies a paper wrapping. Add a bow around your waist and get little flowers to stick onto your skin and to weave into your hair. Bonus points for a cool makeup look, flower jewelry, and especially for a solid floral perfume.
Duo Costumes:
Twin Flame:
Ideally, twin flames would match each other perfectly. Look for vibrant and flashy pieces in shades of red, orange, and yellow. Fire–themed accessories can pull the whole look together—I recommend matching flame–shaped sunglasses and flame headbands to look extra hot all night.
Partners in Crime:
A more classic costume than the rest of these concepts, dressing as partners in crime with your plus one can be an easy way to pull Halloween straight from your closet. How to execute the theme is completely up for interpretation—you could be law enforcement, runaway prisoners, or even bank robbers—just make sure the costumes are cohesive and nod to the theme. You could even use plastic handcuffs—who isn’t looking for an excuse to reuse their favorite champagne and shackles prop?
Peas in a Pod:
To be a pea for Halloween, you have to be a little more creative. Place emphasis on circles in your outfit, which should obviously be completely green and matching with your partner. Green tights and gloves would make this look especially pop, and fun makeup–or even green face paint–is a must. To really stick with the bit, a Halloween night reservation for two at Pod would be the perfect touch.
Group Costumes:
Connections:
Dressing up as a Connections category with your friends is all about embracing randomness. This costume is fully customizable to your group. Come up with your theme—I love the idea of doing inside jokes within the friend group—and piece together a clever combination of looks that fit into the category. Unfortunately, you will have to explain the idea to every single person who asks you what you are all night, but it’s a small price to pay for a unique and hilarious costume
Anything to do with a Kiss:
Treat this costume almost as if it is a Connections category within itself. There are infinite ways to execute this costume with as many people in a group as wanted, with some of my favorites being chef’s kiss, French kiss, Hershey’s kiss, kiss of life, kiss of death, and kiss and tell. This costume can also serve as an insane form of manifestation to ensure an interesting, lore–filled Halloween.
Seasons:
A great costume for channeling different personalities, dressing up as the seasons is usually recognizable and allows for lots of creative expression. Summer should exude beachy energy and wear gold and yellow with touches of green and blue throughout the look. A little extra blush would add a nice, sun–kissed final touch, too. Fall could do anything with orange and would especially thrive using autumn leaves as inspiration. Winter is all about ice and snow, and could imitate an ice queen or a snowflake. An additional benefit of dressing as winter is the ability to wear a coat with a costume—a festive way to brave the wind tunnel that is Locust Walk at night. Finally, spring could go extra eclectic and floral, dressing in a free–spirited, flower child fashion.
This year, don’t just dress up—embody a clever idea, a witty reference, or a thought–provoking concept. After all, Halloween is about more than just candy, parties, and pranks; it’s a celebration of playful self–expression. Hit up Acme and grab your pumpkins, get inspired, and let your creativity run wild.
