Basic or Brilliant?
By Valery Huerta Posadas ('23)
As people get older, their Halloween costumes tend to get a little bit…basic. You tend to see the same couples costumes and the same group costumes every single year. It seems that people may be lacking creativity, and it makes Halloween less enjoyable for them as they stress over it. We have to restore the fun of Halloween, seeing as it was practically cancelled last year due to COVID-19.
There's costumes from films like The Purge that don't even take any effort, and it's ubiquitous. You can't just grab a mask and a raggedy shirt and call it a costume! Harley and Joker? Seen it. Cats, prisoners, cheerleaders, and nurses? Been done before! Don't even get me started on the M&M’s costumes. We have to stop using basic ideas and think outside the box!
In 2019, a then senior, Gus Fausel, dressed up as Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, and it was brilliant. He fit the role perfectly, as if it was made for him. There was also a very convincing costume of Pennywise from “IT,” but besides that, I have yet to see any other brilliant costume ideas.
Cassidy Taylor ('19) and Julia Patterson ('19) as Sally and Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas!
Photo courtesy of @JMulliganNRHS on Twitter
For Tim Burton fans, or just couples who need ideas, there's Victor and Emily from Corpse Bride, or you could be Sally and Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas! Something iconic is found in every one of his creations; Tim Burton’s movies are unique and recognizable almost anywhere you go! Not every couple has to like Tim Burton’s creations though; there's also Grease, featuring the magical pair of Sandy and Danny. There are couples like Harley and Ivy from the original Batman: The Animated Series, or Princess Bubblegum and Marceline from Adventure Time, which are beautiful representations for LGBTQ+ couples. Loki and Sylvie from the new Marvel show, Loki, would be wonderful as well.
Back track to reality, though! Not everyone is in a relationship, and that's fine as well! There's costumes such as The Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) from the MCU, Starfire from Teen Titans, Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty that would all be stunning if they had enough detail and effort put into them.
People need to start going all out, especially since we now know what a year without Halloween can be like for us all! This is your sign to indulge with colored contacts, hair dye, jewelry, makeup, and accessories in general! Whatever makes your costume better, you should have fun and experiment with it. Overall, let's be more creative! Some bold choices include Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family, and the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland; don’t forget you must match their energy when in the costumes! Costumes don't have to be serious all the time; they can also be humorous or childish!
Some people like to dress up with their friends as a group, and some ideas for that could be Veronica and the three Heathers from Heathers or all of the members of Teen Titans! The point is: we have to start trying and putting in more effort so we don't ruin Halloween by making it dull. It's been hard enough as it is because of COVID-19, so let's flip this year around! Putting the spirit back into Halloween can help to ignite a more enjoyable experience for all included! If you do decide to use an idea from here, don't be surprised if I come up and compliment your costume. Take these ideas and use them as your own, or let them inspire other costume ideas you may come up with. But most importantly, have fun with it! Happy Halloween!