With each passing year, a Halloween comes and goes, and popular culture breeds a new crop of costumes to suit that particular year. In the past, we have seen our share of Lady Gaga ensembles, Katy Perry and Russell Brand couple costumes and even more to suit the year’s blockbuster hits and viral phenomena. Those who start the trends leave room for dozen of copycats, but there is something refreshing about seeing a familiar icon in the feverish swirl of the Halloween weekend. With that, Her Campus Illinois brings the top ten most circulated and anticipated Halloween costumes for this upcoming dress-up season.
Slender Man
You would have to be living under a rock, or perhaps hiding out in abandoned buildings in dark forests, to have not played the game Slender yet. Even before the release of this increasingly popular horror game, the urban legend of the Slender Man has been a hot topic on the Internet for several years. With his business suit and blank, white face, this mysterious baddie has become the subject of many pranks and probably several outfits this Halloween. The simplicity of him will definitely draw many college students to don his trademark outfit.
Korean Rapper Psy
This is yet another timely costume that will surely be a huge hit this Halloween season. With the viral popularity of his song and music video “Gangnam Style,” Psy is becoming a household name and highly recognizable in college campus culture. Slick back your hair, don the perfect Psy tuxedo and do not forget the sunglasses. With a portable music playing device blaring “Gangnam Style,” you will not leave anyone doubting who you are this Halloween.
Any of the Avengers Cast
Last semester ended with a bang thanks to the release of creative genius Joss Whedon’s superhero extravaganza The Avengers. This film was, and is still, much beloved by audiences everywhere, and it shall prove to be the Halloween of the superheroes as Avengers litter the streets. The movie gives a multitude of heroes (and one particularly handsome villain) to choose from. Whether you are as simple as Colbie Smulder’s Agent Maria Hill or as intricate as Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, there is a character for everyone.
Jon Snow (For the Gents) and Daenerys Targaryen (For the Dames)
Another huge hit in the media this year is the highly revered Games of Thrones television series, based on the books by George R.R. Martin. With its action-packed fight scenes and fantastic costumes and props, there may be sword fights on the streets come Halloween. Two extremely popular characters from this show are Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard “Ned” Stark and Daenerys Targaryen, the dragon queen. While these characters are awesome, save these for a time when you can fully plan out every detail.
Zombie Obama and Mitt Zombie
This Halloween will see a rise in political costumes as it lands on the year of the presidential election. Thanks to an upcoming online game featuring Obama and Romney fighting hordes of zombies in a mad dash to the White House, we will probably see a spike in undead presidential costumes. Obtaining a suit or business wear is also not difficult on a college campus, so this is the costume to wear if someone is going for recognition. Plus, who wouldn’t want to bear the clever moniker “Mitt Zomney” for a night?
An Out-of-Work NFL Replacement Referee
Talk of this type of costume is running rampant on the discussion threads of reddit. Not only is it a huge current event, but also it is extremely clever. After the events of the NFL lockout, everyone will be able to throw out a close guess to what you are portraying. Honestly, it is as simple as wearing a referee’s costume and carrying a sign reading, “Will work for…” Also, make sure you make a lot of really strange calls and observations.
Your Favorite Olympian
Do you happen to have a few stray medals from your childhood lying around your dorm or apartment? Add a swimsuit to that ensemble, and voila! You are now Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte! Put together some workout clothes with the proper colors and number, and you can portray whomever you want. This costume is especially inexpensive if you do not plan on paying much for Halloween this year, and you will be comfortable.
Sam and Suzy from Moonrise Kingdom
Hands down: this is my new favorite couple costume of all-time. Anyone will tell you that Wes Anderson’s newest film was a gorgeous masterpiece. Its amazing cast and wonderfully done costumes make it a must for any diehard Anderson fan to attempt the iconic duo from this summer’s hit. There are various ways you could dress as Suzy, whether it’s her regular outfit or her bird costume. For Sam, finding a boy scout uniform and a coonskin hat is not the most difficult task in the world. I am excited to see people pull off these costumes come the 31st.
Horse Mask Man
Surely, some of you have seen these creepily interesting masks floating around the online shopping markets. For about twenty dollars, you can be transformed into a gaping horse faced person for a night. There is so much you can do with this too. You could be a horse jockey just to confuse people or simply a horse on its way to work in a spiffy business suit. The choice is yours! Amazon also offers a variety of other animals to choose from. Squirrel mask for U of I, anyone?
Finn or Marceline the Vampire Queen from Adventure Time
What time is it? Halloween time! Adventure Time has brought back the fun loving kid in a lot of us, and masquerading as Finn or Marceline for a night pays more than enough tribute to the Cartoon Network show. These easily recognized and loved characters leave a lot of room for creative license. Why not dress up as these two with a friend and have a jam session on Marceline’s bass?