My hyperfixation over this past summer just happened to be Halloween costumes. Everyone knows if you’re in college, you need multiple costumes and that Halloweekend lasts a minimum of three days. As I was brainstorming my costumes, I didn’t know at the time that I was going to have blue hair during Halloween. I had officially decided that this year was going to be the year I finally pulled off my dream costume, Dobby from Harry Potter. Another costume I knew I wanted to do this year was Misa Amane from the anime Death Note. My boyfriend, Aeven, wanted to be Ryuk because in the show, Misa’s boyfriend, Light Yagami, doesn’t treat her right. We decided to put our own twist on it and go as Misa and Ryuk.
I didn’t piece together my other two costumes until September. At this point, I had dyed my hair black with royal blue chunky highlights and wanted to use it for costumes of blue-haired characters. I came up with Emily from Corpse Bride because I’ve always wanted to be her but never had the blue hair for it. I was most excited for Dobby and Corpse Bride because they were both costumes I’d wanted to do for so long.
Matching Costumes
For the Dobby costume, I told Aeven that if he wanted to match, he’d have to be Harry Potter so he could be the one to free Dobby. This didn’t take much convincing. However, when I thought of Corpse Bride, I knew he couldn’t be Victor. While many couples dress as Emily and Victor, anyone who has seen the movie knows Victor doesn’t choose Emily; his heart wants Victoria instead. I didn’t want a costume where my man wasn’t actually my man. As a solution, I again told Aeven that if he wanted to match, he could be the maggot that lived behind Emily’s eye. I knew this was a bit niche, but it’s what had to be done.
Finally, I’d realized I was three costumes in and didn’t have one matching with my roommate, Lydia. After scrolling on Pinterest for what felt like forever, I came across a pin that had Jade and Cat from the show Victorious. It worked out well because Jade had blue highlights in one of the seasons and Lydia didn’t mind spraying her hair red for the night.
Night 1: Jade West
Halloweekend was finally approaching, and I had all of my materials and items for each costume purchased and planned out. On night one, I decided to pull out my matching Jade and Cat costume. This costume went very smoothly. I figured out the outfit in one try, which never happens for me. I did my hair and makeup, and was all ready for photos.
Typically, when Lydia and I go out, we’re scrambling until the last second trying to get ready, but for Halloween, I made a rule. We agreed that we needed to be ready an hour before leaving and dedicate the time for pictures and TikToks. More realistically, we hit about 30 to 45 minutes early each night, but this was still enough time to take some very cute photos and even make a few TikToks.
Night 2: Dobby The Elf
This was the night everyone was waiting for, whether they knew it or not. It was Friday night, and I was so ready to be Dobby. It was my first time wearing a bald cap and it didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped, but eventually, after about 30 minutes and three crash outs, Aeven and I made it work. I changed into my D.I.Y. Dobby dress, put on my ears and nose, and of course, grabbed my sock. That’s right, Dobby was a free elf tonight.
The thing I had looked forward to most was running around the frat party with my sock chanting, “Dobby is free! Dobby is a free elf!” Throughout the night, people had come up to us and complimented my costume, while some asked for pictures. A few groups of girls were very excited to see Dobby and ensured I had my sock and was a free elf. As I held up my sock, we all began screaming with excitement. I’d like to think that Dobby brightened some people’s night that Halloweekend; it definitely brightened mine.
Day 3: Emily The Corpse Bride
Saturday was the actual day of Halloween, Oct. 31, so I decided to wear two costumes in one day. I thought wearing my Corpse Bride costume during the day would be smarter because I could wash off the blue body paint easier, rather than late at night in the communal bathroom. That being said, I knew Corpse Bride was going to take a while, but I didn’t realize just how long. It took me just under four hours to be completely finished and ready to leave. I spent four hours getting ready for a costume I wore for less than two hours. However, I will say, during those two hours, I looked pretty good.
After getting myself ready, I helped Aeven finish up his maggot costume, and we were ready to show off our couples costume. As we entered Ted’s, a local bar, some of my friends complimented me while laughing at Aeven, most of them unsure of what he was supposed to be. After pulling up the picture, we received compliments on the accuracy of his makeup. A girl asked if we were “Corpse Bride and the worm thing in her eye,” and I got very excited about someone knowing who his costume was.
Night 3: Misa Amane
After removing all of my Corpse Bride makeup and body paint, and changing out of the outfit and accessories, I was surprisingly still excited and ready for my final costume. I thought at this point I’d be sick of costumes, but I was still excited to be Misa. I had the blonde wig, outfit, her exact necklace stack, and, of course, red eye contacts. Those who have seen Death Note know Misa has something called the Shinigami eyes, which cause them to appear red. Misa’s red eyes are like Dobby’s sock; it’s not the same without it. It elevates the costume to the next level. I had never put contacts in before, so that led to another crash out or two (and almost a couple tears) trying to get them to go inside my eye. Eventually, with help from Aeven, we finally got them into my eyes, and I immediately felt more like Misa.
After I finished getting ready, Aeven, Lydia, her boyfriend, and I all walked over to the cemetery by the North dorms to take pictures in a more aesthetic spot. Aeven was dressed as Ryuk and had a few props: a Death Note notebook, a quill, and an apple. Ryuk is a Shinigami, and he loves apples, so we thought it’d be a nice touch.
We had arrived at the party, and as we began to walk in, a girl leaving started screaming in excitement as she recognized Ryuk and got even more excited when seeing Misa. We took a photo with her, and she definitely started the night on a high note. Throughout the party, a few others recognized our costumes and gave us compliments. Eventually, we called it a night, marking the end of our Halloweekend. Between all the costumes, photos, and unforgettable moments, this was definitely one of my favorite Halloweekends yet. I already can’t wait for next year, although I can’t promise that I won’t start planning my costumes now.