Halloween is a..dynamic holiday. From needing three separate costumes for three days of partying, to spending time running from your peers at haunted houses, there is a lot to be done in a short amount of time. We all know, especially in college, that costumes are the center of the festivities. It’s all about figuring out what exactly you want to represent with your costume.
Are you going to be funny and committed to the bit with a Spirit Halloween wig and a morphsuit? Are you going to come as more of a “concept” costume with an Aritzia two piece set, knee-high boots and a headband. And, of course, when you’re a Black woman, you have to think about all the characters you can show up at an HBCU party and people go, “Ohhh, I get it!”
There are some iconic Black girl Halloween costumes that fit every genre -from funny, to sexy, to autumn weather-proof.
The first one being an all-time classic ever since its release, Janet Jackson as Justice in Poetic Justice. Not only is it a recognizable classic, but you can put it together with stuff from your closet. A pair of light-wash high-waisted jeans, a dark blue shirt, a black hat, and of course, the long braids. Easy, beautiful, and iconic.
Sticking with the theme of classic, Gabrielle Union as Isis in Bring It On with the Clovers cheer uniform is probably the second-easiest costume idea. What’s so great about this one is that it can easily be a group costume! Bonus points if you gather a group to be the Toros.Â
These next ones are for my girls who want to get more creative, put together a few more pieces, and throw it back to childhood: Claudeen Wolf and Orange Blossom. Claudeen is a Black Monster High character with honey brown hair, a purple miniskirt, and fangs. I remember being her for Halloween as a kid, and so I’m confident her iconic nature has only gotten better with time. By finding some purple clothes and accessories, and adding the werewolf ears, you’ve got a pretty easy look. Orange Blossom is a Strawberry Shortcake character with afro puffs, and – you guessed it- orange attire. She’s a perfect costume for somebody who wants to get a bit busy with a sewing machine or some patchwork. And, she’s super cute. I feel like that counts for something.
You could be Snow White, Regina George, or Malibu Barbie. People will always get the concept.
Now, this last one is just too good to pass up. It’s constantly relevant, gives a ton of options, and is definitely iconic: Beyoncé!
Okay, stay with me. She has so many iconic eras and looks that can be so easily transformed into costumes. The mustard dress and baseball bat from the “Hold Up” music video? The “Crazy In Love” album cover? The BeyChella cropped sweatshirt and jean shorts combo? The list goes on and on.
While these are just a few ideas, the Halloween costume world is really your oyster. At the end of the day, you never have to pick a costume that makes “sense” racially.
You could be Snow White, Regina George, or Malibu Barbie. People will always get the concept. The most important thing about Halloween is that you feel confident and comfortable in your costume. But, if you happen to have some braids in and don’t have anything picked out by October 29…you do have some choices.Â