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Halloween Costume Guide: Skip Trashy, Pick Classy

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Allison Goldberg Student Contributor, University of Missouri
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Vanessa Meuir Student Contributor, University of Missouri
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Halloween is right around the corner, so some of you are probably worrying about what you’re going to dress as this year or how you’re going to look. There has been so much pressure on college women to dress in scandalous
 outfits on Halloween because, as they say in Mean Girls, “In girl world, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut, and other girls can’t say anything about it.” This, however, is not always true.

Halloween has a ton of hype and causes girls to feel like they have to look their absolute thinnest and dress provocatively in order to get attention from guys at parties. Girls end up competing with each other for who can have the better costume and look their hottest. While that might seem like a good idea at the time, it can give others the wrong idea about you.

Here’s a new idea, collegiettes™: instead of dressing like every other girl, why not dress cute and flirty? Try standing apart from all of the other skimpy costumes with these tips!

Rather than completely exposing your stomach, wear a form-fitting dress. It can show off your figure just as much as a crop-top can but in a classier way. For Minnie Mouse, try wearing a flirty dress rather than this unflattering crop-top!

Don’t wear super high platform heels. They can come off trashy. Lower heels are just as cute and way easier to walk in! After all, you don’t want to slip on the dance floor.

Don’t overdo the makeup unless it’s part of your costume. On Halloween, girls tend to go all out and put on way too much. It’s fun to be dramatic, but remember less is more.

Be funny! Don’t forget that humorous costumes will get you as much attention (if not more) than sexy ones. Use your creativity. We have a few ideas to get you started:

  • Scarecrow – Try some jean overalls, a plaid top and a straw hat.
  • Dinosaur – Wear a cute dress and make your own dinosaur hat to put on your head. To go the extra mile, add some teeth!
  • Pumpkin – Put on a cute orange dress and draw a face on it. Accessorize with a green headband and a stem. It’s simple yet striking!
  • Queen of hearts – Dress up like this card with your favorite black and white dress and lots of hearts.
  • Special delivery – Dress up in bubble wrap and put a bow on your head. You can even address yourself!
  • Peacock – Wear bright colors and accessorize with feathers and wild, teased hair.
  • Firework – Go for all different colors and use light-up accessories.
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Allison Goldberg

Mizzou

Allison Goldberg is a junior at the University of Missouri double majoring in strategic communication journalism with an emphasis in PR and marketing and psychology. In Columbia, she is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha women's fraternity executive council and is a Rent the Runway campus rep. During her spare time you can find her shopping, spending time with her friends and family, running outside or reading a fashion magazine. Allison has interned at a social media firm, BCV Evolve in Chicago for the past two summers. She hopes to work for a fashion PR firm in Chicago or New York when she graduates and eventually travel to South America.
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Vanessa Meuir


Vanessa Meuir is senior majoring in magazine journalism and English. She was born in St. Louis, MO and raised in Columbia, MO where she now attends school. In addition to her involvement with Her Campus Mizzou, she works in Mizzou's athletics department and serves as a writing tutor for students on campus. She has gained most of her journalistic experience while writing and blogging for the Columbia Missourian, a local newspaper, and Vox magazine, a student-run campus magazine. She also gained some publishing experience while interning at The Missouri Review, a literary magazine. When Vanessa is not working or in class, she enjoys maintaining a personal blog that comments on reality television, spending time with her five roommates, reading and dabbling in amateur photography. Among her favorite things are diet coke, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Disney Channel and fuzzy socks.