Ladies, it’s almost that time of year: Halloween. As the cinematic masterpiece that is “Mean Girls” so eloquently put it: “Halloween is that one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut, and no other girl can say anything about it.” Antiquated and incorrect misconceptions about reclaiming one’s own sexuality and femininity through fashion choices aside, this was pretty spot on. Halloween is the time of year when people can get creative and dress however they want; but when you’re like most other college kids, ballin’ on a budget can restrict the creative outlet that’s All Hallows Eve. Lucky for you, I’ve been DIY-ing costumes since I can remember, so I have some great, totally-never-done-before ideas for anyone that wants to get fashionable without breaking the bank this Halloween:
1. Hot Ruth Bader Ginsburg
If there’s one thing that I know guys are into, it’s RBG; this is a fact and absolutely can’t be disputed by anyone (dissenting opinions will not be taken into consideration at this time.) Looking to get the attention of someone special this Halloween? Spice up the look of their favorite Supreme Court Justice. Slick your hair back in that classic RBG bun and get yourself a black dress that goes all the way up your neckline. To top off this look, steal your mom’s doily, cut a hole in it and put it around your neck, and – voila! You’re now one of the last remaining beacons of hope on the metaphorical Titanic that is the Supreme Court. Godspeed.
2. Sexy Existential Dread
This is truly a costume we can all easily obtain. Sure, you might think personifying your own mortality and daily human responsibility can be hard to turn into a costume, but since it’s so vague, it’s extremely easy! All you need is a cute skirt, some heels if you’re feeling up to it, and a white top. Write, “What’s the meaning of life?” in Sharpie on your shirt, and you’ll have a good time confusing your friends all night long.
3. Cute Endangered Vojvodina Blind Mole Rat
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that a cute animal costume is something nobody can go wrong with; but why be a basic mouse or cat when you can bring awareness to mankind’s destruction of other species and stand out from the crowd? Thus, I give you the Vojvodina blind mole rat. It’s critically endangered, lives underground, and has a remnant of a tail – just like college students during midterms! All you need to do is tape your eyes shut, wear a fuzzy jacket and a cute skirt, and hope to god that your friends are willing to lead you around all night. Fun, flirty and thriving!
4. Sexy-Scary IPCC Report
For a lot of girls, it can be hard to find something that’s both sexy and scary that still doesn’t go beyond their budget… so, I give you the Sexy-Scary Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report costume. All you need for this costume is some cute ripped jeans and a crop top with the words “1.5 Degrees Celsius” written in Sharpie on the front. Bonus point? The rips in the jeans would be perfect for cooling anyone off at a sweaty frat party, especially since it’s going to get a whole lot hotter by 2030!
Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of these costumes and you shouldn’t listen to anyone that wants to tell you otherwise; anyone that thinks being RBG or a mole rat for Halloween is “weird” is someone you should never listen to. There’s no costume that you can’t make cute and risqué, especially since the concept of beauty and attractiveness is largely subjective and varies from person to person! Happy Halloween, collegiettes!