The leaves have changed, night falls earlier, and the air is finally cool. Halloween is just around the corner. To college students, this means getting a group of friends together to come up with an original, cute and funny costume. What hasn’t been done before? What is popular that we can put a spin on? These questions always factor in to the final decision on costumes, but sometimes, we fail. Sometimes, what we think is cute actually falls under a category called “basic.”
What is basic? It is your typical costume on a college campus. For girls, it is something that will get you noticed from across the bar, but not for the right reasons. So, when thinking of your costume for this weekend, throw away the cat and bunny ears, and whip out some creativity, ladies! There is nothing like a good DIY project with your friends to make the most memorable costumes on campus.
How do we make this happen? Here are some easy steps to ensure you avoid a basic, run-of-the-mill Halloween costume.
1. Think outside the box
Not every costume you put on needs to be something that can be found on Google. Think of your favorite movies, songs or characters, and then make them better. Last year, some girls I know decided to be the dancers in Justin Bieber’s music video for his song, “Sorry.” They were raved about for days. Or, be a character that isn’t the main focus of a movie. Spectators will appreciate the thought you put into the costume rather than copying something you saw on Facebook.
2. Try something homemade
It doesn’t need to be the classic “sheet ghost” costume, but it can be sewn, cut or even patched together. This can become an entertaining craft night with your roommates and even help you tap into your inner child. But now, instead of your mother making your costume for you, you can make it yourself and choose exactly what it looks like.
3. Don’t choose something based on what Instagram will think
Choose a costume that you will be excited to put on and laugh about downtown. It doesn’t need to be the perfect color that will look great on VSCO, and it doesn’t need to get hundreds of likes. Remember how much you looked forward to Halloween as a kid in grade school? It didn’t matter how many people told you how cute you looked; all that mattered was how creative you thought you were. Let’s do more of that!
4. Don’t be afraid to be dorky with it
It’s Halloween; you’re not supposed to look like yourself. You can look like you did as a little kid, or you can look absolutely hilarious. Don’t be afraid that you will look like a dork because chances are, you will have more fun than anyone dressed in a skin-tight cat suit. Be able to laugh at yourself, and it is guaranteed that you will have a great night.