Everyone knows the iconic Halloween scene from Mean Girls when Cady says, “Halloween is the one time a year a girl can dress as a total sl*t, and no other girl can say anything about it. The hardcore girls just wear lingerie and a pair of animal ears.” Well, take those hardcore girls and then go all the way to the other side of the spectrum…and then some, and there you will find 2019 Halloween me when I decided to dress up as one of my favorite Disney princesses.
I was a freshman, and I always prided myself on wearing great Halloween costumes. Just that summer, Disney had announced Halle Bailey would be playing Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid, and I was feeling particularly inspired. Therefore, I decided that I would be Ariel for Halloween, and it was going to be authentic. I did not dress up in a purple bra and green skirt; no, I wore one of her human outfits, specifically the “Kiss The Girl” dress. I had everything: the corset. The larger-than-life bow. The dress that went below the knees. And, of course, a cherry red wig.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a great costume. Maybe it would have fit in more if I went to a party in my hometown or had a small costume party with friends. But no. Halloween 2019 fell on a Thirsty Thursday, and I decided it was going to be my first time ever venturing out onto frat row. So yes, I walked down Gayley Avenue, immediately smelling the alcohol, puke and PINK body spray, dressed like a full-on Disney World cast member. I was a fish out of water, literally.
The various reactions I got were priceless, to say the least. Some frat guys or fellow girls would give me a once over and just nod before turning away. But there were also people who were totally wasted and made my night one to remember. One girl screamed, “Oh my gosh, Ariel. I love you, I love you,” and lunged toward me like a 6-year-old in a theme park. Her friends had to drag her away and looked at me apologetically while she screamed, “Wait, let me talk to her.” I was taken aback, but I was also proud that my costume was so great she thought I was the real little mermaid.
I also learned that drunk people DO NOT know their Disney characters. I was called “Anna” from Frozen, “Anastasia” from Cinderella, and then actually “Cinderella” (which I was very confused how one could mistake my obviously red wig for blonde, but “my dress was blue, making it hard”). My roommate also ventured into frat row with me, and was dressed as Lilo from Lilo and Stitch. She also had a great and obvious costume, but everyone kept calling her “Moana.” Sigh.
In addition to my fans and confused, drunken onlookers, I also experienced a lot of backhanded comments. People would look at us and go, “Oh look, they’re still sober haha,” or call us “cute,” but had a tone where it was obviously not a compliment. The security guards at each frat we went into seemed to be extra kind to us, breaking their grumpy faces and giving us smiles or going out of their way to make sure we could pass through the crowded doors. I think they could tell it was our first time, and I still appreciate their gestures.
My friend and I ended up leaving pretty early, opting to walk back to the Hill and order large hot chocolates from The Study instead. Overall, the experience was a 6/10. Despite sticking out like a sore thumb and the negative and positive attention I got from it, I still had a good time. I enjoyed the music, and I enjoyed watching all the “hardcore” girls’ costumes, as well as less extreme ones. I don’t regret my Ariel costume. I still think it was adorable, and now it makes for a hilarious story. I just wish someone would have warned me how dang hot frat parties can get. Wearing a wig AND long sleeves, not the move.