We won’t start out with the typical Mean Girls quote about being allowed to dress like a slut on Halloween. We all know it, and we all know that college girls tend to take it to heart. But for those who don’t want their lovely lady lumps (or humps) hanging out for the world to see, here’s a list of fun, cute and classy Halloween costume ideas for any confident collegiette ™ to take advantage of.
For a group:
Nothing is more fun than getting dressed up with your friends. The key to a great group costume is an element that ties everyone together. Whether you’re dressed as cartoon characters or the Spice Girls, it’s important to have a consistent theme so that even if you get split up at the party, other partygoers will know what group you belong with.
The Seven Deadly Sins
This is a great costume idea if you have a group of seven girlfriends looking to all dress up together. These simple costumes make each one of you unique, yet still fit together as a group. If you’ve ever seen the America’s Next Top Model photoshoot that they did with this theme, use them as inspiration to make these looks work! Don’t forget to make cute name tags to show everyone which Deadly Sin you are!
Wrath: Wear all red and black, with horns and a red wig (if you can find it)! Any devil costume with these colors should work for this, too.
Pride: Don a nice dress, Miss America sash and tiara. Accessories could include trophies, lots of makeup and a handheld mirror.
Lust: Pick a sexy dress, and pair it with bright red painted nails, smoky eyeshadow and fishnets. A bottle of Love Potion to carry around would also be a nice finishing touch. Don’t forget your stilettos for this look!
Greed: Wear all gold with lots of bling. Items like Monopoly money and fake jewels would portray Greed perfectly. Act as though you can never have enough—if you apply some Velcro to the costume, you can continue to “acquire” accessories all throughout the night!
Envy: Dress in all green (green with envy!) and act like you want whatever Greed has. An outfit similar to Greed’s in green would be perfect for this sinful costume!
Sloth: Looking as if you just rolled out of bed is the way to go for Sloth. Pajamas, hair curlers and cute bunny slippers, along with makeup to accentuate your dark under-eye circles will fit perfectly with this outfit.
Gluttony: There are two ways to approach gluttony, but since most girls aren’t too keen on the idea of donning a fat suit for Halloween, here’s the cuter version! Wear a chef’s apron that you cover in food stains and carry around fattening foods for the night, like a Krispy Kreme box or an empty KFC bucket. No matter what you carry, refuse to share with anyone to show just how gluttonous you can be!
Tetris set
Gather a large number of equally-sized boxes (wine or liquor boxes work well) and attach in the shape of Tetris pieces. You should be able to squeeze through the middle box (or boxes). For straps, use colored ribbon attached to each side of the box you are wearing. Either paint the boxes in solid, different colors or cover them with paper. Cheap plastic tablecloths also work well to cover large areas across the boxes, too. Use a Sharpie to define the ‘blocks.’ Finally, wear matching colored clothes under the boxes. Assemble yourselves so that when you stand next to each other, you fit just like Tetris pieces.
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For a pair:
Matching up with your boyfriend or best friend? Newsworthy couples from 2011 are always a good choice. Pick a recognizable pair and recreate their most iconic wardrobe choices. Don’t like any of the current couples? Try a classic pair from television (Lucy & Ethel), movies (Bonnie & Clyde), cartoons (Fred & Wilma Flintstone) or even local celebs (Dr. and Mrs. Nathan O. Hatch perhaps?) Whatever you choose, make sure you stick together all night.
Prince William & Kate Middleton
It wasn’t called “the wedding of the century” for nothing. Put your guy in a Royal Air Force uniform or another equally dashing getup. If you can’t find fatigues, try a classic suit with fake medallions and a crown. You can wear a cheap wedding dress (search your nearest Goodwill store) and throw some serious bling on your ring finger. Talk in British accents all night.
Miss America & Nerd
For this fun contrast, dress yourself up in a nice prom or bridesmaid dress (you can find these at a local thrift store for cheap!), some costume jewelry and a tiara. To make the sash, get a cheap piece of fabric and write Miss America on it, preferably in glitter glue, and pin it in the back to fit your size. While you’re at the thrift store, pick up some suspenders and large glasses for your guy to add to his ensemble of a white button-down and khaki pants. The shirt should be buttoned all the way to the top, and tape around the glasses is a must!
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For the individual:
Go solo! Halloween is your opportunity to try something new. Take on an alter-ego, or try something new with good reason. Test out a new semi-permanent hair color, or experiment with colorful eye makeup.
Black Swan
Portray the gorgeous Black Swan with ultimate class this year! Grab a black tutu, black leotard, light pink tights and ballet shoes – if you can’t find these at Wal-Mart or Target, your local dance store is sure to have them. Glue black feathers and rhinestones to your wardrobe, throw on a tiara and some dark, dramatic eye makeup, and you’ll be ready to dance away in this stunner of a costume! Not too keen on something this dark? Try the White Swan instead! Just switch out all the black with white for a more classic ensemble.
Twitter Bird
References to pop culture are always appreciated on Halloween. The goal is to cover yourself in blue for this one: get some blue fabric from your local fabric store to cut into a smock, some blue tights or leggings, blue ribbon and blue feathers. Glue the feathers onto your smock and put the blue ribbons in your hair. So everyone will know who you are, hang a sign around your neck that says “Follow me!” and either put your Twitter name or make up a funny fake one.
Halloween is an opportunity for every collegiette™ to have fun and try something totally different from real life. Got a costume you haven’t used for a theme party yet? This is the opportunity to test it out. Search through your closet for clothes you never wear and incorporate them into your costume. Swap old costumes with friends to make something totally new. Take on a new personality and step outside your comfort zone, and don’t get stressed out by trying to find the perfect costume –a little creativity can go a long way!