Costume Ideas to Turn Heads 360° this Halloween!
a personal Halloween retrospective
Happy Halloween, dear readers!
I hope you’re all out there somewhere enjoying the holiday with candy, a costume, or something spooky.
Over the past month, I’ve seen videos floating around TikTok and Instagram that promise “original” and “interesting” costume ideas. As someone who puts a decent amount of effort into costumes,1 I found myself shocked by the lack of creativity, uniqueness, nerve, and talent in these recommendations.
Barbie? In 2023? Groundbreaking.
We’ve all been guilty of throwing together last-minute costumes. Sometimes a witch hat from Spirit Halloween is all there’s time to source. I’ve thrown on a gold jumpsuit, crimped my hair, and called myself a “Studio 54 attendee,” so I hope I’m not alienating anyone who simply didn’t have time to create a full concept this year!
Also, if you wanted to be one of the Barbie army, that’s perfectly fine!
Still, these videos really got me thinking, what would I recommend for truly unique costume ideas? As I wrote, I realized I could offer no more insight than the TikTok girlies. A truly great Halloween costume is too personal for me to advise on. You know what you look like and what’s in your closet. Even more importantly, you know what you love and what you’d love to be for one night. And that’s the whole joy of Halloween! The fantasy fulfillment of being someone other than yourself.
Below, I’ve compiled my personal proudest Halloween moments. If you look closely, I think you’ll find some throughlines, as I see many of these costumes as an extension of myself. You’ll also find notes on where I wore it, what I’d do differently, and how I sourced my materials.
Who knows? Maybe it’ll spark some inspiration for your October 31st 2024!
Recommended If You Have a Friend in the Theater:
Costume: Elphaba from Wicked
This is undeniably the most accurate and well-crafted costume I’ve ever worn. I was beyond lucky to be given this Broadway-accurate mini dress by my godmother, who designed Wicked’s costumes.2 I trick-or-treated all up and down my apartment building in this thing. I was obsessed with princesses in this era of my life, but I can now recognize that witches are so much more fun.
How I Put It Together: Thank you, Aunt Susan!!!
What I’d Change: NOTHING.
If You’re in Charge of Keeping Your Friends in Check during the Night Out:
Costume: Sherriff Mazzella
You can debate the ethics of dressing up as law enforcement, but the fact remains that this costume ate! I look like I’m about to arrest some Kens in Barbie world and commandeer their horses.
I love a costume with a prop. Props make for great icebreakers and activities no matter your Halloween plans! I remember having a blast fake handcuffing everyone in my grade.
How I Put It Together: Thanks Mom and Grammy, sewer extraordinaire!
What I’d Change: Nothing.
If You Want to Be Ahead of the Curve:
Costume: Betty Boop
My mom sometimes says I came out of the womb a 35-year-old divorcée. I think childhood photos like this one are strong supporting evidence. Betty Boop is getting her own Broadway musical next year so there’s no better time than the present to revisit the character.
All I remember about this costume is that I got red lipstick on my white Webkinz, but I think it was a success. I love the wig!
How I Put It Together: I can’t remember at all, but I’m still going to thank my mom and grandmother to be safe.
What I’d Change: Nothing.
If You Like to Play Games:
Costume: the game Monopoly
Monopoly was the first costume I created on my own, and boy, did I commit. Look at the details here! The bracelet is made of Monopoly cards. The earrings are dice. This was a triumph of DIY crafting and I remain extremely proud.
How I Put It Together: I cut up a monopoly board for the skirt and attached it to a chain belt. I hot glued Monopoly money to an old tee shirt and cut the logo out of the top of the box to hot glue it on a headband. This was the most labor-intensive of my looks by far. It took months to complete!
What I’d Change: I remember wishing I’d picked a different shirt to go underneath the money. I also would want to incorporate the game pieces as jewelry if I were to do it again.
If Your Thoughts Are Worth More than a Penny:
Costume: A Quarter
My friends and I had planned to be princesses this Halloween,3 but a hurricane caused the perfectly tailored Belle costume my grandmother made to be delayed in the mail. I’m still sad that costume never saw the light of day before it ceased to fit me because it was gorgeous. However, my mom’s one-woman show archives saved the day. For what it’s worth, this sandwich board look was really fun and silly. I’ve never seen the concept repeated on another person!
How I Put It Together: Thanks, Mom!
What I’d Change: That hat! I loved it at the time, but thank God, I left it back in middle school.
If You Have Dreams of the Open Road:
Costume: Biker Chick / Biker Dad
I raided my Dad’s closet as a kid for a last-minute biker costume and then did it again when my grade decided to dress like dads4 for our grade-wide group Halloween costume. While these are two very different visions, both were pitch-perfect. Both of these looks made me feel a lot tougher than I am. Just adopting my Dad’s stance all day (on the right) made me feel transformed.
If you love leather or have a family member who does you won’t have to buy a thing for this costume. You’ll note I’m wearing the same bandana in both photos. This is why I never throw a costume item out.
How I Put It Together: Thank you, Dad!
What I’d Change: Nothing.
If You Grew Up to Relate to Disney Villains More than Princesses:
Costume: Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians.
After a drought of originality in high school (aside from the photo above), Cruella marked the beginning of some fantastic costume years in college.
I put this together pre-Emma Stone Cruella, my friends! I LOVED and still love this costume. I had so much fun running around with my plastic cigarette holder, calling everyone darling, and pretending to snap the neck of my stuffed Dalmatian. The best costumes in my mind are the ones that combine personality and attitude with the look you want to achieve. Give me an acting challenge! This one did that in spades and gave me so much confidence as I went off to make a fool of myself in front of not one but three college crushes.
How I Put It Together: A few key Amazon purchases and a jumpsuit from Goodwill I’d found two years earlier.
What I’d Change: Honestly, nothing. I felt AMAZING in this costume, and I credit this look with helping me feel more comfortable in my own skin.
If You’re Looking for a Good Opening Line:
Costume: Pussy Galore and her Flying Circus from Goldfinger
This costume allows you to introduce yourself to everyone all night as Pussy Galore. Need I say more? My friends who are not pictured were members of the character’s flying circus so we carried on the joke all night together.
How I Put It Together: I bought the vest and water gun online and owned everything else. I can’t emphasize how handy a good pair of leather pants is for Halloween.
What I’d Change: I recognize the vest (which was the cheapest I could find) makes me look like a cater waiter, but it is reference image accurate!
If You’re Looking for a Classic Look:
Costume: Marilyn Monroe in Gentleman Prefer Blondes.
This one will come as no surprise. I always wanted to dress as Marilyn for Halloween, and my short5 hair length at this time inspired me to finally make the dream a reality. Others might opt for the white Seven Year Itch dress, but her pink number in “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” is by far my favorite. It’s not the most accurate costume, but I had a wonderful time wearing it.
How I Put It Together: I scoured the internet for ages for the perfect low-cost pink bodycon dress. I also invested in some fake diamonds and gloves from a party store.
What I’d Change: If I dressed as Marilyn again, I would add a big bow to the back of the dress and make more of an effort to curl my hair. I remember not having the proper curlers in college. I do see myself going as a different Marilyn look someday in the future.
COUPLE/FRIENDS BONUS COSTUME:
If you’d like to make a statement about film history with your costume, let me recommend finding a friend to dress as a nun. Then you two can be a symbol of film censorship in Hollywood - budding sexuality in film and the disappointed Catholic Legion of Decency.
For the Film Nerds Among Us:
Costume: Big Eddie as seen in Grey Gardens (1975).
I came up with this brilliant costume after Halloween, but I think it’s one of my finest. A close friend dressed up as Little Eddie and we took a bunch of staged photos to match the movie. Grey Gardens remains a niche interest of a key film nerd, theater girl, campy queer demographic, but those who get it, get it!
How I Put It Together: I bought a grey wig and yellow towel that had velcro I could use to keep it in place. Then, I took a sun hat from my mom’s closet, my roommate’s stuffed cat, and a blouse I owned to complete the look.
What I’d Change: Nothing.
If You Want to Use Your Natural Assets:
Costume: Dolly Parton
Like Marilyn, Dolly was on my Halloween bucket list for years. This costume is meant to correspond to her Here You Come Again album cover, which is the first record I ever owned of hers. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be Dolly for a night?
How I Put It Together: I owned everything except the wig. It’s one of the easiest costumes I’ve ever done.
What I’d Change: This wig is HORRENDOUS but I think that’s what makes this costume so funny. I’d change nothing.
For the Creepy Queer Narrators Among Us:
Costume: Riff Raff from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
Some of us dream of being the narrator rather than the main character. If you went through a Nick Carraway phase in high school, this costume is for you.
Any character from Rocky Horror would make a fantastic addition to whatever Halloween party you’re attending, but for me, it HAD to be Riff Raff. I was drawn to the idea of doing something more androgynous and uglier than ever before and imitating his dialogue and mannerisms was half the fun.
How I Put It Together: I found the shirt and jacket at Goodwill. Any white button-down and ill-fitting suit jacket will do. The faux leather pants I already had in my closet. I took creative liberties with the shoes but being in heels made it that much more fun. Makeup consisted of a bunch of black stuff to create some dark circles.
What I’d Change: I intentionally chose not to use a pillow for his hunchback, I could have taken the androgyny and ugliness a LOT farther. To be honest, I was scared. I also wasn’t sure how to tackle the bald spot. If I do this costume again, I’ll try to add more of those details.
If You’re a Literary Nerd Like Me:
Costume: Miss Havisham and Pip from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Miss Havisham is literary, sexy, decrepit, chaotic, petty, and fun. Only one person at my party knew who the character was, but that didn’t stop me from living my Dickensian dream. My son played the role of twelve-year-old Pip beautifully. It’s not terribly accurate when looking at a side-by-side comparison, but who’s going to hold me to that? I was still true to the book details, with one sock on to represent her one shoe!
How I Put It Together: I destroyed my high school graduation dress and wore it with my Big Eddie wig, a party city veil, to which I added a layer of lace, and some sewed-together lace doilies that made a wrap.
What I’d Change: NOTHING! Except maybe to add a few flowers to my hair.
In Conclusion…
For some, costumes lose their thrill soon after the fifth grade. Others, like myself, make a meal out of the holiday long after it’s socially acceptable to go trick or treating.
I recently saw a thread6 reminding people that for many young queer kids Halloween isn’t just some silly holiday, but a socially acceptable chance to express parts of themselves they have to hide the rest of the year. My Miss Havisham look is no radical act of defiance, but if this self indulgent trip down memory lane has taught me anything, it’s that I’ve often felt most myself dressed as someone else.
So, to those of us who plan our year around this holiday, needing an excuse to be brave and lusting over the opportunity to let our imaginations and sewing needles run wild, I wish you a wonderful night.
May this year’s costume be one you look back on with a smile.
Depending on the year.
HAPPY 20th ANNIVERSARY! To this costume and to an incredible Broadway show.
I think it was meant to be ironic…
Some people dressed up as their own Dads, while others were general Dad stereotypes.
Shorter, at least.
Zuckerburg’s answer to Twitter.