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The Secret to Choosing the Perfect Halloween Costume

Halloween’s the one time of the year adults get to play dress-up. Whether you are attending a raging Halloween Block Party (like the West Hollywood Street Fair held every year on Santa Monica Boulevard) or a subdued house party (while the kids go out trick-or-treating), here are some ideas to help you fashion the ultimate costume.

Let your inner id speak. Even if it’s been 30 years since you actually went door-to-door asking strangers for candy, you likely harbor secret dress-up desires. Maybe you want to be a wolf because that costume “speaks to your inner totem.” Maybe you want to dress-up to terrify your roommate. Whatever you choose, let it be an expression of some fundamental desire that you keep repressed during the other 364 days of the year.

Aim for the satirical. Halloween is a great opportunity to send up popular politicians or cultural figures or otherwise make commentary about modern life. During the height of the recent North Korean nuclear standoff, for instance, one couple dressed-up as Kim Jong-Il and his nuclear weapon. Of course, you don’t need to make a political statement with your outfit. But you will get a lot of laughs if you do something original and unexpected. For instance, you might want to dress-up like the personal injury lawyer you see advertised on the back of the phonebook.

Go cheap. You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on a prosthetic arm and a leg to have fun on Halloween. You can do a lot with duct tape, glitter, old clothes that you were going to give away to the Salvation Army, and makeup. Unless your costume depends on exotic special effects or sartorial accoutrements to make its point, you don’t need to burn through your wallet to make it come to life. Of course, if you do plan to do something involved, give yourself plenty of time, so you’re not scrambling on the day of Halloween to get everything together.

One of the big worries for Halloween costumers is coming up with a costume that everyone else at your party or parade is doing. To avoid these “run of the mill” costumes, is not so hard. After all, the big-ticket costumes are usually easy to guess. In an election year, they will include the major political candidates, for example. If there is a national villain on the landscape — Saddam Hussein was popular for many years — chances are that thousands of people around the country will dress-up like him (or her).

If you are worried about being copied, add a little something extra to your costume to distinguish you. Wear weird boots or oversized glasses or crazy jewelry to enhance an otherwise dull costume. Whatever you add should compliment the costume’s aesthetic. If you just throw on a bunch of beads, makeup, and homemade sheets, you will end up looking more like a mess than like anything that makes sense. And you don’t want to have to explain your costume all night — that can get old, fast.

In the rush to build new costumes, many people forget about functionality. You are going to be walking around all night, drinking, and dancing with friends. So don’t wear a costume with tons of extra fabric, which can trip you and make you uncomfortable. Don’t go out into the rain or freezing cold in a skimpy little outfit. Check the weather conditions and wear a costume that’s appropriate for your occasion and your venue.

There is a difference between sexy and slutty. Halloween can be a time to show off your bod. But it is easy to make a faux pas. If you expose too much skin (or expose it in a non-aesthetically pleasing way), your costume may earn ridicule as opposed to praise. There are also issues of decorum to consider. If you’re attending a Halloween party with a bunch of children, obviously you don’t want to wear anything too lewd. Similarly, if you are partying near a dangerous neighborhood, avoid dressing overly provocatively.

At the same time, however, you can focus attention on attributes that make you look good. If you have ribbed abs, for instance, wear a shirt with no stomach. If you’ve got amazing hair, style your hair to draw attention — for instance, you might want to dress-up as a mental patient who has been zapped by an electric shock and wear your hair frizzed-out in a wild mane. Experiment with different costume ideas before you settle on your outfit. If you’re going with a friend or partner, coordinate so that your costumes compliment each other in a funny or sexy or otherwise interesting way.

About The Author

Costume Alibi is a leading online retailer of adult halloween costumes and halloween masks in the US.  Visit them today for their complete line and have some fun !