The Do's and Don'ts of Halloween

By Cortnei Edwards, Junior

Do try something different:
Deviate from the norms. Step outside of the box. Everyone else dresses up as an angel or devil, or as a vampire. Challenge societies expectations and dress up as someone vital to our world, such as Pepe. By getting a vibrant blue sweater, a frown, and big ol’ eyes you can easily make him a costume.
 
Do try to be creative:
Maybe it’s the night before Halloween, but your costume didn’t come in the mail on time. Or, you couldn’t make up your mind on which costume you’d wear, so you put off getting one until you ran out of time. In this case, you can do a closet costume, which actually isn’t as bad as it sounds. You have a red skirt and an orange turtleneck with some thick glasses? You could be Velma. Do you have a polo t-shirt and some khaki’s? You can dress up as Vancol. It just takes a bit of innovation.
 
Do get creative with makeup and accessories:
Become an icon by adding winged eyeliner to your look. Or, wear a shimmery eye shadow that really brings out the browns in your eyes. Maybe contour heavily for the perfect zombie look. Use makeup to your benefit and transform!
 
Don’t be insensitive:
This should’ve been an expected bullet, honestly. There are many costumes that are sold every year that are actually very offensive and dehumanize the people it attempts to emulate. Some examples are ones modeled after Native Americans, Mexicans, and sugar skulls. These are aspects of various culture that hold a lot of importance/ are actual people that are marginalized and wearing a costume “of them” is a mockery of who they are.
 
Don’t wear a costume that doesn’t fit comfortably:
If what you’re dressing up as wears clothes that are, for example, oversized it’s okay- just make sure that whatever else you’re wearing is comfortable as well so that you don’t spend your entire Halloween in discomfort.
 
Don’t forget to check local thrift stores for certain items:
Maybe there’s a metallic skirt you have no idea where to find, or you can’t think of where to get a wide brimmed hat for your Indiana Jones costume. Just check a local thrift store for those accessories; they’re usually sold at affordable prices.
 
Here is also a helpful video by a Youtuber named Rian Phin for more Halloween costume ideas that you can do with basic clothes you likely have at home:
https://youtu.be/sD7U90_aAHQ
 
Halloween is the best time of year to have fun, so make the best of it!