Halloween 2019 is just around the corner! Well, not really, actually. Not at all. Every single year, Halloween arrives in people’s minds way before fall does in the streets. It’s only natural, really, so no shade at all — Halloween is a time of bliss, fun, wackiness and delicious treats in your favorite coffee shops. (And there’s no shame in liking pumpkin spice latte — don’t let Internet bullies tell you otherwise.)
However, that also brings about a number of problems. First and foremost, for people who want to celebrate and/or party, it’s always a time when everyone starts ransacking their brains in panic, trying to figure out what outfits to wear and what could be wearable at all, without breaking the bank or putting too much effort into it.
Marvel was a saving grace for a very long time, but let’s be real — it’s 2019 and everyone is tired of Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially with its failure in the fields of proper representation. (Openly gay characters in Endgame? Hello?) But what is popular right now, and would actually make for a good costume? Let’s think.
Yes, even though I did just trash-talk the MCU a little bit, there’s still an important Marvel universe that would make Halloween 2019 absolutely fantastic:
Spider-Verse.
Yes, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, which ended up becoming both a critic and a fan favorite, grabbing numerous awards (deservedly so — it’s absolutely phenomenal, in all senses) would be a splendid choice for Halloween 2019. It has everything: gorgeous costumes to copy, incredible concepts to emulate and wonderful characters to bring to life.
A Spider-Man costume, but with a pig’s mask on top? Spider Gwen’s hooded mask which, honestly, would be my go-to choice if I were to suddenly gain superpowers? Noir Spider-Man with a long, dramatic black coat? This movie is truly a godsend, cinematically and inspirationally.
As a corporation, Disney is quite messed up — we’re not gonna go into the specifics of it all here, because it deserves a whole separate article — and they are the ones responsible for Marvel, I can’t deny that. To top it all off, they’re also the ones responsible for all the—uh—questionable live-action remakes of our childhood favorites. However, that’s where the beauty of it all comes in, too.
What better opportunity do you have to remind everyone of how much better the original Lion King was, compared to its live-action companion, other than making a good Halloween costume referencing the original designs and visuals? Nothing stops you from bringing some other faves that haven’t (yet?) been besmirched by the copyright-continuation issue, either, just to remind everyone how it is done.
The incredibly popular and beloved Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett literary-oeuvre-turned-Amazon-miniseries, Good Omens is a fantastic choice for Halloween inspo. Quite simple designs to recreate? Check, you really just need fancy-looking pantsuits here, and a bit of fluff and facial paint. Popular and recognizable? Check, the Internet has been buzzing about Good Omens for weeks now.
Sleek and attractive? Absolutely check, have you seen Crowley’s facial tattoo of a snake? Isn’t that dope? I think it’s the coolest thing on Earth, and if I were walking outside on Hallow’s Eve and saw someone in sunglasses, even though it’s nighttime, and with that tattoo, I would, most likely, immediately develop a crush on that person.
In addition, it generally opens up a whole separate can of worms, which is the angelic and demonic symbols and recreation of thereof. And here you can go absolutely wild, and nobody will get to say anything to you. Really, have you read any of the true angels’ descriptions? Flaming wheels of fire with infinite eyeballs? That’s Halloween material, however you pull it off.
The nostalgic feeling always flares up for people on Halloween, from what I’ve noticed. From the yearly Star Wars costumes that have always been around even before the newest movies started coming around, to the overall feeling of childlike excitement it evokes in people when they remember their trick-or-treating days, Halloween is perfect for some emotional and fun re-visits to your old, eternal favorites. Indiana Jones, Back To The Future, Beetlejuice or a David Bowie-inspired outfit — these are all classics, and all for a reason. Honestly, you could go extra simple and dress up as the impeccable Mia Wallace, just like Sam Taylor-Johnson did a couple of years back.
I know this sounds like a cursed suggestion, but just hear me out on this one, first. Memes are, without a doubt, a very important part of our culture these days. They come and go faster and faster each year, with an innumerable number of thereof accumulating on websites like KnowYourMeme (which I thank the god almost daily for).
The beauty of memes is that some are incredibly new and fun, so you can always be on top of current events; others are incredibly easy to recreate as a costume, and depend more on the concept and the performance; others are just… eternal. Besides, those are always guaranteed to, first of all, be easily recognized, and, secondly, to get a giggle out of a lot of people, if done right.
Go off with bright details that don’t necessarily relate to the one particular thing, but are, instead, stylish and gorgeous! Cel-shading or comic books inspired make-up is always gorgeous, and always looks creative…
…and vampires are, maybe, not as creative, but definitely chic and suave as hell, with all the potential ruffles and old-style capes.
It’s not really that important what it is you relate your costume to, rather than how you do it. And the best way to do it is to have fun with it, even if your costume ends up being something unrecognizably ridiculous. And I say that in the most loving and appreciative way possible, mind you. And as my last suggestion, or, even, plea, please, please, please dress up as either Taylor Swift or Katy Petty in their infamous making-up photo. You know the one.
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