By Leah Lavoie
It’s that time of year again to start planning out the perfect Halloween costume based on what’s trending. Picking out a costume might even be the most difficult decision of your life. Should I be a weird Barbie? Cowgirl Barbie? Ken? Not necessarily because Halloween costumes are about looking unique. According to the National Retail Foundation (NRF), of those planning to dress up for Halloween, 75% of adults already know what their costume will be this year, up from 70% last year. And guess what? More than 1.8 million adults plan to dress as Barbie.
Another 5.8 million plan to dress like a witch, nearly 2.4 million as a vampire, more than 1.4 million as Batman and 1.3 million as a cat. And those costumes will cost you since the NRF said that 69% of those celebrating Halloween plan to buy costumes, with total spending expected to reach a record $4.1 billion.
So take a step out of Barbie Land and elevate your costume to the next level. Avoid looking like everyone else at the party with these unique costume ideas. Go for something different, like Captain Underpants, Austin Powers, or his sidekick Mini-me to spark laughter everywhere you go. These costumes give a comedic appearance and ensure heads will turn when you enter the room in your cape, bald cap, or blue suit.
Some other cliche Halloween costumes to avoid are popular superheroes such as Wonder Woman, Catwoman or Superman. Instead, try some of the lesser known heroes and go for Poison Ivy, Hawkeye and DareDevil.
It’s also not a bad idea to avoid popular Disney characters. Given the new movies, there’s bound to be countless Ariels and Belles at the ball. Spice things up and dress up as your favorite Disney villain. Be Ursula, Maleficent or Captain Hook.
Aside from movie characters, there are some classic Halloween costumes that we’ve all thought of wearing. Cowgirls and cowboys, aliens, pirates, hippies and space girls are likely to have a copycat. To avoid the Halloween fashion faux-pas, reach into your closet and gather some extra materials. Instead of an alien come to the party as an elf, fairy or Roman God. These costumes all utilize shimmering accessories featuring silver and gold with only subtle differences in attire between the three.
Be a celebrity for the night and bring a microphone as a prop. Disguise yourself as a sailor if you love the ocean and boating. Dress up like Cleopatra if you like history or Medusa if you’re interested in mythology.
We all want to express our individuality when it comes to Halloween, so it’s important to choose a costume that speaks to your personality instead of the latest trends. There are more Halloween costumes that can be put together than the mainstream costumes you’re seeing on Pinterest and TikTok. Think about the movies you liked as a kid, the books you read or the memes you’ve seen. Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll stand out in a room filled with Barbies.