Growing up, Halloween was a sugar-filled night where I got to dig deep into my imagination and transform into whatever my little brain could think up, so long as I could find the corresponding costume in stores. As I got older, my peers convinced me that costumes were no longer about imagination and transformation but more so about capturing the attention and favor of others.
As I look back on my past costumes, I noticed that my choices had gone from female Genie and Mabel from “Gravity Falls” to sexy steampunk girl and Playboy bunny. Once I got to college, trick or treating was cast out for partying and let’s just say, as a freshman last year, I wasn’t going to be caught in a Genie costume at a Halloween party.
Halloween is slowly approaching and as I get ready to head to yet another party, I keep thinking about how provocative yet basic most college girls look every year. Their costumes always stay in the same vicinity: more boobs and more butt equals perfect attire! Before I continue, I’m not an anti-feminist in any way.
As a fellow collegiate female, I too have indulged in this way of thinking but now I have started to ponder what would happen if I didn’t. What would happen if we all followed our imagination instead of society’s instant gratification?
Just think about it. You walk into a club, ready to party, and you see a culmination of everyone’s imaginations. Intriguing, isn’t it? If not, oh well, but for those who are interested, I’d like to assist you in at least making this a reality for yourself by recommending some costumes that I think will fit the bill.
First on my list are any horror movie villains. While I’ve been in college, I’ve never seen a girl at a Halloween party dressed as a horror movie villain. I’m not talking about a sexy nun or Chucky costume either. I’m talking about a bloody Scream mask and robe or the gory, scarred face of Freddy Krueger.
I would say that mostly males wear those costumes, but honestly a vast majority of them don’t even take the time to dress up. I encourage all of you to dig deep down in your most horror-filled memories and let out your inner freak, the scary non-sexual one, of course.
For my next recommendation, I’d like to meditate on something a bit more close to reality: sitcom stars/leads. I actually got the idea from a TikTok I had seen a short while ago titled “Uncommon Halloween Costumes for Fashionable Women.”
The lady in the video decided to show everyone how to dress as Fran Fine from “The Nanny.” In one of my previous articles, I did mention my affinity for “the flashy girl from Flushing”, so it makes sense that this video caught my eye. The costume the lady in the video had on was very similar to Fran’s wardrobe, flattering yet sophisticated.
I think that dressing like popular female sitcom stars/leads would be a great way for college girls to express femininity and fashionable taste without unnecessary exposure. I’ve thought about this suggestion a great deal for my own costume this year. My top choices would be either Moesha Mitchell from “Moesha” or Whitley Gilbert from “A Different World.”
Finally, my last suggestion is characters from childhood shows or films. I’m sure that this recommendation will get the most flack, as we are now adults and adult parties are typically not the scenes for Bluey or Dora to appear at. However, you could take the route of live-action characters like Raven Baxter from “That’s So Raven” or Hannah Montana from the hit show or movie.
These characters, especially from more mature Disney and Nickelodeon productions, had great fashion sense during their time on air. You can even add your own personal style and accessories to make it fit you and cultivate an even better look. Personally, there are a few of these character inspirations that I might consider debuting at a soiree near you.
Coming into my first collegiate Halloween last year, I definitely felt the pressure to “dress to impress,” so I guess I just want us college ladies to remember that you are free to dress however you choose. I believe that’s the true beauty of dressing up on Halloween in the first place. If that means grabbing the most scandalous costume available, then go for it. However, if that’s not really your style and you want to switch it up a bit, feel free to do so.