Things to Consider When Picking Halloween Costumes or Outfits
It’s a few days to the end of October and you know what that means, it’s almost Halloween!
Halloween is an exciting day of the year where dressing up is the order of the day. You don’t just pick out an outfit but the perfect costume too. Fashion experts will often advise you to dress according to your personality, but the thing with Halloween is that it’s the one day of the year that you’re allowed to be different. Do “betray” that personality and embody another one excitingly.
While it sounds like so much fun, choosing the perfect Halloween outfit is not the easiest task. The options are endless. From cartoon characters to iconic celebrities, sportsmen, animals, and even heavenly creatures. Lucky for you, we’ve combined a list of things to consider when picking a Halloween outfit or costume to help you out so that you step out looking great when the day comes:
Different cultures
While dressing up for Halloween is supposed to be fun, it’s important to keep in mind that certain costumes are a reflection of other people’s culture. Do your best to find out exactly how it reflects on their culture and why because it could get a bit tough to navigate between dressing up respectfully and cultural appropriation. Remember, it might just be a costume for you but it’s not for someone else.
When you have more information about your preferred Halloween look, you can use it to start a great discussion about diversity and respect for different historical experiences through clothes. You will also be able to style the pieces accordingly so that you looks as close as possible to the people who wear your outfit choice normally.
The party theme
For most Halloween parties, there will be a theme to guide you. Carefully check the invites for the theme which could revolve around certain colors, animals, cartoon characters, or other creatures. While it’s fun to dress up as something you’ve always wanted to be, you might end up feeling out of place if this is nothing close to what other people are wearing at the event. In case the party has no set theme, feel free to try an outfit along the lines of your hobbies.
Your comfort
More often than not, a Halloween costume will be something that you wouldn’t wear on an ordinary day. It’s therefore important that you choose your costume in advance and try it on just to make sure the cut and fit are right for you. You wouldn’t want to spend an entire evening at a Halloween party wearing an outfit that’s too itchy, too tight, or one that has you feeling too hot.
Your personal style
As already mentioned, Halloween is that one day of the year that you are allowed to embody a different personality from yours with your outfit. However, that doesn’t mean you have to completely ignore your sense of style. Whether you choose a scary costume or an angelic one, you want a silhouette that will make you look great. Wear cuts that will flatter your body, and choose colors that compliment your appearance because, at the end of the day, it takes confidence to wear an outfit well and sticking to your personal style gives you just that.
Your budget
Halloween costumes or outfits can be either too expensive or quite affordable depending on what you’re looking for. It’s therefore important to consider your budget before you go on the hunt for the perfect outfit. If you have a limited budget, check your closet for what you already have and build on that because sometimes a DIY project could bring to life the most unique costumes. If you do choose to do a DIY, ensure you allocate enough time to put together all the elements needed.
Current Halloween trends
If you choose to skip the parties or trick or treating and prefer to hang out with friends or family instead, go with a normal outfit rather than a costume. It’s worth remembering that fashion is ever-evolving and going with what’s on-trend saves you plenty of time as you simply go with what’s in and leave out what’s out. You will feel fashionable and confident since you’ll be dressed in something everyone knows is in season.
The environment/audience
While you might want to go all out with your Halloween outfit, it’s worth considering the environment you’ll be in. Will there be children? If they’ll be present for the Halloween party, you might want to reconsider wearing extremely scary outfits or costumes that are unnecessarily revealing. Find out what the audience consists of so that you only pick something that won’t leave others uncomfortable.
Current affairs
Just like certain outfits are a representation of different cultures, others could be a representation of current affairs that people are divided about. For example, does your costume or outfit represent a certain political standing or any controversy? If so, you might want to reconsider wearing it as the last thing you want is to get into an argument at a Halloween event that’s meant to be fun and memorable because you wore something controversial.
Your age
While you might want to go all out with your Halloween looks, remember that certain looks are meant for people of a particular age. For example, some clothes are meant for children, some for teenagers while others are meant for adults. Pick your clothes or costumes in the right size and as much as possible, go for pieces that align with your age or risk feeling uncomfortable or worse, making others feel uneasy around you.
So, as Halloween fast approaches, think of all the above before you rush out to get that interesting outfit or costume for yourself or even for someone else. Remember, great Halloween costumes aren’t difficult to come by, it’s just the choice that takes quite some planning and creativity.