I’m always looking for unique ways to express myself.
Typically, my thoughts and sentiments translate fairly well on paper, but in the times my fingers can’t articulate what I really want to emphasize, I’ll listen to music so that my ears can finally hear the words that I cannot say personally.
Writing and music are my most prominent forms of escapism.
When there’s a feeling I just can’t seem to free from my mind, I tend to get lost in the realm I create on the paper in front of me; similarly, I lose myself in the same way when I pick up my headphones or my guitar.
Those are the more presentable tactics I rely on when I feel the need to extinguish all unrelated conversations, but recently, within the last few years, I’ve established a new form of expression.
Halloween.
I’ve begun to realize that this particular holiday won’t be quite as exciting when I’m an adult; I’ll be the one supplying the candy from whatever’s in my wallet instead of hoarding it for free. So, I promised myself that I would make the most of Oct. 31 while I could still have fun with the concept.
That being said, I’ve gathered quite a range of costume ideas over the years and have decided to compile some of my favorites.
5. Biker Girl
Ever since I was little and got to taste the thrill of riding motorcycles at the ripe age of four, it’s been my dream to own a Harley. At six years old, I decided to don the classic leather look—from my boots to the jacket and an official helmet—and for a night, I wished to be part of an iconic biker gang. Looking back at my costume choices over the years, this is one of the few from my childhood that I can still remember without getting severe second-hand embarrassment, which is why it ranks so high on my list.
4. Laura Ingalls Wilder
With Little House on the Prairie still being one of my all-time favorite shows, it’s easy to remember how much I adored this costume. I got the whole series, all ten seasons, on DVD for my sixth birthday, and at seven, I copied the look of the main character. For years, this show was my whole life; I got home from school to immediately turn to the channel it was on, and when it stopped playing, I put a DVD in the player to keep watching. This was the first homemade costume I had, which made this Halloween even more special and elevated the timelessness of the show.
3. Boo – Monsters, Inc.
My freshman year was when I really started to immerse myself in the holiday and go all out without caring about the opinions of others. From this costume forward, everything became homemade. The month of October was busy with nights of fabric shopping and weekends full of sewing, and this was quite a new challenge for my mom and me because we had no pattern to follow. After a few hiccups, it turned out to be a huge success, not only because it looked great but because it was warm, too, which is especially important for cold temperatures during trick-or-treating.
2. Oompa Loompa
From freshman year forward, my costumes have been getting better and better. Not only have my mom and I gotten used to making costumes from scratch without a sewing pattern, but I have gotten increasingly more comfortable getting out of my comfort zone in a public place like school. Even though I quit going out for candy at this point, I enjoyed wearing the costume to school just as much. It was this year that I started to choose more recognizable characters to get the most out of people’s reactions, but because I had to escort my brother and his friends around the neighborhood while they got candy, I was freezing—although it looked great at school, and even better with the face paint at home, it wasn’t warm at all.
1. The Lorax
Last year’s costume was my favorite by far. Not only was it recognizable and funny to walk around in, it was incredibly comfortable. It being practically a huge orange onesie gave me enough room to wear a coat underneath it I wanted to, which kept me warm when the snow started to fall at night. My only issue with the day last year didn’t come with the costume itself but the fact that I didn’t have enough time to change into regular clothes before a doctor’s appointment after school. Although it was quite humiliating for me, the doctors got a kick out of it.
Looking past some honorable mentions of my worst costumes, including Black Widow, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Harry Potter, most of my choices have been not a form of embarrassment but amusement. In addition to Halloween being an entertaining holiday since childhood, it has provided me with an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and make people smile—the ultimate goal of all my costumes.
