With Thanksgiving behind us, Halloween is priority one. But instead of racing over to the closet to grab last year’s cat’s ears or that god-forsaken bunny tail, try to forget everything the Halloween party in Mean Girls taught you, and approach this year’s costume with a fresh take. Here are the dos and don’ts that you need to take into consideration.
DON’T: Dress anything like the Plastics in Mean Girls
We all laughed at the Mean Girls claim that Halloween is the one time of year you can dress like a total skank, and nobody can say anything about it, but university (and even office) parties have proven that time and time again, that we’re at no loss for sexy cops. So consider this your official notice: be creative, not scandalous. Because while you were probably excited to head outside in the cold wearing not much more than spandex, your costume in a bag won’t do any justice to anything other than those pair of heels you like so much. And even then “ not entirely.
DO: Stay current
Pop culture references are by far the most entertaining and foolproof costumes, but if you’re hoping to channel your inner Stodden or character from Game of Thrones, make sure you’re rocking the most up-to-date version you can. True, Sarah Palin may have dropped out of the presidential race last month, but it was in 2008 that she was a costume-worthy big deal. So stick to a simple rule of thumb: if you’re bored reading about them, avoid dressing up as that person. (Because think about how many times you’ll have to explain your costume throughout the night “ and how tired you’ll be of them by then.)
DON’T: Cop out
You don’t have to like Halloween, and you don’t have attend any parties. So if you’re heading to a full-on costume-only affair, don’t be the person that draws whiskers on your face and hopes for the best. If you’re not particularly inclined to dress up, then don’t dress up at all. Remember: nobody’s forcing you to participate in Halloween, and if you’d like to avoid it, you’ll probably be better off snacking on mini chocolates and watching Ghostbusters with some friends at your place.
DO: Keep it fun
Halloween may have been tainted in the past by costumes being bought only from Stag Shops and all photos centering around a token sexy pose that has absolutely nothing to do with spookiness or tricks (unless, well, you know). So that’s why the foolproof way to have fun this Halloween is to remember what the holiday’s all about: candy and looking ridiculous. So while dressing up as Blossom may not seem particularly glamorous, just think of how great it will be when you force your best friend and/or boyfriend to repeatedly say woah.
