On Oct. 31 of each year, millions of eager trick-or-treaters don costumes and head into the night for some frightful fun, but with so many people dressed up, what can make a single costume stand out in the crowd? The answer cannot be measured with a dollar value or a thread count. The greatest costumers earn their stripes by bringing even their dead costumes to life with splashes of creative, individual touch. After all, which is more likely to catch one’s eye on a crowded Halloween night: a $90 Abe Lincoln costume from Party City worn by some average Joe or a homemade Darth Vader/Abe Lincoln crossover costume worn by someone who recites the Gettysburg Address while holding his audience at lightsaber-point? The best costumes illuminate personality rather than mask it, so Darth Lincoln would take home the grand prize in this contest.
If a costume is not made personal, then it is simply not very believable, and the greatest heroes and villains gallivanting about are those who bring forth an impressive combination of physical appearance and theatrical expression.
As far as physical appearance goes, Dual-Enrollment students Paige Miller and Savannah Chappelear agree that costumes should look creative and fun with a dash of maturity. Miller said a costume should be “durable, flexible, black and slimming,” while Chappelear’s idea of the perfect costume is one that is “realistic but fun. It shouldn’t look fake, but it should be kind of fantastic. It should have good colors and a lot of spandex.”
Costumes purchased at stores are great, but the homemade costumes, which clearly take gallons of blood, sweat and tears to throw together, are the ones that tend to be the most striking. After all, a retail shop does not know a costumer’s body as well as the costumer, so pouring endless time and energy into an outfit is the best way to get the fit that best suits individual needs.
Aside from favoring a vibrant, sexy exterior, Miller said she believes that villain costumes are more creative than hero costumes, which may have something to do with the acting aspect of great costuming. To bring a cliché superhero to life is worthy of applause, but to play the part of a multi-dimensional villain with dark powers and sinister motives is a golden ticket to a standing ovation. Humans seem to have an eerie attraction to the “dark side” and, no matter how terrified Halloween adventurers are of villainous characters, they relentlessly trek to haunted houses and festivals to see more.
When a superhero character is being portrayed, the costumer exudes bravery and power, which are admirable yet nauseatingly monotonous traits. People gravitate toward the bad guys because evil behaviors are much less commonplace and are typically riddled with fascinating histories and exceptions. Any costumer who can convincingly play the role of a villain will be certain to attract the attention of trick-or-treaters all night long.
From masked villains to cape-clad heroes, the greatest Halloween costumers boast strong appearances as well as performances. A costume should fit as if its owner was born to wear it, and its owner should exhibit a connection and passion for the character being portrayed. Otherwise, a costume will simply blend into the chaos of the Halloween crowd and never receive the recognition it may deserve.
