how to plan your halloween costumes like a pro
a personalized i-candy guide on where to get some sweet inspo for the spookiest night of the year <3 Ohh i-candies, you’re in for a true treat. Halloween-obsessed staff writer Verlaine Raber has put together her personalized tips and tricks on how to plan your costumes this year… grab that candy bowl, and chew on this!
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Halloween is my favorite day of the whole year. Because of this fact, I think about Halloween year-round. What activities will I be doing this year? Where will all the best parties be? What am I going to BE!? You’ll never find me taking that last question lightly. Costume planning begins the day after Halloween and doesn’t end until the Halloween of the following year. Because I am determined to find inspiration everywhere I go and in everything I do, I’ve decided I must give the i-candies a glimpse into my costume planning process and things you can do to spice up yours.
Sweets + Halloween-loving diva Bridget Marquardt
My first tip may make you say, “Isn’t this obvious?” Well, yes. However, we must start with the basics: creating some Pinterest board magic, of course. My costume board STAYS updated. For example, I watched a new movie, and I really liked a certain look? It’s going on the board. I come across an old pin of a costume, and I don’t really vibe with it anymore? Goodbye, back into the void it goes! Once Halloween season creeps closer, I know it’s time to make my final decisions about what costumes I’ll be rocking. I then create sections within the Halloween board detailing specific items I may need to buy. This includes pieces or elements I need to create, or different makeup looks to help and inspire me in constructing my own rendition of the look. Pinterest is the ultimate tool for Halloween costume planning; make sure you’re using it to its full extent!
Second tip: Go where the creative people are! Something that always fills me with inspiration when it comes to Halloween costumes and cosplay is going to conventions. People go all out at these events, and you’ll see a lot of different variations of the same character, showing that the possibilities are truly endless. Go talk to people about their cosplays and get their tips and tricks. Commonly, there are also panels discussing cosplay design and sewing that I’ve found to be very helpful. Check out the artist alleys too! You’ll most likely find tons of inspiration for your favorite characters in various art styles. Go ahead and buy some prints of your favs from the artists while you’re at it; conventions are all about supporting and uplifting one another.
Third tip: Go to a museum! Whether it’s an art museum or something more out of the ordinary, there’s something about museums that can just get your creative juices flowing. I was recently in New York City and went to check out the Met’s Costume Institute exhibit. There was a section focused on pieces representing the human body. It gave high-fashion, gothic, gory horror inspo big time. I NEED to see more high-fashion, haute couture-inspired Halloween costumes, since they’re so rarely done. If you’re looking for something more fun and whimsical, I also visited the Toy Museum here in Houston, where I was met with a TON of vintage Barbie inspo, as well as plenty of superhero, plushie, and cartoon ideas to spare.
Fourth Tip: Watch some movies! Rewatch your favorites, select some from your watchlist, or watch a movie in a genre you’re not used to. There are endless possibilities in the world of cinema. Do research on movies that are known for amazing costume design, customize your own version, or replicate it! I love recreating costumes from film because they’re recognizable; you’re bound to run into a few people who recognize and adore the costume, plus it’s a great conversation starter. If you’re a thrifter, this is right up your alley. It’s so easy and so much fun to hunt down pieces a character wore, and you won’t look like anyone else wearing the same costume.
Finally, take a look at what’s going on in pop culture. I love when people dress up as certain people or events that recently occurred; it’s so funny, and it’s so genius. Last year, the Louvre heist had just happened around the same time, and I ran into two people who were dressed as the people who committed the robbery but covered in fake jewels. They stuck to their bit of acting suspicious, and when I recognized their costume, they told me to keep quiet and handed me a Ring Pop. Sooo good!!! I still laugh about it. What’s a Halloween costume without a good bit to go with it?!
Most importantly, have fun and look good. Pick a costume that feels true to you. Halloween is all about the limitless freedom to be literally anything you want- GO CRAZY!!
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Keep up with staff writer Verlaine via her Instagram!