Though many believe October 1 marks the official start of the Halloween season, sometimes finding the time to create or purchase a Halloween costume falls to the bottom of high schoolers’ to-do lists. Whether it is seniors prioritizing college applications or student-athletes balancing homework and competitions, the weeks leading up to October 31 can be hectic.
However, Halloween is the perfect opportunity to put one’s focus elsewhere: simply embodying the person or object one dresses as. Even with the holiday just around the corner, there is still time to find a costume.
Here are last-minute costume ideas for those wanting to pair up with friends or dress up alone.
Group idea: Dress to Impress
For groups of more than five people, finding themes from Dress to Impress (DTI) could spark inspiration. DTI, a popular online fashion game from Roblox where users vote on how well other users create costumes based on the category, has grown in popularity over the past couple of months.
Groups could reenact the game in real life by choosing a DTI theme to dress to and holding cardboard signs with multiple sets of five blank stars. Then, others can draw how well they think one’s costume matches the theme by filling in the stars with a marker. These interactions will go beyond just the school day as those trick-or-treating or passing out candy can prompt those in their neighborhood to give their ratings too.
Trio ideas: Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2; Tashi Donaldson, Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig
For trios, dressing up as the group of the Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, characters from the popular children’s tale “The Cat in the Hat,” is sure to bring back nostalgic memories and unleash their creative sides.
The Cat in the Hat’s red-and-white-striped hat, red bow tie and whiskers can be purchased online on Amazon or in person at a nearby Target. Then, those willing to temporarily dye their hair or find a bright blue wig wear red jumpsuits and speak strictly with sounds (not words) for a day to fully imitate Thing 1 and Thing 2, completing the famous trio.
If one is going for something more recent, the infamous group of Tashi Donaldson, Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig in the film “Challengers” is an idea for the tennis fans out there. Though they never got along after their teenage years, they crossed paths in unique, yet complicated ways.
Duo idea:
For friends who are inseparable, Halloween is a chance to recreate iconic pop culture duos like Marlin and Dory from the movie “Finding Nemo,” SpongeBob and Patrick from the TV show “SpongeBob Squarepants,” Woody and Buzz Lightyear from the “Toy Story” films and Joey and Chandler from the TV show “Friends.”.
Various movies released in the last year have also featured famous two friends helping each other out. Whether it is Deadpool seeking help from Wolverine to complete a mission in “Deadpool & Wolverine” or Gru and Lucy Wilde from the “Despicable Me” series, but specifically supporting each other in “Despicable Me 4,” the number of possibilities are endless for duos.
Solo idea:
Though dressing up with friends is fun, figuring out a costume solo is just as exciting.
For hard-core sports fans, digging up a jersey and wearing all the necessary equipment to look exactly like their favorite professional athlete never gets old.
For the foodies, instant ramen, pasta, pizza or even Hershey’s Kiss costumes are typically available at Walmart or Amazon.
For those just going for simplicity, putting on a witch’s hat or some fairy wings from a local Spirit Halloween store are always options.
Even on a time crunch, finding the right group or solo costume makes celebrating Halloween all the more fun and worthwhile.
