To spook or not to spook: that is the question. IMPACT Style explores the different types of costumes you will see this Halloween and poses the question: when it comes to dressing up, is creativity underrated?
For those who like to play dress-up, there is no better time in the year than Halloween. Each year, people scour the worldwide web, or raid their local Primark to find that illusory costume. There’s a freedom that comes with the dress-up of Halloween; there really are no rules, and so you can just about get away with murder being dressed as a murderer.
This year, be prepared to feel like you are on the set of the ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. Costumes inspired by Star Wars characters new and old – from the iconic Princess Leila, to the infamous Darth Vader – have been sold in preparation for nights out and trick-or-treats. If you have always wanted to have a DMC with Yoda, or boogie on the dance floor with Jar Jar Binks, Halloween 2015 is your chance. With all the hype surrounding the movie’s end of year premiere, there is some level of expectation that this collection of characters is going to be a big hit this Halloween season. People tend to choose costumes based on what is ‘in’ at the moment; a search on any web browser will back that claim. Since Halloween is all about getting into character, there is no trustier option than turning to the year’s most anticipated characters of the television and silver screen.
Other popular choices include the sexy [fill in the blank]. That blank is usually filled with the word cat, nurse or policeman; the list goes on. However, sexy is the adjective goal. The ‘sexy cat’ is particularly interesting. Why is this feline such a Halloween staple? Cats of course have long been linked to the world of the supernatural, not least because they traditionally tend to accompany witches on broomsticks. Since witches generally conjure images of Gordon Ramsay-esque wrinkles, green noses and pasty skin, it is no wonder people tend to opt for the furrier companion. Catwoman also seems to have a strong influence on this choice, as who would not want to imagine themselves as Halle Berry’s seductive Selina Kyle. The truth is – whether or not we are willing to admit it – the main attraction for the ‘cat look’ is that it is unquestionably the most cost-effective, chic option on a student budget.
It’s time to take a turn towards the slightly more unconventional. For fashion lovers, the horror movie of the year has to be ‘Crimson Peak’. It checks all the right boxes: visionary director, stellar cast, amazing cinematography and most importantly, beautiful costumes. The Victorian time period, in which the movie is set, is one of the main influences of Gothic culture, which continues to be a prevalent subculture today. Gothicism provokes a strong response in most people who encounter it: shock, awe, interest. There is something so alluring, but simultaneously intimidating, about the dark hues and moody make-up. It is also perfectly suitable for Halloween because Gothic fashion is so against the ‘norm’, and Halloween is no normal day.
On the one night you can be anything, it seems people tend to want to search for security rather than creativity in their choices, which of course is completely understandable. Yet, in the modern world with the constant bombardment from shop windows to magazines to social media dictating what is fashion forward and faux pas, it often becomes habit to ‘follow the leader’, even when it comes to Halloween choices. Since Halloween for most is just a night to have fun, why not try something new, or express yourself through costume in a way that perhaps you are too afraid to try on any other day. You might end up with an original costume you are incredibly proud of and feel truly liberated. One thing’s for sure, it will make it a Halloween to remember.
Claire Elizabeth Seah
Image Credits: Mean Girls, Crimson Peak, Angelo Yap via Flickr
