To my own personal dissatisfaction, the annual pumpkin flavor usurpation hit shelves as early as August. Despite a month and a half left of the summer season, we all knew the truth—fall had arrived. With fall comes the ever-popular Halloween, and particularly in September people really start freaking out about what exactly they’re going to wear. That’s where I come in.
I make a decent amount of money around September into early October just from making costumes for people that want something to wear that’s not what you can pull off the shelves. Pop culture now mostly consists of those geeky, nerdy elements that were pretty much scorned across the nation before it became hip.
Girl after girl wants to be Harley Quinn in her “Suicide Squad” movie. In fact, I had a great deal of clients last year for that specific outfit—back when there was just promotional art of it. Everyone’s got to be cutting edge and whatnot. Nowadays, you can just buy something not awful from Amazon. So the trend goes. Just be careful and try not to look like you need to go back to party city.
This year it’s much the same, now most people have seen the movie, and the costume has all those appeals to it. Body sex appeal, short-shorts/hot pants, stockings, alternative appeal with the tattoos and hair dye, the choker, but I do caution people to maybe leave her iconic bat at home—or use a foam one. Drinks and actual weapons don’t often pair well.
I’m calling that we’re going to see “Stranger Things” at the clubs. Everyone’s on Netflix and the outfits are something you can pick up for a few bucks at a thrift shop or a fabric store.
Maleficent was popular in a few ways last year and the year before. Disney is perennial. Even rocking a Maleficent cowl can give you that demonic little flair. If you’re looking for something a little less Disney, if I were a girl—and even though I’m not, I might do it anyway—I’d just be Ariana Grande from her “Dangerous Woman” video and tour. If you’re not crafty you can probably honestly just throw something together that looks like her outfit and then just buy a mask like hers.
Each year people come up with some insanely innovative outfits. I’m sure someone will be offended by some outfit and I’ll get to listen to people complain online like their personal offense matters.
Maybe this election season may lend a hand towards the outrageous spirit of Halloween. I expect to see some fainting, pneumonia Clinton’s and some “Yuge” Trumps, maybe even some walls that Mexico paid for. I’m imagining the headlines from the drunken bar fights of these costumed, patriotic patrons.
If you’re going to ever make a bad pun, of which I may be known to do but plead the Fifth to, Halloween is a decent time for it. Most people will be already imbibed and happy to have to take a shot more to deal with the reality that is understanding your wordplay of an outfit.
Cartoon Network is also a simple yet recognizable cornucopia of ideas.
Guys may opt for some of the X-Men Apocalypse designs. A lot of those outfits can be laborious, but so long as the spirit’s there people generally find a way. I’ve seen probably well over a thousand Wolverine’s in my lifetime, and that is an understatement.
If you’re going the supersuit route, as if Deadpool couldn’t get any more popular his movie back in February certainly solidified I will have to deal with Deadpool until I, myself, die. I’d order a sublimation printed suit—they are higher quality and not much more expensive. D.Va from “Overwatch” will probably be the most popular female Overwatch girl costume partially due to a decent quality, affordable sublimation print suit is out there online for her.
Opposed to other fabric printing processes, sublimation printing penetrates multiple layers of fabrics for a crisp image that is much more detailed. It prints onto the fabric from a gaseous ink directly sublimating to a solid ink, hence sublimation.
If anyone besides me still plays “Pokemon Go” you may even see some outfits from there. Simple and fun is what Halloween should be, unless you’re wanting to try and pick up some bar contest money or make sure that all eyes are on you.
Expect that one girl you know to be Lady Gaga in her “American Horror Story: Hotel” outfit and a healthy amount of crossdressing.
Did I mention this holiday was about getting candy from strangers just a few years ago? Now it’s pretty much how much skin and nostalgia do I have to show to get a free drink. And I love it.
Look for details on our costume contest at Sinclair next edition.
Barton Kleen
Executive Editor