Most folks who are reading this entry are well beyond the cute trick-or-treat years of their youth. So with Halloween upon us, this is a great opportunity to do some deep reflection on what our costumes say about ourselves. Just kidding! Okay, only sorta. But if you are interested in the Psychology of Halloween Costumes there are loads of articles.
Adult costumes can be broken up into the following:
HELL-o-ween: Scary costumes. Like actually scary. Tends to be immature males that lean towards this, but also very festive folks who really get into the original spirit of the holiday.
HELLO-ween: Sexy costumes. As ingénue Lindsay Lohan so eloquently puts in the fine film, “Mean Girls”, “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Both men and women participate in type of costume choice, but men often with a tinge of:
HA!-loween: Silly/ creative costumes. Intellectual, geek oriented costumes thrive in this category, as well as the just plain old fashioned silly. These are often great because they are conversation starters and are of the “I’m not trying to be cool but I am cool” variety.
So I lean towards HA!-loween, but with a tinge of HELLO-ween, because, well, some would say I am tease. I have typically been cynical towards Halloween, but my grad school peeps at UC Santa Cruz taught me to embrace Halloween for the opportunity it is. So what IS the opportunity at Halloween? Well, for HELLO-ween obviously there is the chance to let your risky, uninhibited side out. Already putting it all out there? Or to shy to to? Or maybe, like myself, you haven’t been using the ThighMaster for a while, and don’t want to be buying the plus-sized naughty Dorothy Gale of Kansas costume (oh, cliche!) Well that’s what the funny HA!-loween costumes are for! Show folks you have that creative side, that you’re a little different. Plus, there aren’t many times a year when you can show off your creative side for all to see.
So for the above reasons and my last minute nature, my past costumes have been: wood nymph, maiden victim of the famed Vinnie the Alien Vampire (who deserves a post of his own), twin to Vinnie the Alien Vampire himself, pig in space, and last year, Poison Ivy, who was often mistaken for Eve, of the Garden of Eden (um, not naked anyone?!) This year, as opposed to the brainy costume with the slightly cutesy twist, I’m going the reverse. A traditionally flirty brand of costume but adding some creativity to it. If you want to see what I’m talking about, come party at mi casa.
Hello, Universe. 