Halloween costumes for adults

Halloween is a great opportunity to let your creativity shine without appearing weird or over the top. Everyone gets to dress up, and the more outrageous and elaborate the costume, the better. On Halloween, the sky is the limit and with a little imagination, you can create a great character and be the life of the party. If you take some time to find the best and most unique costume available, and your friends will be talking for a long time to come.

Adult Costumes

Picking a costume 101

Halloween, like most other holidays, is a big money-maker. You can find thousands of costumes to choose from on websites, in storefronts and at specialty shops. You will want to stick out and find a great costume that no one else is likely to be wearing. Try to find a costume that is original and not found on every corner. Everyone remembers the year President Bill Clinton was impeached. Just about everywhere you looked were berets and blue dresses for that “Monica” look. On Halloween you want to stick out, not blend into the crowd.

The first thing you want to do when picking a costume is to choose the character that you want to be. There are several ways to do this. You can actually visit stores and look at costumes to get some ideas if you have some shops in your local area. If you have Internet access and some free time, online stores are a great place to browse as well. If you have a favorite movie character or TV personality that you like, try to do a search for costumes dedicated to these people. If you want a costume you can wear for years to come, a classic style like a witch, scarecrow or vampire could be a good bet, but try to add some flair to it so you won’t look like all the rest. Characters that have spanned generations, like Batman and Betty Boop, are good costumes to invest in that can be worn again and again as well.

Superhero Costumes

Be funny, but not in bad taste

Many costumes are geared towards adults and are a lot of fun, but we must remember not to cross the line into bad taste, either. If you are going to an office party or a party where children might be present, don’t pick a costume that could offend others. Many costumes look more like outfits you would see in the adult entertainment business. While it might be fun to finally get to dress like a sexy nurse or naughty schoolgirl, your boss may not appreciate it if his niece and nephew happen to be attending the same party. You want to have a good time, not end up getting fired the next day.

If you are celebrating Halloween with your significant other, some of the best costume ideas are “couple inspired.” The two of you will be a hit if you come dressed as “catsup and mustard” or Bonnie & Clyde. But again, before you dress up as O.J. & Nicole Simpson, consider who else will be at the party and make sure your fellow party goers are not sensitive or easily offended.

Inventing your own costume

If you are planning to celebrate Halloween as a family, you can buy great costumes for the whole family. Have your toddler dress up as a police officer while mom and dad wear prison uniforms in the standard black and white stripes. Give your child a set of plastic handcuffs and let him “arrest” you whenever he sees fit. If you have a large family, let Dad dress up as the package and have each child dress up as a different M&M color. Mom can buy a dentist costume. Do some brainstorming and try to come up with an idea no one else will think of.

Men's Costumes

The Ultimate Superhero is a cute idea. Buy several pieces of different superhero costumes and put them together. You can use Superman’s tights, Batman’s mask and the joker’s purple suit. Wear them all together for a good laugh. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a great costume. You can buy certain things and use other items that you already have to put together a great costume. For instance, you could go for the theme “In the Shower.” Buy a towel at a discount store and wrap it around your body. (Wear a tube top or bikini style shirt and shorts under the towel.) Buy a cheap shower cap for your head and carry a rubber duck and a bottle of shampoo for a fun, cheap ensemble. If you have some extra money to throw around and want to spend it on a fabulous costume, consider having it made just for you at a specialty shop. A beautiful costume can be sewn to fit your body perfectly by a professional for the right price. You can have a gorgeous Mardi Gras inspired costume made complete with mask, head gear and feathers. This may require several fittings and a lot of cash, but can definitely be worth it if you enjoy an active social life that involves lots of Halloween invites every year.

Trick-or-treating safely

You will want to remember to keep safety in mind when you are buying a costume. Halloween party’s can get pretty wild and if there are jack-o-lanterns sitting around with lit candles inside, you will want a costume that is flame resistant or at least that doesn’t have excess loose material. If you will be spending time outside, try to include some kind of reflective material somewhere on the costume. If your costume is black or a dark color, this is imperative. Bringing along a flashlight for added security never hurts, either. Also, having a costume that fits well can help you stay injury free. If you are falling over your costume, you can trip over it. If it is long and dragging the ground, other people can step or trip over it, also. In addition, you will want a mask that does not hinder your ability to see. If your eyesight is obstructed, opt for a different mask. Make good decisions, wear a great costume and have a “killer” time next Halloween!