With Halloween coming up next Friday, students at the University of Connecticut are busy getting their costumes together for whatever festivities they’re attending. Among these costumes are innovative ones that few people have done, and others that many are sick of seeing. Today, members of The Daily Campus life section share their thoughts on the most underrated and overrated Halloween costumes.
Dan Stark, Life Editor, daniel.stark@uconn.edu, he/him
For me, I always love a good group costume involving three or more people. Even though I’ve seen it done on a few occasions, the Scooby Doo gang is one of my favorites – it’s fun, doesn’t take a lot of effort to pull off and allows you to get a good-sized group of people together to enjoy your night with.
The Halloween costumes that I find to be overrated are the ones that couples wear (and no, I’m not just saying that because I’m single). There’s so many better options out there than being Hugh Hefner and a playboy bunny or a cop and inmate, so couples, please get more creative.
Addison Riccoboni, Campus Correspondent, dxl24003@uconn.edu, she/her
In my opinion, a niche solo costume is the way to go for Halloween. After all, nobody has to know who you are other than you. Halloween should be a time to express who you are and your interests, so be that random character you’ve been wanting to dress up as!
I believe a basic group costume is the most overrated and overdone. Nobody’s really interested in how many soldiers, cheetahs and vampires can fill up a single room. Get creative, whether or not that includes your friends!
Logan De la Rosa, Campus Contributor, logan.de_la_rosa@uconn.edu, he/him
Oh, you wanted to enjoy the cool October weather? Sorry about that, instead prepare to get boiled alive as your inflatable T-Rex costume traps all your body heat. Now get ready, you’re about to lose all visibility as the condensation from your own sweat soaks your translucent plastic viewport. Now blind, you’re yelling at your friend/parent/guardian to assist you, but they hear nothing — the internal fan blowing searing air around the costume is too loud. Awkwardly, you try to tap them on the shoulder, only you can’t see them and the costume itself is too unwieldy to maneuver. You flail wildly about before tripping and landing on your face.
Everyone’s laughing. You’re crying. You’re nothing more than a jester drowning in a coffin overflowing with sweat and tears.
Anyway, that’s why I think inflatable T-Rex costumes are overrated.
I’m not bitter.
Maanya Pande, Campus Correspondent, maanya.pande@uconn.edu , she/her
My absolute least favorite costumes are concept costumes. Sometimes they kind of make sense in a group or on Instagram, but half the time no one understands it, and it just looks like a regular outfit that’s kind of sparkly. The only upside to concept costumes is the fact that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on costumes. But if we’re honest, a lot of actual costumes can be achieved without breaking the bank and just using the clothes you already have in a creative way. Half the fun of Halloween is coming up with a creative costume and finding a community from people recognizing it. Even with niche costumes, there is usually some community who will recognize and appreciate what you’ve made. But unless you have a neck cone with an olive garnish, you’re not dressed as a “dirty martini,” you’re just wearing a green outfit.
Thaddeus Sawyer, Staff Writer, thaddeus.sawyer@uconn.edu, he/him/his
My favorite costumes are probably the overly lazy ones where you can tell that very minimal effort was put in. For example, a person cutting arm holes into some cardboard and wearing it as a “box” costume? Great. A person wrapping themselves in tin foil to go as the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz? I love it. It gives strong Charlie Brown-ghost costume vibes, and I think we need more of that this Halloween.
For overrated, I would probably have to go with any group costumes related to the
“Despicable Me” franchise. Look, I love the Minions just as much as the next guy, it’s just overdone at this point and the magic is gone. It’s time to move on.