Costumes in college tend to be very different from what they once were when students were younger. Sexy is often the name of the game for costumes, but simply settling for a short dress and high heels can take a lot of the creativity out of designing or finding the perfect outfit to wear on that spooky night.
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Classic Costumes
Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go. If a student has a limited amount of time or a tight budget, even just making a ghost from a bed sheet can be a fun conversation starter. Other simple, classic Halloween outfits include:
- Witches or warlocks. A flowing cape over dark clothes, a pointy hat, a broom or wand and the student is set to work some dark magic on the Halloween crowds.
- Pirates of the Caribbean may be out of vogue, but a swashbuckling costume never is. Going as a pirate and pirate wench can also make a good couples’ costume.
- Frankenstein’s monster. With a little bit of green face paint, some shabby clothes and a shambling walk, this classic Halloween get-up is pretty easily done.
Characters from Movies, Books or Comics
An easy way to pay homage to a favorite movie or comic book character is to dress up like them for Halloween. Whether it’s an old movie or something as recent as G.I. Joe, character costumes are always a simple but expressive way to go.
- Star Wars characters are popular every year. Jedi Knights and Princess Leia in her slave bikini or carrying a blaster will be sure to spark some heated conversations about the series over trick or treat candy. It’s as simple to make a Jedi costume as it is to buy one, although the light saber will probably have to come separately.
- Watchmen costumes will be big this year – Rorschach costumes are especially inexpensive to make for students who are watching their money.
- G.I. Joe or Transformers costumes are an easy way to bring back childhood memories with a more modern twist, especially with the recent movie releases.
- Classic movie characters are a great way to introduce some style into the celebration. Humphrey Bogart’s Rick from Casablanca is a simple but powerful costume, where a Grace Kelly style dress is sure to get attention.
- Batman, Batgirl, Spiderman or Wonder Woman are all classic comic book heroes whose costumes transfer really well to Halloween costumes.
- For a group, going as characters from Lord of the Rings or The Wizard of Oz can be a quirky way to stick together and have inexpensive costumes.
Historical Costumes
Dressing up as a historical figure or having a group of friends put together theme costumes is an interesting way to incorporate some of the past into the Halloween festivities. Making a historical costume can be done cheaply by visiting thrift or vintage stores, and most costume shops have reasonably priced outfits.
- The Roaring ‘20s are a classic historical costume. Flapper dresses and strings of pearls for girls and suits with fedoras for guys make these costumes easy and fun.
- Dressing as Cleopatra and Marc Antony can be a great costume idea for couples, and Halloween shops have inexpensive versions of these two famous historical figures.
- For those with a quirkier bent, dressing as a slightly more obscure figure can be a good way to start conversations. Dressing as Edgar Allen Poe will still give the wearer the spooky feeling that pervades most of Poe’s writings, and it’s sure to get people talking.
Halloween costumes don’t have to be elaborate or expensive to be a great deal of fun. Sometimes the simplest outfit for this spooky holiday is the best option. Whatever a student chooses, the costume that best expresses their personality is the one that will be the most enjoyable.
1970s Halloween Costume Ideas
The 1970s were such a fun time for popular culture, music, and truly distinctive clothes, so why not turn to the Me Generation for some unforgettable 1970s Halloween costumes? Here are some suggestions.
Disco Halloween Costume
Perhaps nothing says 1970s more than disco fever. For men, the disco look is all about looking like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Pair a snazzy white blazer with matching white pants, and go shirtless with lots of gold chains and some exaggerated drawn-on chest hair. A loud and shiny shirt, preferably open, will work as well.
For women, one distinctive look is the multicolored, bell bottomed jumpsuit, dressed up with some mountainous platform shoes. A tight little metallic dress will do the trick too.
For added affect, the disco costume can be combined with other women’s and men’s 1970s styles, as discussed below.
Women’s 1970s Halloween Costumes
To achieve the quintessential 1970s look, start with the hair. One of the hottest hairstyles of the era was very long and straight, and parted in the middle; some women literally ironed their hair to achieve the look. For seventies wanna be girls who don’t have long, straight hair, costume stores sell cheap 70s wigs that will do the trick. Alternately, there’s also the late 1970s feathered back Farrah Fawcett look.
In the 1970s, many women went with a natural look by day, but a dramatic look by night. The night look was all about the eyes. Lashes were big, so use lots of mascara and even some false eyelashes. Combine this with bold eye shadow shades of just about any color.
Perhaps the most recognizable 1970s clothing choice for women is bell bottoms. When choosing (or making) bell bottoms, the louder and shinier the better. The waist should be tight, and the flared bottoms should be huge.
Here are some of the other memorable 1970s clothes that can be made incorporated into a groovy Halloween costume:
- Hot pants
- Micro mini skirts
- Platform shoes
- Smiley face shirts and jewelry
- Garish polyester prints
- Loud plaid and floral prints
- Colorful vests
- Roller skates
- Mood rings
Men’s 1970s Halloween Costumes
One of the easiest ways for a man to say “1970s” with his hair is with a big old Afro—and since this is one look that can’t be achieved on the spot, a costume shop may be a necessary pit stop. To go with the Afro is the other quintessential male 70s look—long, long sideburns, optionally in funky shapes.
Men’s clothing was similar to women’s—loud and synthetic. Bell bottoms were big with men too. One of the most unforgettable men’s fashion of the era was the leisure suit, a two piece polyester contraption consisting of a safari-like jacket and matching pants. For a Halloween costume, the uglier the better; try going with mustard yellow or plaid.
1970s Celebrity Costumes
Along with outlandishly garish clothing, the 1970s had more than its share of personalities with memorable outfits to mimic. Here are some of the many personalities, real and fictitious, to choose from.
- The Village People
- Elton John
- Sonny and Cher
- Shaft
- Foxy Brown
- Marcia Brady
- Farrah Fawcett
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Erik Estrada
- Barry Manilow
- Neil Diamond
- The Bee Gees
Halloween Fun, 1970s Style
For both women and men, the 70s offers plenty of inspiration for memorable, creative costumes that will turn heads. Whether they’re decked out in disco jumpsuits, relaxing in plaid leisure suits, or parodying a ’70s personality, 1970s-loving trick-or-treaters have plenty to choose from.
