Unmasking WU’s Halloween costume ideas

Six people in Halloween costumes. Art by Addie Martin.

Creepy creativity, sinister styles and ominous originality go into Halloween costumes every year. For many students, costumes are planned months prior. Others throw them together last-minute. Either way, there’s always a bit of mayhem. 

To get a better picture of the campus costume scene, I surveyed passersby in Jackson Plaza on Oct. 17 for their Hallows’ Eve attire plans.

Some students, such as Emma Hird (’28), are leaning on the unique side of costume making. Hird plans on being a “fish in a bag.” That is, a blue dress with a fish covered in Saran wrap.

Megan McNaughton (’26) will dress as “sexy Jimsy from ‘Future Boy Conan,’” a character from Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki’s first work in directing.

Group costumes are forever a favorite among students. Chloe Abrahamson (’27) and her friends are doing a take on characters from the movie “Coraline.” While her friends are dressing as Wybie or Coraline, she admits that masquerading as the cat might be difficult, though she added, “At least I have the blue eyes!”

Augusta Castrodale (’26) and Jared McSorley (’26) have taken inspiration from a cape they found at the Goodwill bins and will couple as a bat and a vampire. 

Many students who were interviewed stated that their ideas revolve around thrifting (such as from Blast Off Vintage, Engelberg Antiks or Goodwill) or making them from scratch, standards of the typical broke college kid.

Some staff members also plan on dressing up for the occasion. Sarah Schneider, assistant director of Student Engagement and Leadership, dressed as a farmer with her “chicken” dog last year and intends on another matching costume this year.

But there are a number of students who are wondering what to wear for Halloween despite its fast approach. This might result in the last-minute innovations, scrapped together or simply bad costumes this coming weekend.