Artsy Halloween Costumes

It’s that time of year again. You carved the pumpkins, the candy is by the door, and now the only thing left to do is find the perfect costume. If you’re tired of your usual naughty woodland creature getup, try one of these artsy ideas instead.

Have a classy Halloween!

Vincent Van Gogh

For this look, wear a bright blue shirt and a straw hat. If you are already a redhead with a beard then you’re golden. But if you’re not, try drawing on a beard with a reddish brown eyebrow pencil or get a fake stick-on beard.

What you really need to do to make the costume recognizable is use some gauze to bandage your left ear. Then get a fake rubber prop ear (you might be able to find one in a costume shop or magic shop, or just make your own out of Sculpey clay and bake it) and give it to people throughout the night. You will make so many friends.

You could also get a large frame and take the glass and backing off and rig it up with straps so you could wear it around like a self-portrait.

Crayola Crayon

If you are a girl get a simple tank dress in the color of crayon you want to be. If you are a guy, try using pillowcases in your chosen color or dye them. To keep the pillowcase up, wear a shirt in the same color underneath and pin the pillowcase onto it. If the pillowcase is too small, use two, cutting them open and pinning them together.

Next using black felt, construction paper, or duct tape, create long rectangles that can go around your upper torso and upper thigh area. In the middle of the rectangle cut out a wavy line. Then cut out a long oval big enough to fit the word crayola, and cut out the letters. Then attach it vertically to your stomache.

For the crayon point, you could use construction paper in the same color as your outfit and roll it into a cone shape, securing it to your head with string. Or try using a gas funnel and spray-painting it the color you want.

Mozart

So you want to be Mozart? You need a white ruffled shirt, preferably with ruffles at the end of the cuffs, black shorts that hit below the knee, a black coat (the fancier the better), knee high socks tucked into the shorts, and loafers on your feet.

For the hair, curl it and fluff it up with lots of volume. You could either do the tight rolled up curls pinned on the sides with the top straight or leave it all in big curls and secure with a black ribbon at the back of your neck in a ponytail. To make it white you could probably find some sort of a spray at a costume shop or experiment with baby powder. Of course if all that sounds too hard, just get a white wig.

You could even add a child's keyboard with a strap attached and carry it around with you.

Audrey Hepburn

For this look you need a very classy black, sort of retro, sheath dress. Add long black gloves, a few layered strands of pearls, oversized round sunglasses, one of those long cigarette holders (you can find them pretty cheap on Amazon.com), and a black hat with a large, wide brim.

Sweep your hair up in a high chignon and a tuck a small tiara comb in the top.

Now go get some candy.

-Julia Jessen