Halloween at the University of Michigan. My favorite time of year. Houses are hopping with cliché Halloween playlists and frats are pulling out the big guns with dry-ice drinks (for anyone 21 and over) and spooky spider webs. Everyone’s on their A-game, excited to show off their more creative sides. And let me tell you, the Wolverines are bursting with creativity. No matter who you are, an athlete, engineer, psychologist, or writing major; you’re probably doing everything you can to one-up your classmate for the best, most creative and inspired Halloween costume for the big night, I mean week, of scares.
One way I like to admire Halloween on campus is to stop by Ragstock, the neighborhood place to go for all things costume related. This year, I needed to grab some last-minute essentials for my costume, so I had the perfect excuse to go. While there, I had the chance to see what Michigan students would be wearing this year. Of course, there were the traditional sexy cops and spaced out hippies, but I was more interested in the people hanging out in the “make-your-own-costume” section. There, I found students gathering vests and boots and face paint galore, not to mention fake blood and teeth, anything metallic, and pirate hook hands. I got excited and started paying attention to all of the potential costumes I would be seeing this weekend.
First, I saw a faux fur vest. At the same moment, someone else saw it and shouted, “it’s perfect for my Macklemore costume!” Then, in line I saw someone else checking out with that very same vest. Another Macklemore? I thought. But I was wrong. This person was buying the vest for his couples costume, and I don’t mean a tribute to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. In fact, he didn’t need the vest for himself at all. Instead, he was picking it up for his friend. They were going as Parks and Recreation‘s popular duo Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa Saperstein, which, if you ask me, is an absolutely perfect and creative use of a faux fur vest.
Next, I saw someone carrying around a big curly wig from the more psychedelic section of the store, but no fringe or bellbottoms. Turns out, this student was going to be the late, great Bob Ross, the iconic PBS painter we all know and love for his small obsession with trees. What a unique way to use a wig! Another girl picked up a gold body suit and exclaimed, “I’m going to be C3PO!” Someone else grabbed some fake blood and explained to her friend how it would turn her shark leggings into a shark attack.
All of these were great ideas, and I left with the distinct feeling that I needed to find a way to make my costume, an ode to Cleopatra, a little more creative. With this thought in my mind, I found myself listening to every Halloween costume idea I heard around campus. These ideas were largely pun-inspired and equally creative, and I loved every one of them. One girl used a dress slip and taped Freudian terms on it to transform herself into a Freudian slip. Another girl found a hard-hat and jumpsuit and wore a shot glass necklace and earrings to be a “miner in possession.” Someone else was going to go with his significant other as robbers who were “partners in crime.”
Thousands of Halloween costume ideas have been publicized online on places like Buzzfeed and Pinterest, and I know I could look at those for some extravagant and creative costumes, but that doesn’t really matter to me. I don’t really care what those people are wearing this year. Instead, I love to take a stroll through the Diag, stumble into Ragstock, or hit up a costume party. That way, I can appreciate the brilliant minds of my peers, the people I surround myself with every day. They are some truly creative people.
Happy pretending, Wolverines!
