It’s that time of year again, folks. Halloween is fast approaching, and with so many pop culture and world events to draw inspiration from, this year is going to be a cracker. Here are five dos and don’ts for your Halloween costume in 2020.
DO: Be COVID Safe
Yes, there is low community transmission of COVID-19 in parts of Australia but we are still in the thick of a global pandemic. That means stay home if you’re sick, but if you’re out and about this Halloween, wash your hands, maintain social distancing and find a creative way to incorporate a mask into your 2020 costume if you’re in situations where physical distancing is not possible.
DON’T: Be culturally insensitive
Friendly reminder as Halloween approaches, these types of costumes will NEVER be okay. Stop using culture as a costume. Thanks???? #culturalappropriation #offensive #cultureisnotacostume #halloween #costume pic.twitter.com/memTndIPew
— Makeupkey_ (@DneesyC) September 27, 2020
Like clockwork, each year there’s a Halloween costume that makes headlines for being culturally insensitive. Learn from others’ mistakes and for Halloween 2020 do not wear blackface, a Native American headdress, dress as a ‘terrorist’ or turn the Black Lives Matter movement into a costume.
DO: Make your costume sustainable
Instead of buying an extremely cheap, yet incredibly flammable polyester or PVC costume from your local Halloween shop, why not source your outfit from a thrift store, charity shop or your own wardrobe. You could also try swapping, hiring or borrowing your outfit from a fancy dress shop for Halloween 2020, your friends, or family to help avoid the waste of a single-use costume.
DON’T: Offend people
JetBlue worker slammed for ‘racist’ homeless person Halloween costume https://t.co/PSivHgIj0T pic.twitter.com/VGtSzOe40Z
— New York Post (@nypost) November 2, 2019
As well as avoiding costumes that are culturally insensitive this Halloween, it’s best you steer clear of offensive ones, too. Don’t wear 2020 Halloween costumes that reference tragic events like the Holocaust or 9/11, anything transphobic, costumes that body-shame or objectify, ‘zombie’ versions of recently deceased people, costumes that reference eating disorders, mental illness, animal cruelty, sexual harassment or homelessness. The list goes on, but quite frankly – it’s common sense.
DO: Use pop culture references
If you’ve spent any time on Netflix – or any streaming platform, for that matter – you’d be well aware of the endless amount of incredible films and TV shows we’ve had at our fingertips this year. Why not channel Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams with your own Eurovision costume, Sarah Paulson in Netflix’s Ratched, Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek, Harley Quinn from Birds of Prey or 2020’s beloved Baby Yoda. You could also go for a pop culture reference like Harry Styles’ Watermelon Sugar get-up or Billie Eilish at the Grammys.
If you’re not sure who or what you want to go as, there are plenty of options for both kids and adults.
Oh, and for those who need to mark it in their calendars – Halloween is on Saturday, October 31.
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