Start with what makes you unique

Use your own appearance, interests, and media you loved this year as jumping-off points. Consider characters with similar style, features, or hair color to yours.

Kimberly Murphy's formula

Murphy, who has an October 30 birthday, uses her red hair and height to guide costume choices. She looks for characters that are unusually small or redheaded.

“if it's unusually small or redheaded, that fits my formula of a potential Halloween candidate.”

Think about the effect you want

Decide whether your goal is to make people laugh, be the sexy one, focus on details, or do a group costume. This helps narrow down your idea.

Consider where you'll wear it

Custom costume maker Correen Borst-Straub says the location matters. A huge Marie Antoinette dress won't work in a small apartment, and fangs may not suit a formal dinner.

Go unconventional with popular characters

Instead of dressing as main characters, try supporting roles or genre tropes. Dani Cabot, manager of vintage boutique Screaming Mimis, dressed as a virgin sacrifice.

Use your differences as an advantage

Murphy and her fiancé dress as characters depicted as opposite genders. Drag queen VinChelle says gender is subjective and everyone can express themselves how they want.

“Gender is always very subjective. Everyone can express themselves how they want.”

Avoid cultural appropriation

Do not use makeup to darken your skin or wear racist costumes. If unsure whether a costume is appropriate, run your idea by friends first, says Kate Farrier.

Infuse your personal style

Add your own touches to popular ideas. If you always wear a leather jacket, make your witch wear one. Bring personal items into the costume to make it special.

“If you're always on your phone, maybe you're a celebrity vampire, social media vampire.”

The twenty-five percent rule

Correen Borst-Straub infuses creativity into well-known designs so the result is seventy-five percent true to pop culture and twenty-five percent her own.

Search for inspiration online

Hope Elmekies searches her costume idea plus cosplay on Pinterest to see how others have approached it. Do not worry about being so niche that people ask what you are.

“So, what are you? is a great icebreaker.”

Think in shapes and colors

Identify the building blocks of your costume. For a gargoyle, you need gray apparel and makeup. Think about shapes instead of actual items to save money.

“Think about the shapes of things instead of the actual items.”

Raid your closet first

Scour your closet and friends' closets for pieces you need. If dressing as a flapper, dig out a slip dress. Let accessories and props do the talking.

“things like jewelry, gloves, stockings, headpieces, masks can really transform a basic into something that's excellent.”

Shop secondhand for the rest

Visit local vintage, thrift, or indie costume shops for pieces you do not own. Workers offer expert advice, and shopping secondhand is more sustainable than buying polyester.

Wear what makes you confident

Choose an outfit you feel comfortable wearing. Consider how fabrics and props feel. You will have the best time in something you love and feel confident in.

“You will light up the most when you are wearing something that you love.”

Your body is the right body

Do not worry if you do not have the right body type for a character. Hope Elmekies says you can make your character curvy or any other way you want.

“you can look at it as this is my character and my character's just curvy. Realize your character is incredible.”