Halloween costume planning can come months in advance for some and for others it can be a week-before ordeal to throw together something for a costume. Zuzu Argento, a senior in the College of Communication, said she was dressing up as the main character, Eloise, from her favorite childhood book “Eloise at The Plaza.”
“Eloise was my favorite book when I was little and I think that I am Eloise. My parents always say that I act just like her and I get all my traits from her,” Argento said.
Argento said she went to the thrift store and found a white blouse as well as a black skirt that she cut for her Eloise costume. She said the only materials that she needed to buy were suspenders and a pink bow for her hair.
Argento said a few months ago she landed on the Eloise idea and decided to follow through with it. Argento also describes herself as a big Halloween fanatic and looks forward to planning her costume each year.
“I love Halloween. I am such a holiday person and I love being festive,” Argento said. “I love fall as a season so it’s just a part of fall that I look forward to.”
Eden Paterno, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she is dressing up as A$AP Rocky at the 2023 Met Gala, inspired by Karl Lagerfeld, a famous German fashion designer. Eden said she chose this costume because A$AP Rocky is her most listened to artist and she loved his Met Gala look.
Paterno said the past three years she has dressed up for Halloween as her favorite music artist that she is currently listening to. In order to create her costume, she said she went to the thrift store to find pieces for the outfit.
“Most of the costume I already had in my closet. I knew that I had to buy and make the kilt that A$AP Rocky wears, so I went to Value Village, one of the best thrift stores in Milwaukee. I got a floor-length plaid dress and cut it and made it into what looks like his kilt,” Paterno said.
Paterno also said Halloween is something she looks forward to and is her favorite holiday. She said she looks forward to the creativity Halloween brings and loves that Halloween allows people to come up with a costume that shows something about their own personality.
“I love to dress up as people. It’s very fun for me to think about a character’s story or a person’s life and reflect on how I relate to them and come up with a mixture of me and the character,” Paterno said.
Even non-Halloween lovers can find joy in dressing up in a costume this year. Director of Teacher Education in the College of Education Terry Burant said she isn’t a huge fan of Halloween, but this year she decided to dress up as Barbie.
Burant said it was quite easy for her to decide on Barbie because she has a plethora of pink clothing in her closet and has dressed as Barbie before. This summer, the pool where she lifeguards hosted a Barbie-themed pool party.
“We dyed our pool pink and had more than 60 Barbies and Kens floating in the pool on floaties and organized a costume contest. So, I have a Barbie outfit ready, but truth be told I have a lot of outfits that would pass as Barbie. I’ve owned Barbies my whole life — there are Barbies and Kens that live in my office,” Burant said.
Burant said she is looking forward to dressing up as Barbie to teach her education classes this Halloween. She told me that her costume includes: a pink fur coat, microphone, and pink sunglasses — which she had in her closet from the last time she dressed up as Barbie. Burant said she loves any excuse to get dressed up and create a little more joy in life.
“I am a firm believer in the need to have more joy and ridiculousness in our daily lives. Make a spectacle. Throw a theme party,” Burant said.
This story was written by Avery Darrow. She can be reached at [email protected].
