Staff Recs: Our Favorite Childhood Halloween Costumes

Photographs of people dressed in various costumes, including a pink skeleton, a jellyfish, Napoleon Dynamite, a hermit crab, Bob Ross and more. — An assortment of Pleiad staff members in their favorite Halloween costumes. Some of the costumes include a pink skeleton, Bob Ross, a jellyfish, a hermit crab and Napoleon Dynamite (Illustration by Heidi Faramelli).

Spooky season is officially upon us, and you know what that means: It’s time to come up with a Halloween costume. From oddly specific football players to aquatic animals to movie characters, the Pleiad staff loves to dress up for Halloween.

What follows are some of our favorite costumes, so if you’re struggling with inspiration this year, we hope to provide some assistance – or, simply comedic relief.

Editor-in-Chief, Bonnie Lord

I’m not sure exactly how old I was, but I am sure that it took me several days of work and planning to make the costume. Whatever you think I might have been, you’re probably wrong. I was… drum roll please… a hermit crab.

Five young pre-teens stand and crouch in front of a tree, smiling at the camera. A young boy is dressed as a ninja on the far left, a young girl as Harley Quinn in front, and two young people in the center as a ghost and a scarecrow, the person on the far right wears red and yellow with red mittens to look like crab claws and a crab hat, as well as a large blue cardboard shell. The photo is slightly blurry, and dead leaves are visible on the surrounding ground. — Alma senior and editor-in-chief Bonnie Lord poses for a photo with her friends and siblings before going trick-or-treating. While her friends went as popular movie characters, her brother as Charlie Brown and her sister as a scarecrow, she was a hermit crab (Photo illustration courtesy of Shannon Lord).

I blacked out days before Halloween. The hermit crab took over my mind. I made the shell using cardboard boxes I painted blue and stacked on top of each other to elicit the spiral shape of a shell, then attached string across the opening to work as backpack straps. This was deeply uncomfortable to wear, but I forged onward – I’d be vulnerable to predators without my shell.

I then donned a crab hat crafted by my mom, who had made all of my amazing costumes in years previous, and some other crab-colored clothing items, and took to the streets.

All I know is that I decided I was going to be a hermit crab that night… and a hermit crab I was.

If there was ever a costume I would not repeat, it would likely be my costume from sophomore year, which won the library’s costume contest. I was a cumulonimbus cloud, a costume also made largely out of cardboard. This costume was simply difficult to walk, talk, turn my head or otherwise be a human in – though it was ultimately worth the pain for the prize.

Managing Editor, Jocelyn Kincaid-Beal

A young child with shoulder length brown hair smiles at the camera, wearing a pink long-sleeved shirt with images of bones on it, pink gloves with the same and a pink hat with a skeleton face sewn onto it. Behind them a bed with a gray comforter and several pillows is visible. — 5-year-old Jocelyn Kincaid-Beal, managing editor and Ann Arbor senior, smiles in a pink skeleton costume. This was one of their favorite Halloween costumes because they loved the color pink (Photo illustration courtesy of Colleen Kincaid).

My favorite Halloween costume I wore as a kid is the pink skeleton costume I wore when I was 5. My mom’s coworker sewed the gloves and the hat – which I think are awesome.

I don’t know why I wanted to be a pink skeleton, but I remember feeling so happy to be wearing it. Pink was my favorite color, and I also got to have some face paint on, which felt very grown-up.

Regrettably, I had some pretty emo costumes in middle school. I believe I was a sort of malevolent fortune teller at age 12, and Thanatos, the personification of death in Greek mythology, at age 14. There were a lot of hoods and drape-y black fabrics. They were pretty dramatic.

Assistant Managing Editor, Killian Altayeb

When I was in fourth grade, I watched a few too many ‘girl joins boys team’ movies and decided it was of the utmost importance that I also do so. Of course, not a singular team would accept a 4’8, 50 pound, elementary schooler. Therefore, my next best option was dressing up as Detroit Lions player Matthew Stafford. With a little borrowing of my family friend’s baseball pants and helmet, along with a jersey bought from T.J. Maxx, I became him.

A young girl with her side to the camera stands on a stage. The girl is surrounded by other costumed kids and wearing a pink princess dress. — Novi senior and assistant managing editor Killian Altayeb in their third grade Halloween costume. Altayeb is crying in the photo because they weren’t allowed to be a pirate that Halloween (Photo courtesy of Killian Altayeb).

In my fourth grade mind, I had become Matthew. The second I put the helmet on, I was able to run into anything in my way, including walls, teachers, my parents and even other kids. I suddenly had the false confidence of someone watching an Olympian perform on TV and declaring they could “also do that.” It was so important to me, I continued to wear it for days after, but was not a good enough athlete to dodge my mom’s laundry machine nor a very soapy bath.

I made the decision, in middle school, to dress up as Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. However, no amount of drawing fake hair on my hands (yes, with Sharpie) or false courage made me look like him.

Instead, I spent the entire night telling well-meaning neighbors that I was dressed as the king of an entire realm and not a homeless person. For those wondering, yes, I also used that same Sharpie to draw on a beard, and yes, it didn’t come out hours later while I sobbed in the bathroom whilst trying to scrub it off.

Features/Opinions Editor, Heidi Faramelli

A girl dressed as Bob Ross is in a jean jacket, jeans, a curly brown wig and beard holds a paint canvas. To her left is a boy in a fart costume, wearing khakis and brown and green tulle glued to a sweatshirt. In a second photograph a girl is dressed as Napoleon Dynamite wearing a curly brown wig, a blue shirt with a horse on it reading “Endurance” and jeans with snow boots. — Angola senior and Pleiad features/opinions editor Heidi Faramelli dressed as Bob Ross (left) and Napoleon Dynamite (right). As Bob Ross, Faramelli won a costume contest at a volleyball game (Photo illustrations courtesy of Carey Faramelli).

A fun, yet somewhat embarrassing, fact about me is that I dressed up for Halloween and went trick or treating until I was a sophomore in high school. Look, I had a younger brother, and I wasn’t ready to give up my childlike whimsy yet – can you blame me?

That being said, my favorite Halloween costume was when I dressed as Bob Ross. My brother dressed as a fart that year – there was lots of green and brown tulle, it was a whole thing – but everyone thought he was my painting. I ended up winning a costume contest at a volleyball game.

I truly captured Ross’ essence. I kept telling people that there was no such thing as mistakes; only happy accidents. I had to stay in character, okay? I had his full beard, afro and paint set – everything. I’ve always loved his perspective on life; his optimism truly inspires me.

Dressing as Napoleon Dynamite is a close second favorite of mine, because he’s an icon, but the fact that I won a contest seals the deal for Bob Ross.

When I dressed as Dynamite, I fully committed to the bit. In the photographs I took, I recreated his blank stare, and I even wore my brother’s old snow boots to capture the full vibe.

Marketing Coordinator and Volunteer Multimedia Journalist, Bella Bakeman

My absolute favorite Halloween costume was my jellyfish. In sixth grade, we had a rainy, gross Halloween. I was determined to have a cool costume the next year that I could wear trick or treating no matter what. That meant including an umbrella, fitted out with ribbon, lights and giant googly eyes. I had an absolute blast making this and wearing it.

I got so many compliments and I ate them up. Nothing made me happier than receiving praise from random adult strangers who gave me extra candy. Now, if I would’ve been the one buying all the Michael’s supplies this costume required, I’m sure I’d have been more chill…. maybe.

Halloween has always been my favorite time of year. I love dressing up, decorating, eating candy, and doing activities with friends. I’ve put a ridiculous amount of effort into all the costumes I’ve ever worn, so I can say with pride that I loved them all (that I can remember, anyway).

Part-time Multimedia Journalist, Sophia Valchine

Three girls stand in a row in a parking lot. From left to right, they are dressed as an angel in a long white dress, a devil in red horns and a red tutu and a pink dress, blue jacket and tall socks holding boxes of Eggo waffles. — Woodhaven sophomore and part-time multimedia journalist Sophia Valchine dressed as an angel, with her friends dressed as a devil and Eleven from “Stranger Things.” They are all at a Trunk or Treat event, where they went from trunk to trunk in the school parking lot getting candy (Photo illustration courtesy of Sophia Valchine).

When I was 12, I was an angel for Halloween. A basic costume, I know, but it was the first time I was matching with my friend, who dressed up as a devil. Our other friend dressed as Eleven from “Stranger Things” (2016-present) to complete our group. The combination of costumes made sense at the time, but don’t ask me now.

As a kid, I loved to dress up, and I remember always feeling so happy when I was able to wear a costume so different from everyday clothes. To be able to share this love of fun costumes and accessories with friends was my favorite part of Halloween. We always did Trunk or Treat in the school parking lot, where we walked from trunk to trunk getting fistfuls of candy and compliments on our costumes.

Being in my fun costume and looking around at all of the other kids in their own costumes made me feel like I was a part of something, and I always loved it – I still do. Even if I don’t trick or treat anymore, I still love to match costumes with friends.

Part-time Multimedia Journalist, Domis Gibson

A two-year-old child standing on steps, dressed in a red pirate costume. — Domis Gibson, a Chicago first-year and part-time multimedia journalist, dressed as a pirate captain standing on their daycare’s stairs waiting to go trick or treating (Photo courtesy of Tonetta Guynn).

I was a pirate for Halloween in 2020. It was my favorite costume because it was the first time I got to pick something that didn’t need a whole lot of prep time, and I got to be creative with it. I spent the night before recoloring the eye patch I bought so it would better fit my outfit. I took an old purple and black striped shirt and cut a strip off the bottom where I could tuck it in, and used the strip as a makeshift bandana.

It was the first costume I got to show my personality in. I was able to create my own character and put my own spin on a costume that is done by everyone. I wasn’t just a pirate from a show or a generic bought costume. I used my own clothes to make it my very own. Also, I worked that day at my old daycare, so being able to see the younger kids also liked my outfit was really fun.

Not every costume was a home run. One costume I wouldn’t repeat is a Stormtrooper, because it was boxy and hot.

Part-time Multimedia Journalist, Kai Taylor

Two boys stand in front of a house holding bags. From left to right, they are dressed as a sci-fi villain in a black cape and armor, and the other as a cartoon dog with black floppy ears. — Beverly Hills first-year and part-time multimedia journalist Kai Taylor dressed as Snoopy from the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles Schultz, with his friend dressed as Darth Vader from “Star Wars.” They are standing in front of a house ready to go trick-or-treating (Photo courtesy of Natalie Ford).

My favorite childhood Halloween costume was when I dressed up as Snoopy. Snoopy is probably my favorite fictional character of all time. He’s a cute and fuzzy dog who’s also a World War I fighter pilot. He’s also an author, baseball player, attorney and part-time chef. Snoopy was a large part of my adolescence, and he still is a key figure to look to now in my life.

Snoopy brings back a lot of good childhood memories for me. One of my favorite October movies to watch is “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966), which I watched as a kid and still watch today. Snoopy reminds me of October and the spooky season in general. He might be a dog, but to me, he’s the G.O.A.T.

As far as Halloween costumes that I would not repeat, I don’t think I have any. I haven’t really had any negative costume experiences in my childhood. I guess I was just really good at picking them out.

Volunteer Multimedia Journalist, Kristal Tiburcio

My favorite Halloween costume was when I dressed as a pumpkin. I’m not entirely sure how old I was, but I couldn’t have been older than six, maybe seven. I was very chubby and round-faced as a kid, and it was the very first costume I actually remember wearing –not to mention the first time I was allowed to go trick or treating.

I felt so happy; honestly, I was just glad to be able to dress up. I felt like a big kid, wearing a costume, staying up late, eating loads of candy, just that one night I was doing everything I was told not to do. Not to mention, I wore that costume for years until it no longer fit.

A costume I wouldn’t repeat was when I dressed up as Lagoona from Monster High. I wore a wig and it was not fun, because it ended up tangled by the end of the night, and I remember that it cost a lot too.

Volunteer Multimedia Journalist, Sophia Davenport

I was a fairy princess three years in a row, and I’ll never forget the experience. I was obsessed with fairies when I was little, so much so that I was convinced they were real, so it was really special to me that I got to spend Halloween being a part of their world. My mom had surprised me with the costume after school, a few days before Halloween, and I was immediately in love.

The top of the costume was dark blue velvet, and it had pink, purple and light blue tulle pieces that made up the skirt. The costume also came with a plastic crown and these pink and blue wings that would pinch my shoulders, but I didn’t care, I had never felt prettier.

My least favorite costume was when I was Elsa one year. It wasn’t very fun because my mom put hair color spray in my hair to make me blonde, and it ended up making my hair crunchy and super stiff for several hours, which was a sensory nightmare.