How to Choose a Halloween Costume for Couples

Guide Note: Have fun with your sweetheart this Halloween by coordinating your costumes.

Table of Contents:

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Introduction

  • Coming up with great Halloween costume ideas for you and your significant other can be a challenging process. With so many different possible combinations, it's hard to decide which costume ideas will be the most unique, memorable, and practical (as well as affordable). But don't worry! With a little bit of brainstorming, preparation and help, you should have no problem choosing a couples costume that will keep them talking until next year. Here's how:

Step 1: Brainstorm

Creative Commons photo by FotoDawg
Creative Commons photo by FotoDawg
  • Before you rush out to buy a costume, sit down with your partner and brainstorm various costume ideas. This will make the choosing process more collaborative and fun, as well as help you come up with more options. Start by thinking about your common interests, hobbies or other things you have in common. If you both like old movies, jot down all of the old movie couples that you can think of. Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler come to mind. If you both like to read, try writing down of all the famous literary couples you can think of. Come up with a list that you can use to narrow down your costume options.

Step 2: Things To Keep In Mind

  • Before you decide on a costume combination, there are a few things that you will want to think about:
  1. Comfort: Since you will probably be wearing these costumes for an extended period of time, it's important that they be comfortable. If you're going to be wearing a mask, funny shoes, or a heavy costume, you may want to come up with ways to make them more bearable.
  2. Safety: If you are going to wear a mask, be sure that you can breathe properly and that you can see well. Large shoes may be funny, but they can seriously alter your mobility and make it harder to walk. And of course, try to limit the amount of sharp objects in your costume.
  3. Price and Do-ability: While it's always good to think big, you should still try to be reasonable when picking a costume. Costumes that take a lot of time and money are great if you have both, but since you're probably only going to be wearing these costumes for one day, you may want to pick a costume that's a little easier to make.

Step 3: Choose a Costume (Couples Costume Ideas)

  • While you should definitely come up with as many costume ideas as you can on your own, if your still having trouble picking a costume, take a look at some of these suggestions:
Cowboys & Girls (CC photo by Jonathan Beal )
Cowboys & Girls (CC photo by Jonathan Beal )

Themed Costumes

Celebrity Couples

Television & Movie Characters

Joseph & Mary (Creative Commons photo by zakwitnij.pl)
Joseph & Mary (Creative Commons photo by zakwitnij.pl)

Historical Figures

Kurt & Courtney (Creative Commons photo by Eva)
Kurt & Courtney (Creative Commons photo by Eva)

Musical Duos

Plug & Socket (CC photo by Karen)
Plug & Socket (CC photo by Karen)

Things That Come In Pairs

Step 4: Plan What You'll Need

  • Once you've decided on a couples costume, you'll want to start by making a list of all of the different elements you will need to complete your outfits. If you plan on buying a pre-made costume, than you can focus on finding some smaller items and accessories that can enhance your costume. But if you're going to build the costumes yourself, making a detailed list of everything you will need will make shopping for your costumes much easier.
  1. Start by seeing if you have any of the items you need already. If you're going as Kurt Cobain or Courtney Love, see if you have any flannel T-shirts or ripped jeans in your wardrobe. If you're gonna be a politician, like John F. Kennedy or Bill Clinton, then the suit and tie you use for formal occasions might work.
  2. Keep in mind all of the smaller items you may need to purchase such as belts, ties, jewelry, shoes and makeup.
  3. Props can be a great way to enhance your costume. If you're going as the Flintstones, a fake club can add that extra touch. Bill Clinton may deserve a cigar, David Beckham a soccer ball, Eve might get a snake, and Britney a baby.

Step 5: Buy Your Costumes

  • Now that you've figured out everything you will need in order to complete your costumes, it's time to go out and find them.
    Thrift Store Shopping (CC photo by shadowhound)
    Thrift Store Shopping (CC photo by shadowhound)
    You may want to start by checking out your local Halloween supply store because of the wide variety of costume products they will usually have. The only problem with Halloween supply stores is that they are usually overpriced and crowded with shoppers. Another great alternative is to check out some thrift stores in your area. Stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army, as well as locally owned thrift shops, often have great selections of used clothes at reasonable prices. Here are some other tips on shopping for your costume:
  1. Find a thrift store in your area with this nifty Thrift Store Directory
  2. Garage sales and military surplus stores can also be good resources for halloween costume items.
  3. If you find something that is great but doesn't fit perfectly, like a dress that is a bit too long, or a long sleeve shirt instead of a short sleeve one, you can always alter them with scissors when you get home.
  4. See Mahalo's guide to Halloween Costumes for online retailers, price comparisons and coupons and deals.


Conclusion

  • Halloween should be should a fun time for everyone, so try not to stress out too much about what costumes you and your sweetheart are going to wear.
    Creative Commons photo by Gabriela
    Creative Commons photo by Gabriela
    That being said, choosing and executing a great couples Halloween costume can be a blast, as well as a great way to show everybody (and each other) how cool of a couple you are. So have fun and make this a Halloween to remember!

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Couples Costume Resources