Unique Halloween costumes for this year

The increasingly cold weather, pumpkin-flavored everything and Syracuse football’s season already well into the swing of things signals one thing: the best time of year is here, and its holiday is right around the corner.

Halloween this year is on a Friday and is now only two weeks away. Putting up decorations and collecting enough candy for the endless trick-or-treaters is only part of the preparation battle. In fact, the most challenging part of planning for the holiday is usually finding the perfect Halloween costume – particularly for college students, whose budgets seem as shallow as their chances to pass their upcoming exam.

Here is a list of seven easy (and unique) Halloween costumes for university students to hopefully make things a little easier this semester.

Adam Sandler

With the release of Happy Gilmore 2 over the summer (and Sandler’s recent visit to Syracuse), very few celebrities are as relevant, classic and popular right now as Adam Sandler. Instead of choosing one of the many characters he’s played, why not go as the man himself?

A Sandler costume is simple: wear a faded graphic t-shirt, the baggiest shorts you own, a pair of tennis shoes and throw on some sunglasses. You probably already own all elements of the costume needed – and trust me, everyone will know who you are.

Walter White

Do you want to be the one who knocks? One of the most popular TV show characters of all time, a Walter White costume from Breaking Bad is easy to make – no matter which one you choose.

If you want to go the Walt route, simply wear a green button-down shirt with khaki pants, a pair of sunglasses and a pork pie hat. If you are leaning more towards your morally grey side and want to go the Heisenberg route, all you need is a yellow hazmat suit, which can be easily found online or in Halloween stores. 

As a bonus, if you want to make this a couples costume, you could also do Jesse Pinkman and pull together some baggy jeans, an oversized shirt, a beanie and a pair of sunglasses.

Ghostface

If you want to lean more into the horror side of Halloween, a  Ghostface costume is as easy to put together as it is iconic and recognizable. All you need is the signature Ghostface mask (which can be found in almost any store’s Halloween section) combined with all-black clothes. If you want to go the extra step, you could even find a fake knife to carry around with you. 

One of the most legendary horror figures of the past 50 years, a Ghostface costume is sure to draw some eyes and attention anywhere you go.

Guy Fieri

Continuing the trend of recognizable figures, the iconic Guy Fieri costume is one of the most fun options you can take this fall. 

Purchase his signature fire-style button-down polo, throw on a pair of sunglasses and locate that iconic spiked white hair wig, and you’ll be ready to go to every diner, drive-in and dive across Central New York. If you know how to cook, all the better!

Jordan Belfort

How about one that yours truly has tried, and proven is true? A costume of Jordan Belfort, the famed stock broker portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, is a very easy costume to put together – but done right, it will go over perfectly. 

A white polo, khaki pants and some sunglasses is all you need to become one of the most classic movie characters of this century. As someone who wore this costume last Halloween, I can promise that while it is simple and powerful, just like the man it’s portraying.

Bob Ross

Everybody loves Bob Ross, the iconic artist known for his calm TV demeanor, so why not go as him this Halloween season? 

Find any button-down shirt you own, throw on a pair of jeans, get his signature brown afro and locate any paint palette you can find, and you have yourself an iconic and lovable costume. Who says you need to have a scary costume this fall?

Stranger Things Hellfire Club member

The final Halloween costume for this fall is perhaps the most relevant. Most college students grew up watching Stranger Things, the iconic Netflix series that began over ten years ago in 2016. With its fifth and final season set to release later this year, going as a Hellfire Club member is one of the best ways to honor the show. The best part: it’s the easiest costume on this list. 

All you need to buy is the famed Hellfire Club t-shirt. Combine that with a backwards hat and a pair of jeans, and you have a simple costume everyone will know and love. You can trust me on this, because “friends don’t lie.”