I still remember how just before Halloween kids would be churning up some of the most creative costumes for the yearly trick or treating, often tagging their parents along to brag about their mother’s hand woven Spiderman leotards or Dad’s papier mache He-Man armour. Girls would glitter in their polyester skirts and spray nets on their hair to match Jem’s (from Jem and the Holograms) puffy top.
Then, all we needed was everyday material to outdo other kids in the block who actually didn’t mind going around in similar outfits. Gone are those days of fun. Now costume play is taken seriously by the contestants, as rivalry reaches fever pitch once the stage presentations begin — swords sharpened, magic amulets glittering, blasters locked and loaded. A lot of time is spent in choosing the right character for this occasion and in lieu of this noble quest here’s my top five anticipated costumes for 2016.
At No.5 is Pikachu. Due to the global popularity of the Pokemon phenomenon I wouldn’t be surprised by the sheer number of diehard fans squeezing themselves into the furry yellow spud.
No.4 is a no brainer: Stormtroopers. The cause of empire calls to those who fear not the harshness of plastic on their skin. A staple comicon franchise, no costumed event is complete without the plastic boys of the Death Star as the guardians of everything geeky. The iconic Stormies will definitely delight those who remember them since 1977.
No.3 was a tough choice. After listening attentively to friends’ top five choices I must agree that their selection is very interesting. One says anime characters, the other Donald Trump or the exploding Samsung phone. Refraining to give my own choice till I finish this article, I figured that El of the hit TV show Stranger Things would be an attention grabber, though playing this nose bleeding skinny girl is very easy. Simply shaving your head for artistic replication seems too steep a sacrifice for it not to go unnoticed.
Keep those proton packs ready because here comes my favourite for No.2: Ghostbusters. A blockbuster hit in 1984 it was revived this year with an all-girl cast giving it a more updated look, people will be everywhere wearing overalls and carrying cumbersome back packs, blasting away at imaginary ghosts.
Finally for the No.1 spot. The costume that will be flooding every single Halloween party this year is Harley Quinn. A cross between Hannibal Lectre and Alice in Wonderland, this psychotic lady will grace the catwalks keeping her famous phrase in mind “We’re bad guys, that’s what we do”.
I know how difficult it is to create your own costume, especially when you neither have the patience nor the skills. You may want to check out the local costume stores to save you all hassles of making one. Mystique costumes of Jumeirah, Mr Ben’s Costume Closet and Party Zone stores specialise in costumes for every occasion.
