It's merely hours before nightfall when the entire neighborhood transforms into the land of the dead and the downright kooky. If you still haven't got a clue as to which Halloween costume will scare the life out of your friends, fear not.
We give you the top Halloween costume ideas that are guaranteed to make All Hallow's Eve 2016 one of the creepiest ever.
Killer Clowns
People's fear of, and fascination with, creepy clowns first became mainstream in the 1980s with the iconic Stephen King character Pennywise from the novel-turned-movie It. But today panic is spreading across the United States and other countries concerning so-called evil clowns, or killer clowns, which have reportedly chased down children outside schools, sometimes even wielding a knife to threaten people, young and old alike.
Going for a creepy clown costume will have its upside and downside on Halloween. On the one hand, people really will stay away from you out of fear that you could be one of those misbehaving bozos out to cause terror. On the other, the police might keep a closer watch on partygoers dressed up as evil clowns given the bad rap that creepy jesters have been getting.
If you want to keep things light, however, we recommend going for a zombified Ronald McDonald costume instead, like the one below:
Hoje é só farra, pinga e foguete! #BrunoeBarreto #halloween
A photo posted by Emilly Nery (@emillynery) on Oct 31, 2016 at 9:48am PDT
Carrie
Another Stephen King character from the past decades that has been resurrected in Hollywood is Carrie White, the teenage girl with telekinetic powers. The blood and gore represented by the character has been so burned into the memory of many horror fans that it has spawned that classic look of the prom dress covered in blood. You can easily recreate this "Carrie" look by wearing any cheap old dress; mixing corn syrup, cocoa powder and red food coloring; and pouring the fake blood over your head and onto your dress.
Halloween! Carrie. #halloweenmakeup #halloweencostume #carriecostume A photo posted by Nicole Spacek (@nicole_spacek) on Oct 30, 2015 at 6:38pm PDT
Grim Reaper
This year, forget that boring old ghost costume and ditch the white sheet with the peepholes for the eyes — unless tacky is really what you're going for.
Instead go for the Grim Reaper look: cover yourself in a black cloak that hides the face completely and carry around a fake scythe for your prop. Better yet, go for a lantern prop that really glows. Not only will you have something to light your path as you head out into the streets, but the added glow from the lantern, set against your "grim" costume, will be reminiscent of the night lights used at actual graveyards.
Stranger Things
The biggest trend of Halloween 2016, however, has to be the Netflix original Stranger Things, which effectively delivers the haunting feel of 1980s horror and science fiction. If you're a fan of the series, then you can easily take inspiration from all the "strangeness" surrounding that special little girl Eleven with her psychokinetic gifts and, of course, love for Eggos. All you need is a dress, blonde wig (optional) and a box of waffles for your prop.
Donald Trump
And, lastly, here's one Halloween costume where the wig is all that counts: Donald Trump. Aside from crowning yourself with that thick crop of red hair and dusting yourself with orange-y foundation, you'll need to mimic his tough talk and pouty lips to nail a good impersonation of the Trump.
