The very notion of dressing up for Halloween often inspires dread among most self-respecting males. Costumes are for kids. Makeup and masks are more cumbersome than enjoyable. Nevertheless, Halloween is a great night out on the town for childless adults. You can find cheap bar specials, awful bands, or even the occasional house party. You should look good, of course, but you shouldn't put in too much effort. Just enough so that no one can accuse you of being lame and costume-less. You should feel comfortable and be able to walk a decent distance or brave the elements. You should not wear blackface.
When done right, a clever Halloween costume is a way to disappear into another identity for a few hours, to relax, to feel loose, to realize that there's more to life than being stressed about work.
Here are 10 costume ideas that any man can easily execute. You should be able to find most, if not all, of these things in the depths of your closet, a friend's closet, or a local thrift store.
1. Ken Bone, Presidential Debate Style Star
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: Cable-knit sweater ($98.50) by Polo Ralph Lauren, lordandtaylor.com; Crane glasses ($95) by Warby Parker, warbyparker.com; Button-down shirt ($70) by J. Crew, mrporter.com; White solid tie ($19) by The Tie Bar, thetiebar.com; Berkley penny loafers ($110) by Florsheim, zappos.com; Connor slim-fit chinos ($90) by Club Monaco, mrporter.com
2. Michael J. Fox in Back To The Future
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: Puffer vest ($45) by Land's End, landsend.com; Denim jacket ($280) by A.P.C., mrporter.com; Cortez classic sneakers ($90) by Nike, footlocker.com; Plaid shirt ($98) by Bonobos, ledbury.com
3. Peter Fonda in Easy Rider
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: Easy Rider striped motorcycle jacket ($750) by Schott NYC, schottnyc.com; 611 US flag open-face motorcycle helmet ($89) by Masei, masei-helmet.com; Olypian sunglasses ($135) by Ray-Ban, ray-ban.com; Navy blue bandana ($4.47) by Rothco, amazon.com
4. Blonde On Blonde era Bob Dylan
Recreate the look:
From left: Suede jacket ($2,500) by Tomas Maier, mrporter.com; checked scarf ($210) by Acne Studios, mrporter.com
5. Tom Wolfe
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: White seersucker tailored fit suit ($179) by Jos. A. Bank, josbank.com; Slim-fit gingham shirt ($250) by Canali, mrporter.com; Gold line polkadot woven silk tie ($90) by Forzieri, forzieri.com; Dayton wingtip oxford ($94.95) by Stacey Adams, amazon.com; Fall gingham pocket square ($10) by The Tie Bar, thetiebar.com
6. Tom Cruise in Top Gun
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: G-1 Wings of Gold Leather Bomber Jacket ($750) by Schott NYC, schottnyc.com; Beefy T T-shirt ($5) by Hanes, walmart.com; Aviator Classic sunglasses ($150) by Ray-Ban, ray-ban.com
7. Anyone from Reservoir Dogs (We're partial to Mr. Pink)
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: New fit skinny black suit ($250) by Topman, topman.com; White dress shirt ($50) by Topman, topman.com; Festival textured solid tie ($19) by The Tie Bar, thetiebar.com; New Wayfarer sunglasses ($130) by Ray-Ban, ray-ban.com
8. Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: Slim-fit denim shirt ($145) by NN07, mrporter.com; Uniform trousers ($20.80) by LawPro, qmuniforms.com; Indy boots ($524) by Alden, jcrew.com; Vintage bottle opener necklace ($18), etsy.com
9. Jack Nicholson in Chinatown
Recreate the look:
Clockwise from top left: Wool-blend overcoat ($800) by Folk, mrporter.com; hat ($54) by Brixton, amazon.com; slim-fit shirt ($30) by Uniqlo, uniqlo.com; aviator sunglasses ($200) by Ray-Ban, ray-ban.com; tie ($98) by Drake's, drakes.com
10. A Model Wearing Another Model in a Rick Owens Runway Show
Recreate the look:
From left: Blowup doll ($15), bachelorette.com; Electrical tape ($0.95), smithsafetysupply.com
