Your Halloween Costume Personality

Halloween is as much for adults as it is for kids. Okay, so we may not get to trick-or-treat, but we do get to dress up. Whether you're going to a Halloween party or staying home to answer the door, you're bound to have more fun if you don a costume.

The question is, what should you be?

Notice I said "What should you be?" We don't say, "What are you wearing for Halloween?" Oh no. When you put on a Halloween costume, what you're really doing is assuming a personality. LIterally becoming someone (or something) other than yourself.

In the spirit of this sprite-filled holiday, I've created my own little guide to some typical approaches to Halloween costuming. See what your choice might reveal* about your inner self. Oh, and don't get scared. It's all in fun!

*Any description of costumes, costume types and personal motivations, personality traits and basically everything in this Hub is solely the opinion of Mighty Mom. This Hub is not based on any factual research. It is based on personal observation and should not be taken as anything other than a Halloween trick. Or, if you like it, a treat.

Ever noticed how many women go the Halloween vamp route? Choose your genre -- French maid, nurse, devilsh devil girl, "wicked" witch, medieval wench -- what they all have in common is uber sex appeal. And every Halloween party I've ever been to has been overrun with them. Leading me to believe there is definitely some deep psychological need being expressed.

Costume Characterized by:

Short skirt. Fishnet stockings or high boots.Sometimes a prop like a whip, stethoscope or feather duster. And lots and lots of cleavage.

What it means:

The sex vixen in you wants to come out and munch on Mr. Goodbar. Good thing grownup Halloween parties are rife with sugar in the form of alcohol. So indulge! Let down those inhibitions, and let loose your inner slut, girlfriend! It's not really you. Oh no/ You're still a good girl. That's your alter ego showing all that leg and cleavage. Wink, wink.

Halloween is traditionally about ghosts, goblins and things that go bump in the night. It's no wonder, then, that so many revelers choose to play up their ghoulish side.

Costume Characterized by:

Green makeup with neck knobs, gauze-wrapped heads, scars, gristle, missing limbs and other grizzly details.

What it means:

You 're very secure in yourself. You feel quite comfortable hiding beneath an ugly mask and letting people guess who you are. You have a wicked sense of the macabre and have always wanted to be a zombie. Your taste in horror tends toward the classics -- Frankenstein, Dracula, Dawn of the Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Everybody loves you even though they fear you. Wink, wink.

Halloween is definitely the night to put yourself in someone else's shoes. And hair. And clothes. And face. Transforming yourself into a famous character -- dead, alive, or fictional -- can be as easy as buying a ready-made packaged costume. Or, you can pull together the pieces and create the look yourself.

Costume Characterized by:

Most people go for a parody, with exaggerated features of the person/character being portrayed.

What it means:

Insecure and antisocial, you have a strong need for everyone to know your name. Since they don't in real life, you choose a famous person to ensure instant recognition. You are shallow and uncreative, a sheep who follows the latest trend/celebrity gossip. This is why, even though you are desperate to stand out as unique, you are likely to see at least two other people wearing the same exact costume at any party you attend.

And then there are the people who  wear the same costume year in and year out. I guess that makes sense.It's frugal. And practical.

Nobody questions putting the same decorations on our Christmas trees every year.I guess there's nothing wrong with decorating yourself the same way every Halloween. It's just, well, a little boring is all.

Costume Characterized by:

Tradition. People come to expect this costume on this person. Simplicity. Once the costume is assembled, it requires no thought or effort in future years.

What it means:

You think your costume is your "trademark." Other people think you lack imagination. After the second year they are secretly saying about you, "Oh no. Not the priest costume again. Gawd. What a loser." If you are the kind of person who never varies your Halloween costume, you should consider a career that requires you to wear a uniform every day. That kind of clothing monotony will fit you perfectly.

We are not all destined for "Project Runway" but we can strut our stuff on the Halloween catwalk with our out-of-the-box costumes. I mean, of course, costumes that are creative, not ones that literally come out of a box.

The kind of costume I'm talking about is unusual and evocative. People will come up and ask you, "What ARE you?" Or they will burst into laughter when they see you. Why? Because you've taken a known concept and turned it on its ear.

Some examples from my own experience: A punk rock (or goth) cheerleader; the Pope, complete with his "Pope-mobile" (made out of cardboard), and "The Dead Kennedys." That last one a blonde female and brunette male couple with nets, shells and starfish stuck to their clothes and hair (obviously emulating John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy).

Costume Characterized by:

Extreme creativity. A novel twist on a familiar theme. Striking originality of idea and execution.

What it means:

You are either brilliant or very, very sick. Possibly both. You probably should audition for "Project Runway."