Why It’s Time to Stop Shaming ‘Basic’ Halloween Costumes

While it feels like we were just getting in the spirit of "hot girl summer" not long ago, we've officially found ourselves barreling toward Halloween sooner than we thought possible.

And while that means there are things like clearance candy, pumpkin patches and haunted houses to look forward to, it also means that the time has come once again to plan the perfect costume idea. No matter what your plans for Halloween may be this year, it seems like we're all always put under pressure to find a creative, not-so-everyday costume idea that no one could possibly deem "basic." Here's the problem, though: There's nothing wrong with wearing a basic costume.

So, why do so many people shame these Halloween costumes each year? We'd say it comes down to a sense of ego, but it's a lot more rooted in issues that go even deeper. Conversations about why people choose to hate on these costumes aside, we're here to talk about why it's time to collectively stop shaming them.

Because They're Actually Really Cute and Fun to Wear

Black cat, angel, devil and so many others are common costumes, but they're also really fun to wear. After all, everyone can take a slightly different way and wear it in a way that makes them feel confident. Plus, it's easy to dress down for casual Halloween ventures as much as it is to dress up if you want to go all out with it. So go ahead, be the cutest black cat of them all this year and don't let anyone make you feel bad about it.

Shutterstock Woman in black cat costume - portrait of wow sexy young woman in black witch halloween costume with cat ears in black dress on party over gray background. the concept of Halloween . funny face

(via Shutterstock)

 

Also read about: The 6 Best Last-Minute Halloween Costumes

 

Because Some Things Are Popular for a Reason

To put it simply: Hating things that are popular doesn't make you any more interesting. So when people shame basic costumes, it tends to be because they feel a sense of superiority. But what's so bad about loving something that, at the end of the day, everyone else loves too? If the 2023 masterpiece of a movie Barbie taught us nothing else, it's that it's okay to love what you love even if it is a little "stereotypical." (And by the way, there's nothing wrong with dressing as Barbie for Halloween this year, no matter how common it may be).

 

Because Some People Don't Have the Time or Money to Plan a Non-'Basic' Costume

Frankly, simple costumes that require little more than a pair of animal ears (we see you, infamous Mean Girls scene) are cheap and easy to put together. For anyone who maybe doesn't know what they'll be doing for Halloween and doesn't want to invest tons of time and/or money into a costume that may just go to waste, this makes these basic options great backups that can still be really fun to pull off. Also, going for a unique costume could simply be too costly for some people, so choosing something that doesn't require doing much more than finding some clothing that they already own to pair with a set of ears or some angel wings just works better sometimes.

Mean Girls - Rachel McAdams in bunny ear costume

(Mean Girls via Paramount Pictures)

 

Also read about: 6 Essential Basics for Fall

 

Because People Should Be Allowed to Do What They Want

It's that simple. So stop shaming someone just because they chose something you've seen done before, or something that almost everyone at the party will be wearing. After all, it doesn't make you any more interesting just for throwing shade at someone else.

 

So there you have it—more reasons to forget the shaming and embrace whatever kind of costume you like for this year. But if you're looking for some extra Halloween inspiration for 2023, click HERE for some simple ways to incorporate Halloween into your next nail polish look. 

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