Have you been putting off the task of coming up with this year’s Halloween getup? Stop. The time is now.
While most of your friends may go as Michele Bachmann, Steve Jobs, or other timely and relevant socio-political personas, this year is yours to nab the spotlight with a costume that says, “I’m interesting, cultured, forward-thinking and creative.”
Yes. You’re thinking right. Dressing up as a famous artist is the only way to do Halloween costumes.
But, how do you know which artist to impersonate? You’ll want to choose someone that people will be able to relate with and recognize, but not someone so obvious that it doesn’t even warrant a laugh.
Sounds hard? Not at all. Stay cool. We’re here to help.
Artist #1: Salvador Dali
One word for Dali: Mustache.
Dali’s signature look is one that’s fairly easy to re-create and costume-y enough to fly for a Halloween party. All you’ll need to pay homage to Dali is a fake mustache, long and pointed as high upwards as you can possibly manage on the ends, a suit jacket, white button up shirt, patterned tie and stylish walking cane (optional, those can be hard to come by.) If you can bring a small animal, do that too. He tried to keep some type of living thing near him all times. Don’t ask why.
Most people should know Dali, right? Mention his famous melting clock painting, The Persistence of Memory, or possibly Temptation of Saint Anthony for more advanced partygoers. You should hopefully get a few good laughs, and if no one recognizes him, at least your mustache is a novelty.
Artist #2: Vincent Van Gogh
One word for Van Gogh: Ear.
Van Gogh painted a lot of awesome looking self-portraits. Given his realistic style of paintings (sarcasm), we’re sure that he looked very close to his own representations of himself.
So, what makes Van Gogh a great idea for a Halloween costume? Blood. The guy cut off his own ear. You don’t have to cut yours off, of course. Just bandage up your right ear, dab a little fake blood (or a lot) around the area, let it dribble down your neck, run around with a bloody switchblade (fake, of course) and a paintbrush. Top off with a blue linen suit and red beard. He was also known to wear fedora style or straw hats, so you can add that too.
Artist #3: Frida Khalo
One word for Khalo: Uni-brow.
Now. Here’s a good one: Mexican painter and self-portrait extraordinaire, Frida Kahlo. Not to distract from how revolutionary her work was and continues to be, but she offers limitless potential for Halloween costumes.
The strongest point of her self-portraits is typically her uni-brow, so we suggest starting there. Don’t be shy. Go as thick and dark as you can muster. Markers, eyeliner or paint can produce the desired results. She is typically wearing a necklace and earrings, and not just any necklace and earrings, but something extremely bejeweled. Think big and chunky. She was usually wearing a dress, something long and bright, sometimes with a scarf of shawl. Her dark hair was almost always parted down the middle and pulled back, with flowers and ribbons for adornment. And you will definitely need red lipstick. Her look was fairly iconic and can be recognized by most people. This costume would be a hoot.
Artist #4: Andy Warhol
One word for Warhol: Hair.
That white shock of hair Warhol sported in his later years is now a signature Warholian style. White wigs are fairly easy to find during October. Find the whitest and fluffiest one you can, and do what you have to in order to make it stand on end. Pair with dark sunglasses, a black turtleneck and a black leather jacket. Also, work in dark, thick eyebrows if at all possible and run around saying things like, “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes,” or “I am a deeply superficial person.”
Warhol is a legend. People will know him. They’ll recognize what you’re going for and throw you a bone. Or a banana.
Artist #5: Annie Leibovitz
One word for Leibovitz: Glasses.
Actually, there a lot of words for Annie Leibovitz. Camera. Hair. Wild. Manly. Choose whichever most inspires you.
Leibovitz is a fairly easy look to pull off. If you’ve already got blonde hair, you’ve got a foot in the door. If not, grab a blonde wig, the stringier the better, a pair of fake black plastic-rimmed glasses, a camera of some kind and a black turtleneck or button-up shirt. People may need help recognizing your intended goal, but it’s okay. That just makes you look smarter.
Happy Halloween!
How better could we show our appreciation for artists than by impersonating them one night a year? Sure, we could donate to foundations in their names or rattle off their life stories to our friends, but imitation is the highest form of flattery. So, imitate to the fullest and if you have other clever artist costumes, share them with the group!
