Unique Halloween Costumes

Getting Punny

While some of them aren't the most unique ideas anymore, playing off a pun is a fun and easy way to come up with a costume that's out of the ordinary. You've probably seen someone dressed as a black-eyed pea (sweat suit with a P on the end, black under one eye), but if you think about common phrases and household items you can probably come up with other plays on words that haven't been done before.

Here are some ideas to get you started thinking in this way:

• Stick in the mud: A brown sweat suit with a stick taped to it (muddy or not)
• Deviled egg: White sweat suit with yellow "yolk" painted on or made from felt; also wear devil horns.
• Deviled ham: Same idea but with a pink sweat suit.
• Baby sitter: Tape a doll to your behind.
• Cereal killer: Tape cereal boxes to a sweat suit.
• Static cling: Pin clothing to a sweat suit. You can also cut holes in a laundry basket and wear it, though then you'd be a load of laundry instead.

Or try a play on a more common costume such as a pregnant nun, a blind surgeon (wear scrubs and sunglasses) or some other interesting twist on a normal costume.

In the News

One of the most fun ways to come up with unique Halloween costumes is to look for an incident in the news or a celebrity who has gotten in trouble to use as the basis for your costume.

Any celebrity who has gotten arrested in the last year is good fodder for this type of costume. Search online for their mug shot and you've got a costume ready to go.

Politicians are another good choice for funny and often in poor taste Halloween costumes. Disgraced politicians in particular can make a good costume out of a suit and an appropriate prop related to their downfall. For instance a costume involving former congressman Bob Ney, who resigned as part of the Jack Abramoff scandal, might include filling all your pockets with fake money, carrying golf clubs (since he famously went to St. Andrews with Abramoff) or wearing a pin that says #1 (since he was known as Representative #1 in the investigation).

A costume like this ensures you'll learn which ones of your friends read the newspaper or pay attention to politics.

Movies and More

Sure there are lots of people who dress as Spiderman and Jack Sparrow, but if you're looking for unique Halloween costumes, you'll need to be a little more obscure.

Think about movies that don't have costumes at every shop. Science fiction and fantasy movies like Stardust are great options if the party you're going to has a crowd that would recognize them. (Or you could always wear a nametag.)

And don't forget television shows, which are usually overlooked by the costume makers, giving you plenty of opportunities to build a costume no one else will have. From The Office to Heroes to Flash Gordon, there's a television show out there with characters for just about anyone.

The great thing about dressing like someone from a television show is that you might not have to put a lot of effort or money into your costume. Your normal clothes might give you the right look, while adding an accessory or a nametag lets everyone know that you're not dressed as yourself.

There are many different ways to come up with unique Halloween outfits. Just start searching for things that interest you on the Internet, look up your favorite character from a long-ago movie or decide to dress like a color, an emotion or a favorite phrase. Have fun getting your creative juices flowing and stumping your friends.