He Said She Said

He Said: “I think couples costumes are quite cool. If they take the time and effort to coordinate one “theme,” it looks much more impressive than two independent costumes,” Carson Reinhardt, a sophomore with an undecided major, said.

She Said: “I think they can be both. Some of them are original and awesome but some of them need to retire and never see the public eye again,” Heidi Zimmerman, a freshman majoring in veterinary technology, said.

With the Hallowed Eve right around the corner, the frantic costume search ensues. Couples occasionally choose to dress up together, and sometimes it can go awry. Below are four tips to keep things from getting creepy.

Tip No. 1: Make sure people know who you are. The most awkward moment ever happens when someone asks “Who are you two supposed to be?” and when you answer, they simply stare at you blankly and walk away. The whole point of dressing up is to be something you’re not and to have fun, and if everyone assumes you and your significant other just randomly wore wigs because you had no other costume, it is truly no fun.

Tip No. 2: Try to avoid cliché costumes. The characters from “Grease,” police officer and prisoner, vampires, pirates, cowboy and cowgirl have all been done before. Aim for something original or creative such as peanut butter and jelly, devil and angel, Nudists on Strike (wear clothes and “Nudist on Strike” signs around your necks), Adam and Eve, Beauty and Geek, “White Trash” couple, Esmeralda and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or anything that works well in a pair. People will appreciate your effort and understand who you are.

Tip No. 3: Go for funny rather than skanky. Most stores sell couple’s outfits with short skirts for the girls and shirtless outfits for the guys. If that just isn’t your style, plenty of ideas exist involving less money and more laughs. Be a Red Solo Cup and ping pong ball, Mary and Joseph, Cupid and his valentine, cheating wife and cheating husband, pregnant nun and monk, Mac and PC, or cross-dressing couple. Websites such as yourtango.com give tons of examples for more creative couple costumes.

Tip No. 4: You can never go wrong with pop culture. If you choose to dress up as famous people or characters, others are bound to understand and get a kick out of your creativity. Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, Leonard and Penny from The Big Bang Theory, Obama and Romney, Christian Grey and Anastasia from “50 Shades of Grey,” Hermoine and Ron, Prince William and Kate, David and Victoria Beckham (think soccer player and Spice Girl), Mario and Luigi, Batman and Catwoman, and the list goes on. Not only are these costumes funny, they also are relatively inexpensive and easy to create.

Take advantage of the one day a year where you can pretend to be someone you are not, and be creative with it. This year, instead of wearing the same old tired ideas that have been used for generations, spice things up and get a little crazy.

Next week’s question:
“Can Politics Ruin A Relationship?”

Have an answer? Email it plus your name, major, and year in school, to hesaidshesaid.spec@gmail.com.