For many students, Halloween did not feel like a ‘real’ Halloween until we came to university — with the clubbing, the house parties, the bopping and, of course, the dressing up. As a fresher dressing up for the first time I chose to be a cat — a rare aesthetic. Despite being so excited about it, I remember a prevailing sense of anxiety about my costume: the fear of being overdressed and not fitting in, something we have likely all experienced.

For that reason, I toned down the costume to just a plain black crop top, a skirt and, naturally, cat ears. However, after seeing everyone else, I realised that nobody was paying much attention to what I wore — I could have worn whatever I wanted. This year I felt significantly less anxious, being empowered by my outfit rather than self-conscious. I dressed as a devil in a red lace corset (it was vintage and not from Amazon I swear…), a staple Hollister mini skirt, chunky boots and layered jewellery.

“I realised that nobody was paying much attention to what I wore — I could have worn whatever I wanted”

Although admittedly still pretty basic, this more sinister look was inspired by femme fatale-esque costumes. The rise of the femme fatale trope is often attributed to male anxieties in a time when women pushed against patriarchal control during the 19th and early 20th Century. She is a powerful and mysterious figure, one of sensuality and independence. The femme fatale, although sometimes interpreted as a symbol of corruption, can also be seen as a construct that challenged gender norms, and provided an outlet for the expression of femininity.

Evie, dressing as a dark fae, donned a flowy black skirt she already owned (considering it a wardrobe staple), pairing it with a vintage brown corset and statement jewellery from her mum. Accessorising with a flowery antler headband and fairy wings, Evie was inspired by the fantasy genre, in particular the fae. Using a dark woodland aesthetic, she drew from literary portrayals of fae creatures. Fairies and mythical costumes are the perfect way to dress up and embrace a delicate and dark feminine look. Kendall Jenner’s 2019 Halloween golden forest fairy costume sparked a flurry of inspiration for more whimsical outfits for parties and Halloween.

Orlando, taking some advice (and clothes) from Evie, dressed as an evil prince. As he was attending a Halloween formal, Orlando based his outfit around what would work best with a gown. He settled on an all-black outfit, dressing in trousers, a crop top, and an overshirt; and accessorising with a dark thorn reef-style headband. The costume encompassed a blend of masculinity and femininity and, exuded the dark villain energy central to Halloween. Orlando’s use of his gown demonstrates how we can even re-purpose our niche Cambridge traditions for Halloween, especially as some colleges require gowns be worn at themed formals.

Inspired by her favourite film — and having seen it on Pinterest — Martha dressed as Princess Leia. She especially liked that it provided an opportunity for a big group costume that be put together relatively easily She donned a white dress, accessorising with a silver chain belt, and a toy gun. As Princess Leia is one of Martha’s favourite film characters, she especially enjoyed the iconic hairstyle that was pulled off perfectly with her two slicked back buns. Star Wars proved a favourable choice this year with Anne Hathaway also dressing as Princess Leia in a rustic, mediaeval style tunic dress and a halo headband.

Sophie’s childhood love for Padmé inspired her choice. Having worked on costume design before, Sophie was able to make much of her outfit herself. She used white trousers and a beige tote bag, sourced from charity shops, to transform into shorts and sew a belt. Already owning her white top, Sophie’s Halloween look provides inspiration for sustainably sourcing and hand-making our costumes. The environmental group Hubbub found that 83% of Halloween costumes use non-recyclable oil-based plastics; in other words, their fate is in landfill. If you’re looking to avoid this, but don’t posses Sophie's crafting ability, wearing clothes you already own, and second-hand shopping on platforms like Vinted are great options. And if you’re purchasing pieces for one-time wear, then re-selling or donating can also work to break the cycle.

“Dressing up as a celebrity is a great way to reduce one-time consumption if you are able to shop your wardrobe”

Similarly, Jemima did not need to buy anything new for her iconic Billie Eilish costume. Dressing up as a celebrity is a great way to reduce one-time consumption, if you are able to shop your wardrobe, especially if you already own merchandise for an artist. Jemima’s costume was inspired by her Billie Eilish obsession which “has got out of hand recently”; admiring not just her performance but her unmatched sense of style. By using clothes she already owned, Jemima pulled together an impressive, last-minute costume. Her choice of Billie enabled her to show off her love for baggy clothes through assembling cargo jorts, an oversized merch shirt, and a camouflage undershirt. Celebrity costumes are always a good option for Halloween, with this year’s top costume searches including Raygun and Sabrina Carpenter.

This Halloween saw a range of varied looks in terms of theme and style, highlighting the importance of dressing as, and embracing whoever you want — from Padmé to pop icons. Reflecting and learning from my silly fresher era, I now realise that your costume should be entirely yours. While dressing how you want is daunting, it is undoubtedly worth it, even if you must face the “basic” allegations…