See our editors’ most memorable Halloween costumes (and show us yours!)

Jacquelyn Francis, Executive Editor

I’m not good at Halloween, something I attribute to the lack of a Mindy Kaling-like costume of the day. This is my attempt at Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura in mid-teleport. The dress is sparkly vintage from a London flea, the badge sewn by hand, the updo sprayed into submission. Vigilante Batman loves Halloween and was awarded best costume at this early aughties house party (note: towel cape, balaclava and utility drink holder). We eventually married.

Sarah Daniel, Beauty Editor

I was the Paper Bag Princess a few years ago because the Robert Munsch anti-fairytale was one of my favourite bedtime books. It’s an easy costume; you really only need craft paper, a dollar store tiara and some black eye shadow for soot. In hindsight, my French bulldog Monroe would have made an awesome dragon.

Randi Bergman, Executive Digital Editor

Last year my friend Amina and I both went as Frida Kahlo in the same dress we both purchased a few weeks before from Topshop (she bought it first, so finder’s cred goes to her). That’s Blaire in the middle as a very lame Darth Vader, which she dubbed “Darth Tater”

Brian Fleming, Associate Art Director

My most memorable costume to date would be last year’s Venom getup, which proved to be more dangerous than the character itself. The costume was mostly body paint and makeup, which I later learned wasn’t coated properly to prevent smudging. So that night I spent most of my time ruining other people’s costumes and leaving black streaks on apartment walls. Most Halloween parties I’ve been invited to this year have a new rule: no body paint costumes. It seems that my “outfit” wasn’t only memorable for me, but for others as well.

Souzan Michael, Associate Digital Editor

I saw this outfit in the window of a really trashy store last year and had to have it, because it seemed like something Rihanna would wear. Since I’m not Rih and am a mere mortal, I thought I’d start small and wear it as a costume. I wrapped vines around myself and called myself Mary Jane. Easiest Halloween costume ever.

(That’s my roommate as Alice in Wonderland—unrelated to my costume but fun pairing, non?)

Anne T. Donahue, Writer

I was a Christmas present for Halloween twice, once in 1993 and again in 1995, out of pure laziness. With my mushroom cut, burgundy windbreaker, and velcro shoes in tow, I was remarkably a lot less cute than I was the first time around, which might explain why I spent most of my lunch hour a) alone, and b) running away from kids who were trying to unwrap me. 

But the next year, I had the last laugh: going as Al Borland from Home Improvement, I made the most of our class trip to the skating rink. But that was still 12 months away. As of Halloween night ’95, I could channel only the power of my Mom and my Nana, two Lithuanian women who loved me despite being a 10-year-old girl with a shoe box lid on my head. 

Monica Heisey, Writer

This was a strong attempt at something I called “Sexy Darth Vader” in my last year of university. It ultimately didn’t work out—the cheapness of the cape was its undoing—and I ended up going as something boring last minute, but I had a very important pre-Halloween night of running around the house saying sexy things in a Darth Vader voice and making rude puns about the Force. 

Blaire Borins, Public Relations Manager at Holt Renfrew

I take Halloween very seriously. It’s my favourite holiday of the year –once, I even threw myself a Halloween themed birthday party (in March!). I plan my costumes months in advance and past getups include Michael Phelps, Coco (Ice T’s wife), the McDonald’s Hamburglar and Ally McBeal. A recent favourite was Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.