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The season of the witch and All Hallow’s Eve is upon us and with it the call to release your inhibitions and cover your flesh with a costume that could be wild, whimsical or downright wicked.
The tradition of masquerading reaches back to the ancient Celts that dressed themselves in animal hides to ward off the dead that visited the earthly plane at the end of every harvest season. Since Christianity penned up the pagans and bled us of our more rollicking rituals, costuming has evolved into a competitive sport of sexiness and terror.
In her infinite, brunette wisdom, Lucy Van Pelt advised, “A person should always choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality.” Given that most costumes tip the scales on sexy, it would seem we should all be getting it on and taking it off with a bit more fervor.
Who can wear the least and scare the most? With a sea of costumes to choose from and aesthetics to settle on, we’ve organized a list of recommendations based on zodiac signs. Happy Halloween!
Bold Aries lives for risk and loves a hero’s journey, making Wonder Woman a fine costume choice. A 1970s era DC calendar lists Wonder Woman’s birthday as March 22, making the s(hero) herself an Aries. The controversial psychologist and bondage enthusiast credited with creating Wonder Woman described the character as “psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world.” Tall boots and tall orders Aries is more than equipped to fill.
If Aries were a convenience store staple it would be the finger staining, hysteria inducing, fire breathing Flamin’ Hot Cheeto. Never afraid to go big and rarely in the mood to go home, Aries is well suited, er bagged, to rep this cult favorite corn chip.
Taurus is ruled by Venus, planet of attraction and attachment. Named for the goddess of love, beauty and fertility, bulls can lean in by dressing as Venus herself and handing out pomegranates to plebeians. This costume also doubles as a pastoral Poison Ivy or add wings to make yourself a forrest fairy.
It takes a lot to provoke the ire of a Taurus, but betrayal, cheap sheets, bad wine and a scarcity of snacks are surefire ways to make the people of the bull see red. In honor of their animal symbol and sacred rage, we suggest the provacateur of bovines, ladies and gentlemen the mustached matador.
The internet rarely agrees on anything but it seems geeks concur that quick witted, fast acting, one line leveling, street fighting Princess Leia of the Star Wars universe is a Gemini. Twins will appreciate that the hallmark hairstyle of this costume provides a space bun for each of their personalities.
Gemini is ruled by Mercury, planet of communication and exchange and Lewis Carrol’s afflicted milliner is a chatter box built to spill the tea, literal and metaphorical. Further, the term “mad as a hatter,” relates to the Mercury poisoning that befell workers in the hat trade throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, overexposure to the the toxin during the felt making process resulted in tremors, hallucinations and emotional volatility.
Highly intuitive and in tune with the needs of others, Cancers are the natural caretakers of the zodiac, making a nurse costume an apt choice. Cancers can also pay homage to pop and fellow crab Ariana Grande with a sky high pony tail and a vinyl bunny mask
Werewolves, like Cancers themselves, are ruled by the moon and fall under the spell of its waxing, waning, and wanting. Werewolves are pack animals and close family ties are likewise important to Cancer folk. Both natives and werewolves are highly defensive and prone to erratic behavior.
Leo is ruled by the sun and the sun is a star on fire, ipso facto, Starfire is a Leo. Described by DC.com as, “Kori is quick to make friends and quicker still to become the center of attention wherever she goes. But her sometimes naive persona should never result in her being taken for granted—under it lies the fierce heart of a once and future Tamaranian queen.” Center of attention? Fierce heart and regal bearing? Big time Leo vibes.
Leo rules the fifth house of play and lions are theatrical by nature. There is perhaps no better nor apropos way to channel that energy than in an homage to fringe loving, leopard print rocking, 80s king of the wrestling ring, ladies and gentlemen, Randy Macho Man Savage.
Virgo rules the bowels and in certain versions of this fairy tale, our fair Little Red is swallowed whole but later cut free and living form the belly of the hungry wolf. In the major arcana of the tarot, Virgo is associated with the Hermit card which features a hooded figure that holds the lantern of enlightenment. If we view the tale of Little Red Riding Hood as one of retreat, initiation and consciousness through trial, she is much like the Hermit, albeit, hotter.
Virgo is Latin for Virgin and the gospel according to Kevin Smith’s “Dogma,” maintains that angels have no genitalia making them, by all measure of the imagination, eternal virgins. All wings no balls if you will.
Libra is ruled by Venus, planet of aesthetics and the is associated with justice and partnership. Enter Barbie, a Mattel distillation of unrealistic yet enduringly aspirational beauty standards. On the uptick, Barbie has given women the gift of believing they deserve a hot partner willing to coordinate outfits, a dream home to call their own and a hot pink sports car, so it ain’t all bad.
In a serious and seriously Libra-esque PR move, British Romanticist and bon vivant Lord Byron rebranded vampires from gruesome ghoul to dashing, pallid aristocrat. Blood suckers have been damaged heart throbs ever since and no one plays a well dressed, emotionally wounded heart throb better than a Libra.
In the Northern Hemisphere Scorpio season falls in the dark heart of autumn and Sally, the romantic humanoid rag doll from “A Nightmare Before Christmas” is appropriately stuffed with dead leaves. A secretive sort, as most Scorpios are, Sally has a hard time revealing her love struck feels to dead eyed, extremistJack Skellington but no trouble poisoning her maker with nightshade. Scorpios are aces at resourcefulness and personal resurrection and Sally is no exception. Our girl literally stitches herself back together after a daring escape. The affinity between Sally and Scorpios is perhaps best distilled in her singing a doomed love ballad to an audience of a single cat.
When provoked, Scorpios seethe, spew dark humor and are hell bent on getting revenge, a vibe made manifest in evil overall rocking redhead Chucky. Scorpio rules the eighth house of sex, death and regeneration and time after time, sequel after sequel, everyone’s favorite murder doll has proven himself hard to kill and delightfully easy to resurrect.
The symbol for Sagittarius is the centaur and archers can get a leg, and a sexual innuendo, up by opting for a cowgirl costume. More inclined towards good hearted bandits than boring law abiders, archers are encouraged to give it a go with this dark desperado number. Another option is to channel fellow Sagittarius Britney Spears in a red catsuit or “Toxic” flight attendant costume.
Sagittarius ruled the ninth house of philosophy and long distance travel. Enter the fabled pirate who took to the high seas in search of strange shores, governed by the swashbuckling doctrine of take everything but prisoners.
In the major arcana of the tarot, the sign of Capricorn is symbolized by the devil card. With cloven hooves and carnality in common, goats can get on board with being Beelzebub. For character inspiration see Black Philip in “The Witch.” Hoodies rock and Satan rules.
As detailed in, “What ‘Stranger Things’ character are you based on your zodiac sign,” heavy metal newcomer Eddie Munson is pure sea goat. For cost conscious Capricorns, IE all of you, this costume is easy enough to DIY with a few thrift store finds and a little 80s can do.
As an air sign, Aquarius is charged with elevating and advancing human consciousness into the space age. It ain’t easy being a future leaning cosmic genius however and more often than not, water bearers feel more alien than not, a pain that can be woven into costumed glory.
They don’t call it “The Age of Aquarius” for nothing, folks. At their loosest and most liberated, water bearers are about radical freedom, unchecked pubic hair, and the impassioned flying of the proverbial freak flag. Raise yours by DIY dressing like the hippies of yore or make like a fascist yuppie and click the link below.
Pisces people lean hard into fantasy and in most cases prefer to imagine themselves as winged creatures flitting through an enchanted forrest rather than flightless humans walking the uninspired aisles of Trader Joe’s. Here’s your chance to take that flight of fancy, fam.
Neptune, the planetary ruler of Pisces, deals in dreams, creative inspiration, hallucinations, DMT and night terrors, and folks, there’s no figure that haunts the hellscape of sleep more vividly than the clown. Fun fact: real life killer clown and amateur painter John Wayne Gacy was a Pisces.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
A Sun-Mars link at the start of the week will encourage you to be bold and go for the number one prize, even if the odds are stacked against you. Get your act together and do something dramatic, something you might not dare to do on other occasions.