Mental Floss

5 Transforming Costume Ideas to Take Your Halloween to the Next Level

By Andrew LaSane

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Halloween is an evening of dilemmas. When trick-or-treating, the goal is to get as much candy as possible, but double dipping is often frowned upon. For those who celebrate by dressing up for parties, there are often multiple events to attend, either on the same night or over the course of the weekend, and no one wants to be seen dancing in last night's clothes. In both scenarios, a quick change into another costume is the best way to hack Halloween. Here are some fun options that could make the night go more smoothly.

1. GIZMO/GREMLIN 

According to Mogwai mythology, getting the furry creature wet, exposing it to sunlight, and feeding it after midnight are things that the new owner should avoid at all costs. This costume represents what happens when two of those rules are broken, and the video above captures a slightly more friendly version of the transformation than is depicted in the films.

2. CINDERELLA

A GIF of this costume transformation was posted to reddit earlier this month and quickly gained steam, receiving over 5500 upvotes and more than 1000 comments in a week. Created by cosplayer Bubbly Bee, the costume takes Cinderella from peasant rags to a ball-ready gown in less than 20 seconds, an effect that is heightened by the wearer’s theatrical spin.

3. TRANSFORMERS

Costumes themed around the classic 1980s cartoon (and less-classic ongoing film series) are a no-brainer for this category—it’s what the robot characters are all about. Fans have found interesting ways to recreate the magic of the Transformers in their wearable art, and some have taken it to the next level by making the costumes mobile.

4. DUCK DYNASTY TRUCK

Borrowing the idea from Transformers and applying it to the popular A&E series Duck Dynasty, this entry to a 2013 costume contest for the show is a camouflaged truck that transforms into a human duckhunter, complete with a full beard and a fake shotgun.

5. FACE-CHANGING MASK

A costume idea steeped in Sichuan opera tradition, face changing masks are only cool when the person wearing them knows the art of the reveal. Simply pulling off a mask to reveal another one is fine, but what performers like He Hongqing can do is nothing short of magical.