life & style // no. 12 theotherpress.ca Hottest Halloween costumes of 2019 >» Have we totally exhausted unique costume ideas? Morgan Hannah Life & Style Editor he Celts held the belief that at the end of the summer, the barrier between our world and that of the undead was at its thinnest. To keep ghosts and spirits at bay, neighbourhoods would decorate their homes and their bodies to scare spirits off. Costumes have since morphed from spooky to sexy, and often HBO releases and other media trends sneak their way into parties all over—with the oddest of these trends being simply “celebrities.” Dressing up as a living celebrity—with no zombification or vampirism to be seen—feels a bit lazy, albeit easy to do. But this ain't the opinions section, so with that in mind, it’s time to introduce this year’s hottest Halloween costumes: Taylor Swift from “You Need To Calm Down” music video Indulge your inner pop star with T. Swift's fuzzy pink jacket, cat-eye sunnies, and martini glass combo. Not only can you easily pull off this celebrity look— especially if you've got blond hair ora matching curled housewife wig—but you'll keep warm while club-hopping wrapped in this outfit. Midsommar Cult Member Even if you haven't seen the folk horror film Midsommar, cultism is in this year, and it’s surprisingly easy to pull that look together. A simple white prairie dress and a crown of flowers will get you the classic cult member look. As a bonus, if you plan to party with friends, a whole bunch of girls dressed in matching outfits, holding hands, and skipping down the street would definitely be creepy. VSCO girl What do oversize t-shirts, tie-dye sweatshirts, Nike shorts, Crocs, Hydro Flasks, and shell necklaces all have in common? They're all elements of one of the most searched terms on the internet— VSCO girl—and they're all part of this hit costume idea for 2019. Easy to achieve, each of these outfit items probably already sits in your wardrobe or can be collected at a cheap price. Lil Nas X from “Old Town Road” music video You've all heard this hit song—likely on repeat—and now you can be Lil Nas Xin his western-rap adventure. All you need is a cowboy hat, lots of colourful prints, some tassels, and a pair of cow-print western booties! Order online from Lammle’s Western Wear (or go to either Kamloops or Calgary) for long-lasting cowboy goods and great service. You can also find your costume just as easily second-hand. Bob Ross There have been many parodies of Bob Ross this year, giving this American painter a second life through his fans. With the artist’s iconic instructional mannerisms and his classic look of high-waisted jeans, long-sleeve button up, and an afro, it’s easy to pull off this artsy look. Mr. Rogers Rather than fuelling the hate-flames that the sexy Mr. Rogers trend is causing, why not simply dress up as Mr. Rogers? Sport a red cardigan that resembles his trademark What I learned from an episode of ‘What Would You Do?’ » Three important points to remember in life EG Manilag Staff Writer Wwe no one is watching, what would you do? What Would You Do? (WWYD?) isa situational hidden camera television program that seeks to explore individuals’ reactions and responses to uncomfortable and often compromising real-life scenarios in their community. One episode, “Illiterate man is harassed by café cashier,” shows an illiterate man being bullied by a barista for not being able to read the menu. A lot of customers stood up for the man, and most of their reactions and responses were personal and straight from the heart. One customer said that her grandfather had trouble reading because all his life he was in the workforce, grinding every single day to feed his family. Another customer, who was an educator, said - Listen | have an aunt that can't read, We a a hg that not everyone, “not even today,” has an opportunity at education. This social experiment made me tear up. This show and episode expanded my perspective on life. Here’s what I learned: Privileges and differences in life Life is random, and privilege is a random gift. Not everyone shares the same privileges because not everyone is born into the same circumstances. Education is a part of this—not everyone has the same opportunity to learn. Some people are forced to quit school so they can instead work to feed their families, and others have every opportunities in education presented to them. It is a big issue when one ignorantly compares their life to another person’s life. Firstly, we don't share the same life as the people we judge, so a comparison of two totally different people living with different circumstances is apples to oranges. Secondly, we don’t know what they've been through, a. ° a 8 = 3 > 5 S v G x S e 5 oS n Illustration by Morgan Hannah cardigan, grey straight-leg pants, and a distinguished black tie. Pay tribute to the lovable American TV personality, and don’t fall into the trap of the “sexy treatment.” so how can we pass accurate judgement without any facts? And thirdly, life is just simply unfair, why add to that? Rather than criticize people, we should help people—it makes the world a better place. Standing up for people “Strong people stand up for themselves. Stronger people stand up for others,” said Chris Gardner, author of the book (also adapted into a film starring Will Smith) The Pursuit of Happiness. He is right. As | said earlier, it's not surprising to see the community help one man because, ethically, it’s the right thing to do. I was impressed seeing how courageous and fearless they all were in assisting him. They were assertive and in control of the situation—putting a stop to the barista’s hostility. We should all be a little more like that. The importance of education Education is important. With it, we can break harmful stereotypes and promote fact-based information. To be educated means to be skeptical—challenging and breaking everyday norms. Education can help people, it can spread awareness against all sorts of stigma, and it can expand our horizons. Our level of education should not be a status symbol. Instead, it should be an instrument for positive development.