If you're looking for an out-of-box Halloween costume for this year, why not dress up as everyone's favorite British comedian? John Oliver is the perfect critic of everything Americans (and the U.S. government) do wrong, and his HBO show, Last Week Tonight, always has spot-on commentary about political issues. Show off how politically in tune and savvy you are with this easy John Oliver Halloween costume — you'll leave everyone else at the Halloween parties you go to wondering why they didn't think of the costume idea first.
And of course, what would a true John Oliver Halloween costume be without a wry British sense of humor to go along with it? We're not saying you have to fake a British accent — but bonus points if you manage to keep the accent up the entire night! — but it doesn't hurt to remind yourself why Oliver is so beloved in the first place. Whether he's lambasting America's pitiful attempts at sex education or mocking the media for asking transgender people inappropriate questions, Oliver hits the nail on the head in just about every situation. If you can work a John Oliver one-liner into a Halloween conversation, everyone will definitely remember how committed you were to your costume.
1. Get A Short, Dark Wig, Or Pull Your Hair Back
If you're a brunette, you probably won't need to add a wig to your costume, but if you've got long, blond hair, a wig would make the John Oliver look a lot more believable. Your local costume store probably has a great wig selection, and Amazon has plenty of options, too. Oliver's hair is a bit shorter than most men's wigs, but you could always cut an inch or two off the front of the wig to get the true John Oliver look. And if you're currently rocking a pixie cut, temporary hair dye would work just as well.
2. Get A Dark-Colored Suit
Oliver seems to favor darker shades of suits and tuxes, but don't feel like you have to break the bank on something expensive. A fitted black or navy blazer and dark pants will do just the trick. If you don't have a blazer, borrow some suiting clothes from a male friend or relative, or check out the selection at your nearest consignment or thrift store.
3. Get A Patterned Shirt And Tie To Pair With The Suit
Sure, he doesn't always wear patterned shirts, but Oliver wears variations of checked patterns fairly often. Again, there's no need to spend much money here — pretty much any color of checked, button-front shirt will work. Add on a solid-colored tie that complements the shirt (but doesn't look too expensive).
4. And, Of Course, Don't Forget The Glasses
No John Oliver costume would be complete without replicating the comedian's signature eyeglasses. There's no need to be too precise — Oliver has worn several different eyeglass frames throughout his comedy career, so anything with a dark frame and medium-sized rectangle lenses should work.
5. Add On The Extras
If you want other people to be able to tell who you're supposed to be dressed up as, a finishing-touch accessory can go a long way. Holding a microphone could remind people of Oliver's stand-up career, for instance. Or if you want to get fancy, you could paint a piece of cardboard to look like Oliver's Last Week Tonight desk and hold it in front of you.
When rocking the John Oliver Halloween costume, don't forget to slap your head in exasperation every once in a while. Frustration with American politics is key to the John Oliver persona.
