Even though it's is my favorite holiday and I feel like I'm constantly waiting for it, Halloween sneaks up on me every year. And the brain drain that accompanies panic doesn't help at all when I'm trying to out an original, preferably pop-culture-inspired costume. I'm not getting stuck this year, so I'm looking to the spring and summer movie season to find my perfect Halloween party garb. Captain America: Civil War offers several heroic options; but neither Black Widow or Scarlet Witch is a particularly unique idea. They're both recurring characters. One Suicide Squad Harley Quinn out on the streets in late October won't be distinguishable from the rest. And while I've always dreamed of strapping on the proton pack, that Ghostbusters jumpsuit doesn't look like it breathes very much. (What can I say? I'm a sweaty person.) The key then, is to avoid the blockbusters and look to the sleeper hits of the year — for example, that Blake Lively surf thriller that made audiences realize it's not at all safe to go back in the water. Read on for an easy primer for creating a couples Halloween costume for The Shallows .
Yep, a couples costume. True, Lively's character doesn't come across many people in the movie. But she does get up close and personal with a great white. Recruit a friend or a significant other to be the other half of this human-to-shark showdown, and you'll have people talking your killer costume until Christmas.
Here's what you'll need:
A Rashguard That Also Serves As A Tourniquet In A Pinch
Lively wears a half-zip rashguard in the movie and (spoiler alert) rips off one sleeve to slow the bleeding of her injured leg. You can modify (read: destroy) this Speedo zip-up version from Zappos ($54) or leave it be so you can wear it to the beach next summer.
A Bright Orange Bikini Top So The Rescue Helicopters Can Find You
Bikini Top, $25, Venus
It's a string bikini top in the movie; this push-up triangle from Venus ($25) is a bit sturdier so you can move around with total confidence.
Mis-Matched Bikini Bottoms Because Only Free Spirits Seek Out Hidden Beaches
Bikini Bottoms, $44, Lord + Taylor
Nancy isn't a matchy-matchy kind of woman. But the black-and-white flowered pattern on her lower half really makes the orange on the top pop. (Things you may have time to think about when you're not mentally occupied with fighting off a shark.) Pick up these bottoms at Lord & Taylor. ($44)
A Surfboard That Won't Burn Out Your Biceps
Inflatable Surf Board, $10, Oriental Trading
Because lugging around a real surfboard all night would be heavy and incredibly expensive, I recommend this easy-to-tote inflatable surfboard from Oriental Trading ($10).
"Shark Was Here" Evidence
Fake Blood, $5, Party City
Shark teeth are super big and scary, you guys. That means you can't have too much fake blood on your person for this costume. Available at Party City, this congealing variety ($5) looks good on its own or, if you're feeling ambitious, with a fake wound.
Don't Forget The Enemy
Shark Costume, $45, HalloweenCostumes.com
Like Juliet without her Romeo or Cady without her Regina, a Nancy is just incomplete without the shark that wants to kill and eat her. Granted, this floppy shark bodysuit from HalloweenCostumes.com ($45) creates a much more cuddly effect than the movie's antagonist. Who cares? It's not the shark's fault anyway.
Idyllic secret beach not included or required. Happy Halloween!
Images: Columbia Pictures; Zappos; Venus; Lord & Taylor; Oriental Trading; Party City; HalloweenCostumes.com
