Halloween is near and sports fans, along with everyone else, are frantically searching their closets for a last minute costume. Many sports fans are going to resort to the tried and true jersey method in order to cosplay as their favorite athlete. However, these individuals would be outraged to learn that it is in fact not a costume but instead being a glazing fan.
To start off, what exactly makes a good Halloween costume; some iconic costumes use creativity, shared cultural knowledge or are classically well-crafted horror displays. A lazily thrown on jersey is none of these things. Moreover, if someone sees you at a party wearing a jersey as your costume, based on that visual image alone, people would have no idea if you were in fact at a halloween party, a sports game, a hang out with friends or simply partying on any other day of the year.
The issue is not with the jersey. Rather, it’s the lack of creativity. Hastily throwing on a jersey and then claiming to be the player is boring and not enough to constitute as a costume. If someone is set on wearing a jersey, they need to be all in. Adding accessories can turn this costume into a true pop culture reference. With the inclusion of a ring or even a homemade trophy, fans can easily turn a Kevin Durant Jersey into a recreation of his 2017 championship win with the Golden State Warriors.
A sports jersey with zombie makeup, even if it is poorly done, can represent the death of a dynasty. Fans can even “kick it old school” and dress as Bugs Bunny from the movie “Space Jam.” This costume just needs a Toon Squad jersey and a pair of bunny ears. While it still has the simplicity of a jersey, the costume is now a callback to one of the best sports movies ever made.
For those who are attempting to bring sports fandoms together, an easy and funny costume is a referee. A black and white striped shirt or grey shirt if you are specifically a NBA referee, black pants and a whistle is just as easy as a jersey, but more attention grabbing. Throwing in a pair of black sunglasses and claiming “I didn’t see that foul,” to poke fun at bad referees in the league.
Another costume that can raise the bar for sports fans, is dressing up as a beloved mascot. The Indianapolis Colts’ mascot Blue, is an iconic mascot and deserves more recognition from fans during the Halloween season. Pay homage to the mascot that truly makes the game, this Halloween season. A Colts jersey, blue face paint, a tutu and some horns can easily set a fan apart from the crowd of overused —- washed out jersey costumes.
Halloween is supposed to be fun; it’s the one day a year people can dress up and get lost in the holiday spirit. A jersey is something that can be worn any day throughout the year, so why take the easy way out,when becoming literally anything is what Halloween is all about.
