More and more people each year are choosing to work remotely or do freelance work, but this does not mean that they need to forgo getting dressed up for Halloween.
Whether you are getting together with a local group of remote and freelance workers like yourself, attending a virtual company party, or just answering the door for trick-or-treaters and their parents, these simple but entertaining costume suggestions related to working remotely are sure to surprise and delight.
Several cultures throughout history dressed in scary or frightening costumes, a tradition created from the belief that dressing as the entity that you are frightened of will confuse or confound the fearsome creature. Traditionally, this resulted in costumes that were meant to represent evil witches, monsters, and other sinister supernatural beings.
Those of us who work remotely have other fears to ward off. If you are looking for something truly scary that reflects your day-to-day life, here are a few options:
Time Vampire Costume
We all have time vampires; people who call in the middle of your focus time and talk for hours, mundane paperwork, and beautiful sunny days that make us stare longingly out the window instead of working.
In order to create this costume adorn yourself in a traditional vampire costume then carry an hourglass, wear several stopwatches around your neck, or just tape cut out images of clocks prominently all over the costume.
Identity Thief Costume
The identity thief has been a fear that has plagued freelance and other remote workers since at least 1995, when The Net, starring Sandra Bullock, took the idea to a whole new level. Identity thieves come in all shapes and sizes, which makes this a fairly easy costume to throw together.
Wear whatever clothes you are most comfortable for you, then grab a bunch of name tag stickers, put a different name on each one, then stick them all over your outfit. Voilà- you are an identity thief.
Deadline Costume
The majority of remote workers are well acquainted with deadlines. It’s no coincidence that deadlines are more often referred to as looming rather than anticipated. This easy costume starts with a line. It can be horizontal, vertical, or even diagonal, but it should be prominent.
From there you have two options: the simple option, where you paint your face either white or yellow and then paint x’s over your eyes, or the more complicated option, where your line is enhanced by a full zombie getup.
With all of the deadlines, meetings, and appointments that freelance and remote workers have going on, sometimes holidays like Halloween simply slip our minds until the last minute. If Halloween has snuck up on you, or if you are surprised by a last-minute costume party, here are a few costumes that require minimum preparation:
Breadwinner Costume
Remote and freelance workers are just as likely to be breadwinners as people who work in an office every day. Advertise that you got it going on by grabbing a medal or trophy and a loaf of bread. Look at that, you are an amazing breadwinner!
Facebook Costume
Almost all remote workers have an online presence. Steal an idea from Jim Halpert on “The Office” and simply write the word “Book” across your face. You are now Facebook!
Error 404: Costume Not Found
Anyone who uses the internet is familiar with the 404 error, page not found. If your costume is nowhere to be found, grab a white t-shirt and adorn it with the words “Error 404- Costume not Found.”
While you may not have a physical office to go into on Halloween, there is no reason you can’t enjoy the holiday. Not only is dressing up on Halloween a lot of fun, but it also gives you an opportunity to network in a way that lets you show your creative side, without having to assemble a portfolio. The costumes listed here are easy to assemble, no matter your budget or time constraints, and suitable for all audiences.