8 Work-Appropriate Halloween Costumes

Dressing up for Halloween can be a lot of fun — especially when you wear your costume to the workplace.

But keep in mind the last thing you want to do is wear something that could offend one of your colleagues. You also don’t want to wear something that is spectacularly inappropriate. Doing so could ruin the relationships you’ve built with your coworkers and even result in you being disciplined or worse.

So what are you going to be for Halloween at work this year? We’ve put together a list of eight work-appropriate costumes that you won’t have to worry about wearing during your company’s Halloween festivities.

01. A person from the ’80s

Get out your neon t-shirts, jean jackets, and parachute pants and blast A-ha’s “Take on Me”: It’s time to celebrate one of America’s weirdest decades. Nobody will be offended if you put on a classic ’80s wardrobe, but you may get laughed at. Here’s a handy tutorial that teaches you how to dress like it’s the ’80s all over again.

02. Marty McFly

SOURCE: giphy.com

Better yet, transform into the person of the ’80s. Yes, we know he’s actually running around in the current decade in that film. But just look at how ’80s that “modern” outfit is.

03. A zombie

Which came first, the popularity of zombies or The Walking Dead? It doesn’t matter. Zombies are all the rage these days. Become undead and give your coworkers a friendly scare.

04. A vampire

Does it get any more classic than this? Channel your inner Bela Lugosi and tell your coworkers you want to suck their blood. Just don’t follow through on it.

05. Luke Skywalker

SOURCE: giphy.com

You can become the Star Wars hero quite easily. If you’re younger, you might want to channel this Luke. If you’re older, emulate this guy. Both costumes kind of look like he just wrapped himself in a blanket. You may prefer the more classic Luke, which is OK too. May the Force be with you.

06. A mime

Don’t feel like talking to anyone all day? Become a mime on Halloween. If you need some inspiration, check out some videos of Marcel Marceau.

07. A mummy

Another Halloween classic. It’s pretty easy to make your own mummy costume too. Here’s a guide if you need a little help.

08. An animal

When all else fails, you could always turn yourself into your favorite animal. Become a bear, a dog, or a giraffe. For bonus points, try to stay in character all day.

The above list is by no means complete; there are countless ideas you can most certainly pull off successfully. To reduce the chances you offend anyone, here’s a good rule of thumb: if you have to ask yourself whether your costume is offensive, you probably should err on the side of caution and choose something else.

Not sure whether your costume is offensive or inappropriate for the office? Check out this infographic from Refinery29:

No matter what you choose to dress up as, make sure you eat a lot of candy and share a lot of laughs with your colleagues. That’s what matters most.

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