Nine Toronto Halloween costumes, from Kevin O’Leary to a condo tower
Since Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, most of the revelry will be this coming weekend—which means there’s only a few days left to get a costume together. We’ve dreamed up a few Toronto-centric ideas to get you started.
Rob and Doug Ford: the two-headed mayor
What you’ll need: A papier mâché head of Doug (or Rob, depending on who you think is really in charge) to stick onto your shoulder. For the rest of the outfit, you’ll need a suit or some football coach gear (a Don Bosco varsity jacket would be perfect.)
Extra credit: A second papier mâché head of Adam Vaughan, for something well and truly unholy.
Bacon-Cupcake-Taco
What you’ll need: It’s every major food trend to hit Toronto this year in a (potentially very scary) costume, and there are a number of ways to pull it off. Do you go as a taco stuffed with little bacon-covered cupcakes? Do you wrap yourself up in pork, cover yourself in icing and add taco-shell shoulder pads? The possibilities are endless. Endless and awful.
Extra credit: You also manage to integrate the current ramen trend (you’re on your own for that).
The girl from Shit Girls Say
What you’ll need: A brunette wig if your hair doesn’t already fit the part, and an encyclopedic knowledge of shit girls have allegedly said. It’s all about the delivery.
Extra credit: You recruit Juliette Lewis as an accessory (“Twinsies!”)
The Samsung dragon
What you’ll need: Cardboard, duct tape, green paint, and three or four drinks to halfway botch the job and get the childish lines of the dragon just right.
Extra credit: Samsung gets wind of it and sends you a phone, too.
A condo tower
What you’ll need: A box, grey paint, and preferably an occupant (you) in their early 30s for that deft demographic flourish. Couples can go as the Parade towers at CityPlace (the Skybridge might make bathroom runs awkward, though).
Extra credit: Attach glass panels to the outside and rig them to fall off throughout the night.
A trendy retro barkeep
What you’ll need: A double-breasted vest, a pocket watch, a twirled moustache, and maybe some brogues (not only are prohibition cocktails de rigueur in Toronto right now, but you’ll also look flat-out dapper). Just avoid Dundas West, unless you want people to keep trying to order drinks from you.
Extra credit: You strap on shoulder holsters and scam a free drink at Weslodge.
Extra extra credit: You work a full shift.
Kevin O’Leary
What you’ll need: If you’re not already follicularly challenged, a partial bald cap or a shaved head, plus a sharp suit, a brightly-coloured tie and a scowl. Consider cutting somebody down until they’re near tears, or negotiating a contract with your kid for a cut of the candy they collect.
Extra Credit: You manage a hostile takeover of said child’s candy.
Jenna Bitove
What you’ll need: Since Halloween is, for many people, just an excuse to dress up in racy ensembles, going as Bitove is a perfect costume choice—the socialite usually sports fashion-forward outfits designed to show off her curves. All you’ll need is the sexiest dress in your closet and a curling iron to create some loose waves.
Extra credit: Your outfit, like all of Bitove’s, is by a top designer.
Brett Lawrie
What you’ll need: Temporary tattoos, a Blue Jays uniform and a batting helmet to throw at people.
Extra credit: You actually run into Brett Lawrie (hey, it’s possible—sadly, the Jays are never doing anything this time of year).
(Images: Doug Ford, The City of Toronto; Rob Ford, Christopher Drost; Shit Girls Say, screenshot from YouTube; Samsung dragon, Facebook; condos, George Socka; moustache, istolethetv; Kevin O’Leary, Facebook; Jenna Bitove, George Pimentel/Getty Images Entertainment; Brett Lawrie, Keith Allison; cupcake, Clever Cupcakes; taco, TheCulinaryGeek; bacon, methodshop.com)
 to stick onto your shoulder. For the rest of the outfit, you’ll need a suit or some football coach gear (a Don Bosco varsity jacket would be perfect.)
Extra credit: A second papier mâché head of Adam Vaughan, for something well and truly unholy.
Bacon-Cupcake-Taco
What you’ll need: It’s every major food trend to hit Toronto this year in a (potentially very scary) costume, and there are a number of ways to pull it off. Do you go as a taco stuffed with little bacon-covered cupcakes? Do you wrap yourself up in pork, cover yourself in icing and add taco-shell shoulder pads? The possibilities are endless. Endless and awful.
Extra credit: You also manage to integrate the current ramen trend (you’re on your own for that).
The girl from Shit Girls Say
What you'll need: A brunette wig if your hair doesn’t already fit the part, and an encyclopedic knowledge of shit girls have allegedly said. It’s all about the delivery.
Extra credit: You recruit Juliette Lewis as an accessory (“Twinsies!”)
The Samsung dragon
What you'll need: Cardboard, duct tape, green paint, and three or four drinks to halfway botch the job and get the childish lines of the dragon just right.
Extra credit: Samsung gets wind of it and sends you a phone, too.
A condo tower
What you'll need: A box, grey paint, and preferably an occupant (you) in their early 30s for that deft demographic flourish. Couples can go as the Parade towers at CityPlace (the Skybridge might make bathroom runs awkward, though).
Extra credit: Attach glass panels to the outside and rig them to fall off throughout the night.
A trendy retro barkeep
What you'll need: A double-breasted vest, a pocket watch, a twirled moustache, and maybe some brogues (not only are prohibition cocktails de rigueur in Toronto right now, but you’ll also look flat-out dapper). Just avoid Dundas West, unless you want people to keep trying to order drinks from you.
Extra credit: You strap on shoulder holsters and scam a free drink at Weslodge.
Extra extra credit: You work a full shift.
Kevin O'Leary
What you'll need: If you’re not already follicularly challenged, a partial bald cap or a shaved head, plus a sharp suit, a brightly-coloured tie and a scowl. Consider cutting somebody down until they’re near tears, or negotiating a contract with your kid for a cut of the candy they collect.
Extra Credit: You manage a hostile takeover of said child’s candy.
Jenna Bitove
What you'll need: Since Halloween is, for many people, just an excuse to dress up in racy ensembles, going as Bitove is a perfect costume choice—the socialite usually sports fashion-forward outfits designed to show off her curves. All you’ll need is the sexiest dress in your closet and a curling iron to create some loose waves.
Extra credit: Your outfit, like all of Bitove’s, is by a top designer.
Brett Lawrie
What you’ll need: Temporary tattoos, a Blue Jays uniform and a batting helmet to throw at people.
Extra credit: You actually run into Brett Lawrie (hey, it’s possible—sadly, the Jays are never doing anything this time of year).
(Images: Doug Ford, The City of Toronto; Rob Ford, Christopher Drost; Shit Girls Say, screenshot from YouTube; Samsung dragon, Facebook; condos, George Socka; moustache, istolethetv; Kevin O’Leary, Facebook; Jenna Bitove, George Pimentel/Getty Images Entertainment; Brett Lawrie, Keith Allison; cupcake, Clever Cupcakes; taco, TheCulinaryGeek; bacon, methodshop.com)){kind=link}
