This weekend, the streets of Hamilton will be flooded with naughty schoolgirls, pirates, devils, ghosts and a plethora of various peculiar characters. Be very afraid because this is not a nightmare. The least fashionable holiday of the year, Halloween, is here. Every October 31, Colgate’s campus becomes haunted by costumes that are terrifyingly trashy and unfortunately unfashionable. Yes, Halloween is the one time of year when it’s all right to wear an absurd outfit, but it does not give you the license to look like Kelly Osbourne or Anna Nicole picked out your ensemble. Halloween is already a spooky holiday; don’t make it more petrifying with poor fashion choices.

So how do you achieve a look that’s Haute Halloween? Creativity and accessories are the keys to any costume, but for an outfit that screams style, you’ll have to look further than Halloween USA. If you want an over-the-top costume, take a peek in some elite costume boutiques. From flappers to fairy princesses, these specialty stores have costumes that are so fashionable it’s frightening. Forget the French maid and nix the naughty nurse because this Halloween’s elaborate and couture costumes are truly a treat.

It’s okay if your look is a little risqu?e, but it doesn’t take much imagination to dress up like a hooker. Those tacky “sexy witch” and “slutty sailor girl” costumes that you buy at Spenser’s will make people wonder if you’re trick-or-treating for candy or for taste. These costumes are cheap, they’ve been done, and worst of all, they’re sold in plastic bags. To look hot, instead of whorifying, rent The Costume Salon’s flapper in long gold fringe. The costume’s short stretch mini-dress is drenched in hand-dyed flirty gold fringe, and accompanied by every authentic accessory you could imagine. Two strands of pearls, white gloves, and flat flapper shoes make this ensemble one classy costume, while a garter and long cigarette holder play up the costume’s sexy side. The look is topped off by a hand-beaded cloche (flapper hat) covered in lace and trimmed in pearl fringe.

Bust out the bubbly at your Halloween party with The Costume Salon’s Champagne Goddess ensemble. Both chic and unique, this elaborate costume is intoxicating. The glass portion of the costume is a stretch silver sequin dress that’s wrapped in a spiral of gold welting. The ‘glass’ connects to a hoop-skirt base that waves, twists, and shines. It’s obvious that this dress is foaming over with style, but what really makes this costume explode is the huge champagne crown. The crown is made of a gold trimmed plastic bowl and is filled with white, glittered balloons. A full plastic boa makes it look as though the crown is overflowing and a rhinestone choker and earrings give this tasty costume a splash of sparkle.

Sophia Coppola has made Marie Antoinette the queen of Halloween. Period costumes are difficult because they need to be accurate and extravagant, so to pull off this Marie’s look, take a trip to Las Vegas’s Halloween Mart. You’ll lose your head when you see this Halloween superstore’s full and fitted ivory brocade dress with long and layered lace sleeves. The detailed dress is embellished with a gold embroidered V that sits below the square neckline, and the look is completed by pearls and a powdered wig. Mixing history, prestige, and pop-culture, this Marie Antoinette costume is an elegant option.

Fairytale characters are always a popular costume choice, and what could be more dramatic than Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts. One look at Buycostumes.com’s elite collection Queen of Hearts costume and you’ll be grinning like a Cheshire cat. From a hoop skirt to a stand up white lace collar, this fancy frock lacks nothing. The dress’s full, red velvet skirt is accented by a white and red heart print satin insert, and black peplum. The large red heart at the bust is outlined by black and white checks, and the full-length black velvet puff sleeves are trimmed in gold. A heart tiara and black choker make for adorable accessories, but this costume is not complete without the clever Casino Nights thigh highs. Although these white heart, spade, club, and diamond print stockings won’t always be visible, they’ll look like perfection when they poke out the bottom of the dress.

Our last costume isn’t exactly couture, but it’s a wonderfully witty choice for the shopping crazed fashionista. Buycostumes.com’s Miss Charge It costume is simple and sensational. At first glance, this massive pink, plastic card that straps across the chest might not seem like anything special, but with print that reads, “Bank of Unlimited Shopping USA” and “Instant Gratification Card,” the Miss Charge It costume is hysterical. Complete with a hologram and credit card number, this smart outfit is the epitome of what a Halloween costume should be. Carry loads of shopping bags to make Miss Charge It even more comical.

Have fun this Halloween. Don’t take candy from strangers, mind your make-up when bobbing for apples, and don’t you dare scare the kids with any frightening Halloween faux pas!