Halloween is quickly approaching and that usually means a last minute dash for a costume that says: "I don't really like Halloween but I don't want people to think I'm too uncool to dress up." This year, ditch the same old sexy cats, witch hats and ghost “outfits” (read: dirty sheets) for something that just screams Beijing.
Below are three costume ideas – with shopping locales included – to help you prepare for this year’s holiday. Start scouring stores, markets and garbage bins (it’s Beijing!) before the hordes of lookalike wannabes get to your garb first.
1) Qipiao-Wearing, Beijing Opera Singer
You’re in Beijing. It makes sense? Although qipiaos could potentially be rocked all day everyday, why not use Halloween as an excuse to break out your sexy, silken formal wear. Add some white-on-white-on-crazy-eyeliner and you’ve turned yourself into an enterprising, Beijing opera performer.
> Ruifuxiang Silk Clothes Shop's legacy of tailor made, silken gowns stretches to 1893 – if you're looking to get something made-to-order, why not give them a try? For those looking to invest a little less in Beijing’s sexiest traditional outfit, the obvious next step should be the Silk Market, for more generically fit and made pieces.
> If you’re feeling particularly crafty, head to Muxiyuan Fabric Market for one of the largest selections of fabric in the city. Men, this applies to you as well. Design a custom-made robe, and dress as a Jackie Chan-esque kung fu master (with a disgraced drug-addict son).
2) Elderly Hutong Wanderer
Couples costume! Nothing is more aww-inducing than watching an elderly couple stroll down a hutong, leaning into each other. Why not use this holiday to look to the future, matching either with Mr. Forever or Mr. Whatever. Done right, this ensemble should include matching shoes, shirts and same-color pants. The outfit itself, however, should include such a riot of patterns and colors that it causes outsiders to wince. Lucky you arrived with a date.
> Try the cheap stores along Andingmen Nei Dajie for inspiration. For added challenge, try not to spend more than RMB100 on the entire ensemble.
> Look to markets such as the Yashow or Xidan Minority World Market for cheap threads, and also the wigs and the makeup necessary to age yourself appropriately.
3) Laoban, Laoban-ess
Men: grow out of your pinky nail. Invest in a pleather clutch. Ladies, think shiny fingerless gloves and a cape – something along the lines of "Madonna with Chinese Characteristics." This Halloween you're dressing as a laoban, and if anyone can't tell you're a boss then you're not doing it right. Both men and women should wear at least three large bracelets made from walnuts, and spend the night sipping from water bottles filled with luke-warm green tea and rum. If the night gets cold, feel free to match that pleather clutch with a similar jacket. Same color pleather not required.
> Try your luck at some of the city's vintage stores such as Trash n Diamond – where you can trade your old duds for someone else's – or Underground Kidz, that supplies only second hand gear from Japan.
> If you can handle haggling, head to Yashow Market in Sanlitun and ask the vendor's for their fashion advice.
Online Stores/ Costume Rentals
> Try Taobao for everything and anything you could ever need for the rest of your life, Halloween included.
> No time to put a costume together? Rent one from Beta Costume Rentals, an agency that's vast collections ranges from the Grim Reaper to Hello Kittty.
> Try Huan Run costume rentals in Shunyi for foreign and traditional getups. Have an idea in mind- the selection is so vast, it's overwhelming! Price ranges from RMB50-100.
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