No doubt Charlotte’s streets will be filled with Squid Games characters, Tiger King couples and sexy superheroes on this year’s Halloween weekend.
Let’s break the basic trends with some Charlotte-themed costumes that you can put together in minutes.
(1) Mayor Vi Lyles in a 704 hoodie
This summer, Mayor Lyles modeled for 704 Shop in a black hoodie with the classic Charlotte crown logo on the front. She also tried on several other pieces from the Shop and kept her signature pearls on for each picture.
Smiling in the hoodie. Photo: Courtesy 704 Shop via City of Charlotte
What you’ll need:
- This 704 Shop hoodie
- Or this t-shirt, or this sweatshirt
- Gray slacks
- Pearls
- An Apple watch
(2) Mick Jagger at the Thirsty Beaver
We’re not over it, either. The fact that the Mick Jagger was at the Thirsty Beaver and nobody noticed is just about the most Charlotte thing to happen all year.
Photo: Mick Jagger/Twitter
What you’ll need:
- Black baseball cap
- Black leather jacket
- Beer bottle
- A long-haired wig
Bonus: Grab a few friends in leather jackets and plaid shirts to sit around you and stare obliviously into the distance.
(3) LaMelo in neon
Last week, the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball turned heads in a neon suit at a press conference. It’s from his lifestyle fashion brand, LaFrancé, Axios’ Ashley Mahoney reported. The suit is not available online yet, but you can DIY a version for yourself.
LaMelo in yellow. Photo: Photo: Courtesy WFNZ’s Will Palaszczuk
What you’ll need:
- I found this knock-off suit on Amazon for $40. Or you can try this neon raincoat for half the price
- Black turtle neck
- Gold chain
- Gold watch
- Black sunglasses
Bonus: A neon Lamborghini to match.
(4) Wilmore Funeral Home truck driver
You might have spotted a black truck around the city advertising for a “funeral home.” The truck, which read “don’t get vaccinated,” turned heads before a Panthers’ game one Sunday, reported Axios’ Symphony Webber. They even created a fake website that leads you to StarMed‘s website.
The ad was actually the brainchild of advertisers at BooneOakley — and specifically our friend Mary Gross, who by the way came up with the 2015 list of Charlotte-themed costumes for then-Charlotte Agenda.
Photo: David Oakley/ BooneOakley
What you’ll need:
- A black shirt that says “Don’t get vaccinated” on the front and with the funeral home logo on the back (drawn with fabric markers)
- A chauffeur hat
- A plastic vaccine syringe
Bonus: Ghoul makeup ala Disney’s Haunted Mansion.
(5) Penguin Drive-In sign holder
The iconic Penguin sign was removed from its original Plaza Midwood location last month, to avoid confusing people with the new location in Dilworth, reports Axios’ Emma Way. A new sign is up, and the original is on display at the Charlotte Museum of History.
The original Penguin Drive-In sign. Photo: Michael Graff/Axios
What you’ll need:
- White t-shirt
- Cardboard cutout with the Penguin logo draped over your shoulders.
Bonus: You could add the “Plaza Midwood: Home of the Dead Penguin” shirt for good measure.
(6) A fan at Duke’s Mayo Classic
This year’s game between Clemson and Georgia brought tens of thousands of fans to the city — and they got a little rowdy before the game. And some got even rowdier by eating entire tubs of mayo during the game.
A fan enjoys a mid-game snack during the Clemson-Georgia game (via Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Twitter)
- What you’ll need:
- A Clemson T-shirt
- Or a Georgia Bulldog shirt
- A large jar of Duke’s mayonnaise
Bonus: Please don’t eat the whole jar of mayo. 🤢
(7) The Gateway to Gastonia
Live from New York, it’s the “Gateway to Gastonia!” Charlotte made it onto the Saturday Night Live stage when Kenan Thompson did a skit as LaVar Ball (LaMelo’s dad). He went on to say the Queen City is “The regional banking capital of the world!”
LaVar Ball on His Son LaMelo Ball. Courtesy: SNL Youtube
What you’ll need:
- This shirt from BreakingT
- Blazer
- A briefcase to make you look like a professional regional banker
Bonus: Bald cap and mustache to complete the LaVar Ball look.
