Katy Perry (left) with Elmo in the bit pulled from Sesame Street.
Oct. 31 is more than a month away, but some early predictions are pegging an oil-splattered jumpsuit, sold by U.S. company Fun World, to be this year's most popular costume.
Although the words "Bad Planning" appear under the logo, it's doubtful even the most inebriated Halloween reveller will miss the not-so-subtle reference to a certain British energy company. Of course, thanks to the abundance of train-wreck celebrities, disasters and political calamities, there are other worthy alternatives this year to going as Casper or a slutty nurse. Here are our picks, for your consideration:
Most crowd-pleasing
•Steven Slater: Throw on a flight attendant uniform, double-fist beer all night and unleash expletive-laced tirades on anyone who gets in your way.
•Tareq and Michaele Salahi: Only works if you're crashing a party.
•Katy Perry: Giant lollipop, low-cut dress and oversized costume breasts. Elmo stuffed into the cleavage.
Most predictable
•Any member of the Jersey Shore cast (double deductions for Snooki or The Sitch.) Extra points for fake tanning to a perfect shade of orange.
•Lady Gaga in a meat dress, kale bikini or any other food product.
Most conceptual
•The unemployed statistician: Sensible shoes, a giant calculator and a stack of copies of the long-form census to hand to everyone you meet. For extra effect, put a Tory blue shoeprint on the back of your shirt.
•The double-dip recession: Dress up in a homemade stock market chart and spend all night around the salsa.
•Eyjafjallajökull: You'll need mad papier-mâché skills to recreate the Icelandic volcano in all its glory. Sporadically throw handfuls of dirt at people throughout the night.
Carly Weeks