If you’re dressing up for Halloween at work, or even if you’re just going to an after hours party that a lot of your co-workers (and maybe even your boss) will be attending, then you might want to reel in your inner teenager just a bit. We’re not saying you can’t have fun just don’t do anything that makes you look like an irresponsible goon. So if you like where you work, and would like to stay employed there for years to come without everyone whispering “He’s the one who came to work dressed as a vasectomy last Halloween” (just use your imagination), then you might want to consider these helpful workplace costume tips.

On the Don’t Side…

Don’t dress up as your boss

Trust me, no matter how much of a character you and everyone else in the office thinks your boss is, he or she sees themselves differently (almost always less colorful). Oh sure, you may think your boss is a good sport, but don’t put that to the test when you come in dressed as your boss as a character from La Cage Aux Folles because “everybody knows he’s gay, right?”

Don’t wear something overly sexy or hard to walk in

Unless you want to be labeled the office slut (male or female) don’t dress in an overly provocative costume. Even if you’re comfortable showing some skin, it makes everyone else in the office extremely uncomfortable (even on Halloween). Similarly, don’t don footwear that’s so hard to walk in you couldn’t get out of the building quickly even if it was on fire. This means no mile-high spiky heels or Frankenstein boots that make you 10 feet tall. If you can’t do the Michael Jackson Thriller dance in your shoes then wear some different ones.

Don’t wear a costume that resembles your personality

Why? Because then it’s just too easy for the office smart-mouth to make you the butt of his jokes. If you’re known for being the office taskmaster and you come as a witch, the gags just write themselves. Show everyone up instead by coming as Glinda the Good Witch of the North (from the Wizard of Oz). Always go against type (it’s funnier, and makes for a better ice breaker at parties).

Avoid political statements

You may be a diehard liberal who hasn’t missed an episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in years, but your boss may be a Fox News conservative. So don’t put your foot in your mouth by showing up as a Christine O’Donnell Witch or a Glenn Beck troll. Similarly, avoid the Obama masks with the big ears or the Nancy Pelosi-plastic-surgery-gone-bad-masks. Halloween is a bipartisan holiday and you want to keep it that way.

On the Do Side…

Do pick a costume that’s clever and not complicated

For example, clever: sunglasses and a hardhat make you a Chilean miner. Complicated: A zombie with make-up so messy you leave a trail of fake blood and body parts everywhere makes you annoying (and not all that scary, really).

Do wear loose-fitting clothing without a lot of extra props

This pretty much eliminates the Lady Gaga meat suit or anything like it. Remember, you’re at work so you want to be comfortable and maintain at least a minimum amount of professionalism. (I mean, gosh, what if clients drop by?) Plus, you don’t want to have to keep track of a bunch of junk like swords, pirate hooks, broomsticks, cooking utensils, or magic wands that you’ll just end up losing anyway.

Do use clothing you already own to create a costume

Go ahead and enhance that old bridesmaid dress (to be a fairy princess) or your tux (to be an undertaker or a scary waiter). If you use your own clothing you’re ensured of a proper fit, which means you’ll be much more comfortable. Plus, you’ll save money by not having to buy some cheap costume that you’ll probably only wear once.

And finally, if you don’t want to dress up that’s fine, too. But just so no one accuses you of being the Halloween equivalent of Scrooge, bring a bowl of candy to work and set it up outside your office. This shows you’re still in the spirit, but that you draw the line at turning yourself into the undead. Everyone will forgive you if you come loaded with a bunch of fun size Snickers as a peace offering.

They believe that life is a party and they are hosting it.  Yellows won't participate in class or other activities unless they believe that they are going to have fun.  They become the class clowns.  They like being the center of attention and need to be noticed and praised.  They appear to be nonchalant about things, but nothing is further from the truth. They need attention. 

Besides being fun-loving, these students are also very outgoing and have lot of friends.  They are typically enthusiastic and optimistic, but they live in the moment.  They are emotional and passionate.  They look for adventures and they have short attention spans.  They like to do things outside of the ordinary; this may include running through the halls, wearing outlandish clothes, drawing funny pictures.  They can't sit still for long and they will choose friends who refuse to allow details from getting in the way of play. 

They are unrealistic and disorganized.  They are impulsive and can be too talkative, but have the ability to make stressful situations fun.  For students waiting to receive their test, yellows might sing you the song that they memorized their information for the test with.  Or they might go so far as to dress up in order to make the mood lighter.  Professors may act like they disapprove of these actions; but deep down they are thankful for these fun-loving students because they make their class much more entertaining not just for the students, but themselves.

Yellows are completely unpredicatable, but they are exceptional at communicating.  They can chit-chat with anyone.  Friends come highest on the priority list, besides having fun.  The reason behind this is the validation and approval they receive from friends which feeds their need to be popular.    

Life in the classroom can be dreadful without one of these sunny personalities.  They add the chocolate chips to the cookie batter.  Although they are not commonly known as being the best students, they make the classroom experience much more interesting and well rounded because yellows play an important role in the workforce and our lives as a whole.
 

Over the past few years, America has become enamored with The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. This might be giving us some unrealistic expectations. Personally, I can’t afford to take someone on an extreme activity every single date, and sadly I don’t have 20 single people waiting for me when I come down the stairs. That kind of fairy tale beginning can’t be good for a healthy long term relationship.