Costume craze: Students dress up for Halloweekend

By Alison Perelman, Assistant Culture Editor

Through the window of Skyline it all looks normal -- a group of college kids enjoying a late night meal, one of them stuffing a coney into his mouth. But then there's the fact that he's dressed as a police officer, and Where's Waldo sits next to him. And someone from "Orange is the New Black" is across the table.

The costumes started appearing much earlier. Around 3:30 p.m., two girls in matching green and red onesies made their way down the street. Not long after, three guys dressed in bath robes -- dark purple, light purple and pink -- with curlers in their short hair, wandered the streets Uptown looking for a place to grab lunch.

Now, it's almost a quarter past 10, and everyone seems to be in the Brick Street line. A Georgia Peach, an Incredible, Kim Possible and two doctors wait just outside.

The doctors' costumes weren't planned. Marshall Novak decided on her costume like many others -- it was comfortable and easy. Ryan Mesmer, however, used different logic.

"I'm dressed as a doctor because, I guess, I just want to be a doctor one day," Ryan says.

It's like in kindergarten when kids dress up as what they want to be when they're older. But back then, Ryan wanted to be a Power Ranger.

Christina Xidas, Victoria Xidas and Holly Palmer step off the bus in matching pizza costumes.

"Because we love pizza!"

"And we thought we'd be funny this year!"

The girls went for comfort and ease as well, but their costumes still look planned and put together. Troy Myree Jr. didn't even try to mask his lack of effort, though, walking up the street in jeans, sweater and a black pointed hat.

"'Cause it's Satan's holiday," Troy jokes, but then gets serious. "I don't want to spend $45 on a costume that I'm gonna throw away."

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His friend, Brayden Smith, at least added a Swiffer mop to complete the witch look. He also dressed up as Danny from "Grease" Thursday night and plans to go as a Cleveland Indians player on Saturday.

Their other friend, Alex Kowal, is dressed in Hawaiian clothes -- it was last minute because his plans to go as Barbie and Ken fell through.

Jonathan Baba's original costume idea didn't work out either, but he was able to throw together The Lonely Island's "Dick in a Box" look instead.

"People seem to think it's funny and, you know, I'm good at wrapping presents," Jonathan says.

Group and couple costumes are spattered among the chaos in the Brick Street line. Mickey and Minnie Mouse stand next to Thing One and Thing Two. And four different Britney Spears join the crowd.

Julia Schroeder already had the school uniform from the "...Baby One More Time" music video. Paige Drees chose the "Slave For You" Britney because, ironically, she is terrified of snakes. Beth Clouser simply has a red dress, perfect for "Circus" Britney. And, most notably, Jenny Smith (who preferred not to provide her real name) is dressed in the 2007 "crazy" look.

"I'm devoting my year to her!" Jenny shouts. Her eyes are wide, teeth in a clenched smile as she bangs the end of her umbrella on the concrete.

She was the mastermind of the costume idea and had it planned since August. The four friends also watched all the music videos as a pregame.

It's almost silent along the rest of High Street. A guy soundlessly swoops out of his apartment dressed in a Harry Potter robe -- it never goes out of style.

Burt Maclean and Janet Snakehole walk the streets, along with Harley Quinn and not quite 101 Dalmatians.

Many choose to reference pop culture, new and old, but others stand out as more original, like the bright orange carrot, glowing Christmas tree and distinguishable hat of Abe Lincoln that all cross Poplar Street, a wild Oxford Halloween night ahead of them.