Looks like you’re ready to enter the 2019 Halloween Costume Contest! Before you do, take a quick look at the contest rules to guarantee your costume submission will be accepted. You can also see the awesome prizes we will be awarded to this year’s winners. Here are a few tips to ensure that your contest entry is the best it can possibly be before it’s viewed by our expert panel of judges.
Costume Entry Tips and Guidelines
Improving Your Entry
✅ Use a creative title: Have a little fun by coming up with a witty title for your costume. Don’t simply use the character’s name. Come up with something more creative like some of the past winners—Couple of Green Army Toy Soldiers, Yaba Daba Doo, or It’s a Little Hocus Pocus.
✅ Write a great description: Provide as much information about your costume as you can! You can include your source for inspiration, describe how you created it, what materials you used, and the approximate cost of creation. Write a detailed description like some of the past winners—Lumiere, Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, and DJ Pikachu.
Improving Your Photos
✅ Submit high-quality photos: Ensure your original photos are great in both quality and exposure and are at least 800px wide without any logos or watermarks. You’ll want to include great photos like previous winners—Wreck It Ralph, Edward Scissorhands, and The Fisherman.
✅ Set the scene: When taking a photo of your costume, add some extra flair to your portrait by setting the scene. This may include a location or props that complement your costume. Prior year winners like Chucky, Pennywise, and The Sanderson Sisters are all great examples of this.
Photo Guidelines
Submit up to 5 high-quality photos that are at least 800px wide. Please submit original photos only. The following photos do not meet the contest guidelines and will not be posted or entered into the contest.
🚫 Snapchat filters or screenshots: pictures of pictures (screenshot) or any artificial overlay (like a Snapchat filter) will not be posted.
🚫 Selfies holding a camera: selfies can’t include your entire costume. Submit a picture with your entire costume in the frame of the picture.
🚫 Bad lighting, blurry, or pixelated: if it is difficult to see your costume due to the lighting or the quality of the picture, your entry will not be posted.
🚫 Too small: if your photo is not at least 800px wide, it’s really difficult to see the detail of the costume and your entry will not be posted.
✅ Family friendly: Ensure your submission is family-friendly.