Here are 9 extremely Wisconsin Halloween costume ideas, from The Fonz to a fish fry
Whether you love or dread dressing up, Halloween is upon us.
Maybe you go all out with your costumes ... or maybe you just throw on whatever seems simplest.
Either way, why go basic when you could go full Wisconsin?
From a legendary TV character to foods the state is known for, here are nine extremely Wisconsin figures, animals and goods you could be for Halloween.
The Fonz
If you can be almost anyone for a day, why not pick one of the coolest characters in TV history?
Arthur Fonzarelli aka Fonzie or The Fonz is the iconic tough guy from the set-in-Wisconsin sitcom "Happy Days," which ran for more than a decade in the '70s and '80s.
Milwaukee even has a statue in The Fonz's honor, on the RiverWalk just south of Wells Street downtown.
Throw a leather jacket over a white T-shirt and pair it with jeans and chunky boots. A little hair gel couldn't hurt. And if you can pull up on a motorcycle, even better.
Here are catchphrases to interject into your conversations:
- Ayyyy
- Exactamundo (or add -amundo to just about any word).
- Sit on it!
If you're in any photos, be sure to give two thumbs up to the camera.
More:'Sexy baby,' 'Sexy Handmaid's Tale': Have Halloween costumes gone too far?
More:12 last-minute costumes you can still get in time for Halloween
Wisconsin sports stars
It's been quite the year for Wisconsin sports.
The Bucks were the 2021 NBA champions. The Brewers clinched the NL Central crown (we're going to leave it at that). And the Packers currently have a 5-1 record.
Already have your favorite player's jersey? Perfect. If not, here's your excuse to get it. And if you're going as someone with a shoe line (cough cough, Giannis), you could sport a pair of those, too.
Bonus points: If you dress up as Antetokounmpo, bring along 50 Chick-fil-A nuggets; if you pick Bobby Portis, add a WWE championship belt; and if you go as any Bucks player, flaunt a trophy.
Have luscious locks? Aaron Rodgers might be the way to go this year. He's been growing his mane out for his own Halloween costume.
More:Is trick-or-treating safe? How to celebrate Halloween amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Kwik Trip employee
For years, people have been putting on a red shirt, khakis and a "Jake" name tag to be Jake from State Farm.
Going as a Kwik Trip employee is kind of like Wisconsin's version of that.
Many Wisconsinites are obsessed with the convenience store chain. Heck, a Janesville couple even had their wedding photo shoot there.
Acquire a collared blue shirt, then print out a Kwik Trip logo and name tag to stick on it. For bottoms, go with black slacks.
Want to go the extra mile? Drink your beverages out of a Big Buddy cup and keep some Glazers on you.
Cow
We've often herd Wisconsin referred to as "America's Dairyland," so why not dress the part?
After doing a little digging, we've discovered that it's just as easy to track down a cow costume online as it is to spot a cow here.
Here are links to some we came across:
If you're looking to save a little moo-lah, get a white sweatsuit and use a black fabric marker to color on the spots. Some of the online shops listed above also sell cow accessory sets with ears and a tail.
Cheese
Wonder what it's like to have just about everyone love you? Dress up as cheese and you might find out.
If you own a cheesehead (as many do), you're already ahead of the game. The rest of your get-up could just be whatever yellow or gold clothing you already have.
If you're crafty, get a yellow or gold outfit and use a fabric marker to draw cheese holes.
And of course there's also the option to get cheese costumes or apparel online.
Whatever way you decide to go, make sure you have an arsenal of cheesy puns ready. To get you started, try swapping:
- "Be" with "brie"
- "Better" with "cheddar"
- "Great" with "grate"
- "Good" with "gouda"
- "Not yours" with "nacho"
- "Monster" with "munster"
Beer
There's another Wisconsin delicacy that's right up there with cheese: Beer.
The beer industry has shaped Milwaukee's identity since the 19th century and remains a big part of the city's culture to this day.
If your go-to beer is widely popular, there's a good chance there's a costume for it somewhere on the internet. But if it's not, you could get a generic beer costume and DIY a label for it.
Deer
Deer seem to pop up just about anywhere. In the woods, darting across the busiest streets, in neighborhoods and swimming in lakes. Yet people still get all excited when they spot them.
Maybe you'll get a similar reaction if you dress up as one.
There's the Bucks "fear the deer" route, where you could sport antlers and some of that Bucks championship gear you stocked up on. (See photo above for inspo).
Or if you're somehow not that into the Bucks, you could be any of the state's many deer, with antlers and a total brown ensemble.
Hunter
With hunting being so popular in Wisconsin, you could also dress up as a deer's arch nemesis: A hunter.
Hunting (or at least camouflage) apparel might already be in your wardrobe. Throw some of that on, add an orange vest and voilà.
Fish fry
If it's a Friday, you better believe people across the state will be flocking to fish frys.
If you're part of a duo dressing up for Halloween, here's a way to pull that Wisconsin staple off.
One person goes as a fish. The other goes as fries. Together, the pair will make a fish fry.
Contact Hannah Kirby at hannah.kirby@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HannahHopeKirby.