Dressing up for Purim is known as the most entertaining part of the joyous holiday. Many students find their costumes by searching the web or looking in catalogs. Whichever method you prefer, it’s time to stop turning back the hands of time. The 50’s and 60’s were great decades, but how many times can you reinterpret the same poodle skirt?

“The best costumes are the unrelated random ones that catch you off guard and bring a smile to your friend’s face,” suggests freshman David Ohana.

In order to create a clever costume, stay in touch with the newest, most controversial and trending pop culture. Notorious celebrities like Charlie Sheen and Kim Kardashian can easily be imitated with a little creativity and a lot of humor.

Do you look like a celebrity? Sophomore Maya Ben-Shushan says that “sometimes they [celebrity look-a-likes] work out really well and are really funny.” Chances are if people have told you that you look like a character from a television show, dressing up like them could win you a costume contest. But don’t push it. If the only thing you have in common with Natalie Portman is the color of your hair, don’t do it.

Another great way to choose a costume is to pick your favorite childhood character and really go all out. In the past at Shalhevet, we’ve had  a “Telly-Tubby,” numerous Hello Kitties and even characters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Last year, then-seniors Toby Bern and Saul Rothman dressed up as Willy Wonka and an “Oompa Loompa.”  Saul, who is 6’3, was the oompa loompa and Toby, more than a foot shorter, was Willy.

“I said it’d be funnier if we did a role reversal – me being the Ooma Loompa is too easy,” said Toby.

Funny costumes like these can be achieved by thinking outside the box and going for something that would be unexpected to others. Sometimes, when choosing costumes that require one person to be very tall or short, switch the roles. This makes the costume even more funny.

If you aren’t up to dressing up alone or you just want to make sure you aren’t the only one dressing up for Purim, group costumes are always fun! Coordinating can be a hassle though, so plan in advance. When thinking of a good group costume, keep in mind all things that come in a group. Whether it be the Beatles, the Powerpuff Girls, the Fantanas, the characters from Sesame Street or even a group of senior citizens, always keep to the theme. Last year, a group of freshmen boys dressed up as senior citizens.

“The reason why our costume worked out so well is because we all looked different and funny in our own way,” said sophomore Josh Einalhori.

It’s the imaginative costumes like these that cause everyone to laugh. You don’t necessarily need spend a lot of money to have an original costume. Josh mentioned that he “went to Aahs to get an idea for a costume, but none of them were funny enough.” In fact, homemade costumes, if done well, can be even better than the generic costumes you find at a costume shop.

Whatever your costume may be, please be original! Here is a list of Do’s and Don’ts for this Purim:

1.    DON’T play it safe

2.    DO poke fun at yourself!  This is Purim, not “Business Attire Day.”

3.    DON’T be a fairy in a tutu… again.

4.    DO be goth. It’s never overdone.

5.    DON’T be a bunny or a cat. I don’t think this one needs any explanation.

6.    DO go for the Nerdy Costume.

7.    DON’T do the 50’s to 80’s decades. Go for the 20’s or — if you’re very daring — the 90’s!

8.    DO have fun!

9.    DON’T stress out too much about having the “perfect” costume.

Purim is a fun holiday and is not about perfection. Whatever you do, enjoy your Purim. It is the one day where dressing up like a complete fool is justified. So don’t spend your Purim wishing you had done another costume. Instead, be creative!