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28 Zoom-Friendly Costumes for the Strangest Halloween Ever

Theresa Gonzalez

Oct 22, 2020

We love Halloween here at Brit + Co, I mean really love it. So even though our favorite holiday will look a bit different this year we're still planning to get dolled up for the best costuming and celebrating from a Zoom-y distance. Here are fun ways to dress up with wigs, makeup, and festive tops without having to worry about what you've got on the bottom — basically, the fashion status quo for 2020. Happy Halloween!

Pirate

Ahoy, matey! Just grab a red scarf, eyepatch, striped shirt and a fishtail side braid for this classic and super easy costume.

Flamingo

This makeup is on point. Here's how to DIY this feathery look.

Unicorn

Fulfill your magical dreams with this DIY unicorn costume.

Cleopatra

Stand out with a costume that's part-Ancient Egyptian, part-badass babe. With some eyeliner and well-chosen accessories, you'll be able to craft up a Queen-of-Egypt-inspired Halloween costume that's sure to blow your Zoom party guests away.

Rosie the Riveter

White button down and red polka dot headscarf, easy peasy. For the hair, pin up half of your hair and twist it up into a bun. Then take the rest of your hair and create another bun a little lower on your head. Top the look off with the scarf, and you'll be riveting in no time. :)

Princess Leia

Best buns on the planet! Create this iconic hairdo with this easy hair hack.

Elsa

Frozen still melt your heart? Be everyone's favorite snow queen with this DIY costume.

Holly Golightly

Top off your top knot with a tiara, then add a LBD, pearls, coffee and sunnies.

Angry Bird

We've seen this costume before, but this look is too dang cute to pass up. Especially when all you need is a yellow wig and some craft supplies. Draw out the face onto felt and cut it out, then glue the head piece to a headband. Everything else can be taped to the wig.

Creepy Clown

Whether you're going for a clown or a mime vibe, this kinda creepy, kinda cute look will achieve all of your Halloween dreams.

Day of the Dead

Dress up as a Dia de los Muertos sugar skull with this easy DIY tutorial.

Lady Gaga

It's been quite some time since Gaga donned her signature bow, but we'll never get enough of it. Head to our Hair Bow tutorial here for the full how-to.

Pumpkin

Okay, this may be really, really basic, but it is a Halloween staple. Plus, it's the one time of year you can wear all orange, all the time. Grab an orange wig and go!

Queen of Hearts

Ace this Queen of Hearts costume with a red wig or red spray dye!

Frenchie from Grease

Here's an excuse to break out that cute pink wig in your closet. Add a Pink Ladies jacket and bubble gum and you're ready for beauty school!

Strawberry Shortcake

You can go with the full Strawberry Shortcake costume or just order a pink wig and bonnet — then add freckles and a pink top and you're Zoom ready!

Pop Art

If you are looking to really up your costume game and stand out on Zoom, go for this pop art makeup look. Pop on some comic leggings (totally WFH-friendly!) and yellow wig too.

Vampire

Don a black lip and eye makeup, then use that same eye makeup or black face paint to create a faux widow's peak. Spooky!

Jem

We are as obsessed with our '80s cartoon characters as we are with wig costumes. For bright pink tresses, Jem is an absolute must!

Cruella de Vil

This fierce villain oozes style, even if she is totally evil. Use spray hair dye on half of your head, then top off the look with red gloves, a faux fur coat, cigarette holder and a little Dalmatian. Oh, and that evil cackle is essential.

Kitty

Every girl's backup costume is also the perfect Zoom costume. We made our ears by attaching black foam ears to a headband, but you can easily find a readymade option at just about any store this time of year. Get the full Black Cat makeup tutorial right here.

Witch

Don a black witch hat and follow this makeup tutorial for this spooky cool green witch.

Black Swan

The hair hack here is that slick top knot and the crowning tiara, though the key to the whole scene is obviously those crazy eyes. Here's a great tutorial right here for gals who want to go all out.

Minion

Learn how to get the look of the cutest minion costume ever!

Katy Petty circa 2014

Or go for any of Katy Perry's Dark Horse video costumes with these Brit + Co DIYs.

Mad Hatter

This Mad Hatter costume is pretty easy to replicate. Grab a brown jacket from your closet, orange wig and top hat. The thread holster is made by stringing thread spools onto yarn and draping it over the shoulder. The makeup is an understated version inspired by the original, but really easy to recreate. And yes, those are fake eyelashes as eyebrows!

Mime

You can just stay on mute!

Pippy Longstocking

Recreate Pippy's completely insane pig tails with this easy DIY trick.

Planning any virtual Halloween gatherings? Share your costumes with us @BritandCo!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

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Theresa Gonzalez

Theresa Gonzalez is a content creator based in San Francisco and the author of Sunday Sews. She's a lover of all things design and spends most of her days momming her little one Matilda.

Halloween

Fashion

Halloween Halloween Costumes halloween ideas Halloween Party Ideas halloween costumes zoom

5 Need-To-Know Tax Terms That May Save You This Tax Season

Block Advisors

None

Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we tackle financial literacy and the money terms you should know.

Financial jargon can be intimidating and personally I think it is one of the main reasons people feel overwhelmed when talking about money and taxes. I have found that if you can break down the jargon, it is really not that scary. Today I will do my best to take some heavy words and turn them into your new lingo!

But don't worry, you don't need to memorize – or even fully understand – everything outlined here. If you're working with a tax professional who specializes in small business taxes, they'll handle it for you. And should be able to explain anything that doesn't make sense.

"Small business taxes and tax jargon can be complicated, but you don't have to go it alone," said Marcie Rahn, EA and Certified Master Instructor at Block Advisors. "Our small business certified tax pros are up to date on all federal, state and local tax laws and have an average of 12 years' experience. Let us sweat the details so you can focus on what you're best at. For most people, that's not taxes, bookkeeping and payroll. Luckily, that's exactly what Block Advisors is best at."

Adjusted Gross Income: This sounds fancy but it's a fairly straightforward concept. Your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is the starting point for calculating your taxes and determining your eligibility for certain tax credits and deductions that you can use to help you lower your overall tax bill. Some common examples of deductions that reduce AGI include traditional IRA contributions, health savings account contributions and educator expenses. In many types of businesses, your net business income, which is simply your total gross income minus specific deductions, like inventory, employee pay and benefits, mileage for business vehicles, business-related travel expenses, business utilities, ongoing education, and more, passes through to you as a business owner and is included in your AGI. (Note: This is not a comprehensive list).

Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash

What Is Depreciation?

If you own a business, you can deduct purchases used to make income for your business over time. This includes business assets like equipment and property. To do this, you will need to determine the depreciation schedule for the asset. Depreciation means you're spreading and deducting the cost of the asset over several years. This gets rather nuanced and is based on the three/five/seven-year (or longer) property timeframe in which you can depreciate the assets. You may be able to immediately write-off (deduct) the cost of some kinds of assets in the year you purchase them. You can also depreciate real estate if used in a trade or business if it creates income for you. Understanding depreciation can get complex so I suggest using a tax professional for this.

What Are Capital Gains and Do I Need To Care?

A capital gain is the rise in value of a capital asset (for example a security or real estate) that gives it a higher worth than the purchase price. The price you pay for something is called your cost or cost basis. The difference in the price when you sold it versus the cost basis is considered your capital gain or capital loss. There are distinct tax consequences when dealing with capital gains and losses so it is always important to be aware of what your tax liability would look like before you sell an asset.

Photo by Katie Harp for Unsplash

What Does It Mean To Be Audited?

There are several types of audits. A mail audit is limited to a few items on an audit letter that you will receive from the IRS. It is usually something that got flagged and they need clarity on it. It may be fairly simple to clear up if you have the right documentation and get help responding.

Most important – never ignore a letter from the IRS!

An office or field audit is more work. You will need to gather the information/documents that the IRS is requesting and prepare to answer in-depth questions about your business's finances and activities. You will also need to prepare to explain, in detail, the business's accounting and recordkeeping system (so as a business owner, make sure YOU understand this). If you don't already have one at this point, it is HIGHLY recommended that you hire a licensed tax professional to represent you and advocate your tax return positions. If you don't have someone in mind, reach out to Block Advisors — they are experts.

What is a Schedule C and does it apply to me? The Schedule C is basically your profit and loss rundown (P&L) from your business if you are a sole proprietorship. It is used to report income and expenses to the IRS and shows how much money you made or lost in a business that you operated by yourself. The form reports how much of your income from your business is subject to tax or whether you have a loss for tax purposes. You file a Schedule C along with your Form 1040. In many cases, you may also have to file a Schedule SE (Self-Employment Tax). Your Block Advisors small business certified tax pro can help you with this.

This is a short list of jargon in the tax space. There is plenty more behind this. Like I said, I highly suggest hiring someone to help you through your taxes, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Our small business tax professional certification is awarded by Block Advisors, a part of H&R Block, based upon successful completion of proprietary training. Our Block Advisors small business services are available at participating Block Advisors and H&R Block offices nationwide. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures

Check out more Selfmade Finance School content below:

4 Tips For Navigating The Pandemic Like A Small Business Pro

Do I Really Need An Accountant For Tax Season?

Photos by Katie Harp and You X Ventures for Unsplash

Money

block advisors financial literacy money money advice money stress money terms selfmade selfmade finance school small business small business owner sponsored tax season tax terms taxes Money