Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to write a Halloween-themed blog post for you all…finally, something exciting to read while handing out candy to children who trample all over your lawn. Enjoy!

That’s right, today is the day that you all plan for all year round. It’s time to eat stuff that looks like body parts, scare the crap out of some children, and watch Hocus Pocus for 24 hours.

Now, it’s no secret that being an adult on Halloween is nowhere near as fun as being a kid or teenager. No more free candy, you have to pay for your own costume, and now, getting drunk on the blood red punch at the party isn’t rebellious and cool, it’s just embarrassing. And it ends up on everyone’s social media the next day. And did I mention no more free candy?

But there’s one thing that I’ve recently stumbled upon that has made Halloween a lot more fun…for me, anyway.

Closet. Cosplay.

AKA wearing everyday clothes that look like a costume. Usually just one piece, like a dress. Enough of a costume that I can say that I dressed up, but not enough of a costume to get dragged into the company costume party. I basically dress up like a lazy adult who likes to pretend to be a child. Pretty easy when you’re child-sized anyway.

I don’t know about you, but I find pretty much all typical store-bought Halloween costumes to be…well…how do I put this…

Incredibly, ridiculously, insanely, mind-blowingly ITCHY.

The cheaply-made fabrics always feel so uncomfortably itchy against my skin, not to mention stiff and restrictive to move in. All this can be yours for $69.99! Oh goody, tell me more!

For the past two years, I’ve bought the “closet cosplay” Disney princess costumes from Hot Topic, and I’ve loved them. The one I am wearing today is Briar Rose (or for you noobs, that’s Sleeping Beauty while she’s still living in the forest and doesn’t know that she’s a princess), and, if I’m being completely honest with you all, I look adorable.

Before you ask, no I did not wear a blonde wig. Wigs are also itchy and uncomfortable, and that would be counterintuitive with a comfortable costume. Or at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

I was a brunette Briar Rose and I looked just like this:

Definitely an improvement, wouldn’t you say?

Sleeping Beauty has always been my favorite princess since I was a kid (but only in her blue dress because it’s better than her pink dress, and if you don’t agree, you can fight me. I’m not too proud to throw down about a Disney princess’ dress.) so I was insanely happy to find out that Hot Topic started selling this closet cosplay.

Okay, so not super happy — I’m reality I was kind of torn, because while I do have an obligation to Sleeping Beauty as my favorite princess, I also have an obligation to my financial stability. Although, another thing that I like about closet cosplay costumes is that they’re generally cheaper than regular Halloween costumes that you find in Halloween stores, and because they’re usually available year-round, you can occasionally find one on sale. I’m telling you — I’ve figured out how to beat the system.

A few weeks ago, I promised my friend Rachel (who’s favorite Disney princess is also Sleeping Beauty) that she could see my costume for this year in person and try it on if she wanted.

“It’s so soft!” she marveled, only proving how uncomfortable normal costumes are. People are actually surprised that they can be comfortable.

In case you didn’t know this about me, I don’t really buy uncomfortable clothing. Like at all. Almost everything that I own is made entirely out of elastic and/or super soft. If I find one thing that’s really comfortable, I will buy it in every color. Something Target has profited from several times…

But anyway, this dress is super stretchy and really cosy. So not only was it one of those days at work where we were all hopped up on holiday cheer and having trouble being productive, but I was also in such a comfortable costume that I actually could have fallen asleep.

I was Sleeping Beauty, after all, so really, sleeping at my desk would have just been in character, right?

After marveling at the softness of my costume, Rachel’s face took on a look that I can only describe as the face of someone finding out the dress that they’re holding has pockets. Because that’s what happened — she realized that my costume had pockets.

Did Briar Rose’s dress really have pockets? I have no idea. But I care more about being able to carry around my iPhone than Halloween costume accuracy.

If I really wanted to be accurate, I would have brought birds, and rabbits, and an owl wearing a cape and hat into my office today. And while I used to be a decent singer, in my voice’s current state, I’d imagine that I would be more likely to make a flock of birds prematurely fly south for the winter as opposed to attracting them to come to me and do my bidding.

Speaking of flying south, I have a flight to Disney World to catch in the morning, so this brunette Sleeping Beauty is going to go live up to her name. Good thing that my costume can double as pajamas!

Happy Halloween, everyone!