With Homecoming and Halloween back-to-back, this “Hocolloweekend” was a unique opportunity for students to showcase their most innovative and unforgettable outfits. From ChatGPT to a student ID card, students pushed the boundaries of fashion this spooky season. Take a look at some of this year’s standout costumes:
Most Technologically Adept: Leila Ruser ’27
Whether you need help editing an email or violating the Honor Code, Ruser has you covered. Some Halloween costumes may prompt a series of puzzled facial expressions and the age-old question, “What are you supposed to be dressed up as?” — but the results of a recent Record survey suggest that Ruser’s costume was not unfamiliar to many students. In a lacy white top emblazoned with the ChatGPT logo, Ruser’s costume blends traditional DIY charm with a modern tech twist.
Most Creative Use of the Ubiquitous: Jacob Hertz ’28 and Cordelia Sireci ’28
Mario and Luigi. Lilo and Sitch. Bonnie and Clyde. You may think you’ve seen every iconic duo. But Hertz and Sireci were far more inventive this past Saturday night. With just a bit of paint, some string, and a piece of cardboard, this duo made the rest of Hoxsey Street look painfully forgettable. Dressed as an ID card and ID scanner, Sireci and Hertz managed to transform a mundane aspect of college life into the costume of the weekend.
Most Spirited Tribute: Trevor O’Brien ’26, Conner Fitzpatrick ’26, Jared Lambright ’26, and Mel Mortarelli ’26
Mourning the closure of the Green Mountain Racetrack in Pownal, Vt., O’Brien, Fitzpatrick, Lambright, and Mortarelli paid tribute to the storied horse-racing track on Saturday night, donning jockey and horse costumes that brought the past galloping back to life. The brilliant flashes of red, yellow, purple, and green in their costumes, topped off with goggles and crops, ensured that the jockeys stood out just as much as the inflatable horse.
Peppiest: Isabel Beckrich ’27, Lucy Everett ’27, Casey Cai ’27, and Becky Walker ’27
“Williams’ sweethearts” took on the Wild Wild West(ern Mass.) this Halloween in their sparkling Dallas Cowboys getups. The group neglected no details, from their pompoms to the number of stars on their vests, both of which exactly matched the real Cowboys cheerleaders’ garb. Folks were hoping to hear some famous cheers and intricate routines, but Hoxsey had more than enough entertainment to keep us all busy Saturday night.
Most French: Agustin Aliaga ’25 and Sasha Landau ’25
Usually when you see a mouse in Wachenheim after a night on Hoxsey, the appropriate response is to run away as fast as you can. But on Halloween, the routine was a little different. Instead of screams, Landau’s Ratatouille mouse costume had us in awe. We were left wondering, however, how Landau fits into Aliaga’s hat while they whip up some French cuisine.
Most Eclectic: Nathaniel White ’29, Emily Cantos ’29, and Cindy Zou
A firefighter, man’s best friend, and a cowgirl — a trio as old as, well, this Halloweekend. While White and his girlfriend Zou, visiting from Skidmore, made a natural pair — hero and hound — it was the cowgirl’s inventive, trend-setting costume that truly stole the show. The only thing missing? A lasso and a friend dressed as a horse to round out the man-and-man’s-best-friend pairing.
