Here’s what Halloween costume you should wear based on your Edinburgh Uni degree

It’s the one night a year when a girl can dress up as their degree and no other girls can say anything about it

7 months ago | UPDATED 7 months ago

Spooky season is once again upon us and it’s finally Halloween. But don’t worry if you’ve left things until the last minute, as I’ve compiled a list of costumes to wear based on your degree. (And maybe I wanted to make fun of you a little).

Maths

You’re not the most creatively minded bunch, so you’ll probably end up wearing a costume made of things you already own. In your case, I would suggest something easy and iconic, such as a Peaky Blinder. You probably already own a white shirt, a tie, and black trousers, so worst comes to worst all you’ll need to buy or borrow is a waistcoat and a flat cap. Easy!

Law

Despite being one of the hardest university degrees, the majority of law students manage to be social butterflies too. How they find the time between their nine to five lectures to go out four times a week, I will never know.

So, there’s no costume more perfect for law students than Legally Blonde’s iconic Elle Woods—being the average law student’s reason for applying to law school in the first place, the California party girl turned Harvard Law valedictorian is the perfect costume for you. Whether you wear her fluffy pink playboy bunny outfit, or a pink mini dress with some pink sunnies and heels, she will fit you perfectly.

Languages

It’s hard to narrow down one costume for the whole of languages, but the most iconic one I can think of is none other than Marie Antoinette, even if this might be most fitting for the people studying French. You can do this really well (or so I’ve seen on TikTok) with a corset, some stockings, a mini skirt, white wig, and lots of blusher. Think Kirsten Dunst in the Sofia Coppola film.

Medicine

If you study medicine, you probably haven’t had the time or energy to think about your Halloween costume yet, since you’re always in lectures or the library. In your case, I’d suggest opting for something easy like a witch or a black cat—all you’ll need to look outside of your wardrobe for is the hat or the ears. There’s always next year for the creative costume, and at least you’re not going with the sexy nurse cliche.

Engineering

Bit of a rogue one, because I’m not fully sure what engineers do, but I’ve heard it’s one of the more creative STEM degrees, so you should have no problem slightly DIYing a costume if you have to (or just buying it on Amazon).

If you want a costume that will only take 20 minutes to make/draw a logo on then you and your friends can go as Ghostbusters. The iconic 80s costume looks put together, while keeping you warm in the Edinburgh October cold—so perfect for The Liquid Room’s smoking area, really.

History

If you study history, your version of the Roman Empire is probably a niche historical event that us non-historians aren’t so familiar with. If this year you’re wanting to ditch the historically accurate costumes, why not go as a character from The Great Gatsby? A 1920s era outfit is always easy to pull off: opt for a sparkly fringe dress, some pearls, and a fluffy headpiece, or just a plain black suit with a bow tie, and you’re good to go.

Art

You most likely don’t need our advice on your costume, as most art students I know have planned and made (not bought) their Halloween costume months in advance. However, if you’re like the rest of us and still don’t have your costume, you can put your creative skills to work and go as Nina from Black Swan. With the feathers, tiara, tutu, and dramatic eye makeup, there is no character more perfect for your individuality complex. It’s just niche enough that you’ll feel proud of yourself, but also iconic enough that you won’t have to spend all night explaining to your non-art friends who you’re dressed as for once.

English

As an English Literature girl myself, I’m well aware that the majority of us are Swifties. There is nothing we love more than romanticising our medieval literature module sat in the window of Black Medicine Coffee listening to Folklore. Whether it’s the poetic lyrics of Evermore and Red you love, the country girl vibe of Fearless and Debut, or the sassy pop hits of 1989 and Lover, you can turn your favourite Taylor Swift Era into an iconic Halloween costume. If you ask me, the best era for a costume is Reputation—all the spooky vibes.

Classics

If you study classics, you’re probably somewhat interested in mythology. So, if you’re lucky enough to be doing a couples costume this year, you can go as Hercules and Meg or if you want a fun group costume, you can go as The Muses. It will also give you an excuse to tell people the real mythology behind the film. Or maybe don’t do that.

Geography

Finally, for those of you who are lucky enough to have field trips built into your degree, I would suggest going as Edinburgh’s favourite geographical spot: Arthur’s Seat. I’m not sure how you could pull that off, but at least there will be no one dressed the same.