10 best Halloween costume ideas that sum up 2017 politics

San Diego Union-Tribune

Oct. 20, 2017 3:45 PM PT

Good luck if you’re trying to escape politics this Halloween.

But if you don’t want to get away from politics, we’ve got you covered. Literally.

If you’re scouring the internet for Halloween costume ideas that are topical, timely and guaranteed to get your party talking, you’ve come to the right place. Here you go. Have fun this year, everyone.

1. The Trump family

Donald, Melania, Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany and Barron. So many options and variations possible here. Just the kids? Just Melania and Donald? Trump masks are readily available at Halloween stores this year and you’ll just need a few more wigs, some suits and if possible, all-white or all-baby blue outfits for the Trump ladies a la the inauguration (see above). Go Make Halloween Great Again!

2. Zodiac Killer Ted Cruz

Is Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the “Zodiac Killer,” the infamous Northern California serial killer from the late 1960s and early 1970s? No. But ever since the idea first captivated the internet, it has been the talk of it.

We suggest a suit with a red tie and probably a Ted Cruz name tag. You’ll also need this cipher known to belong to the Zodiac Killer. Cruz tweeted it out on Oct. 18, finally acknowledging the meme, and you can just hold it up or tape it to your back or something. Make sure to send a photo of it to @tedcruz. You might get a retweet.

3. Fake News

“Fake news,” according to Politifact’s definition, is fabricated content that intentionally masquerades as news coverage of actual events. Fake news was seen on social media far and wide during the 2016 election and has since become an even bigger part of the internet — and part of ongoing investigations by the FBI and Congress, which have traced some of it back to Russian operatives. Anyway, Trump and too many others now use the term to refer to news outlets they don’t like and news reports they don’t agree with.

Yandy.com is selling the get-up seen in the photo above for $54.95 here, but you could also get away with any newspaper-covered outfit with a sign that says “fake” over the articles.

4. The Handmaid's Tale

Looking for a mix of pop culture and politics? Boom. Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” is one of the hottest shows of 2017, but activists have taken to wearing the red robes and white bonnets seen in the show at protests related to gender discrimination and reproductive and civil rights.

Make your own costume or find one available at a wide range of party and costume stores. Party City is selling one for $24.99 here.

5. Snowflake

Snowflake scarf? Snowflake sweater? Snowflake pajama pants? Whatever you’ve got with snowflakes on it, put it on, or tape paper snowflakes onto a white outfit. Congrats, you’re what has become a defining insult of 2016 and 2017. The term “snowflake” is used to describe a person perceived as overly sensitive and fragile, often in a mocking way.

6. Hillary Clinton’s excuses tour

After laying low leading up to and since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, Hillary Clinton has been making more public appearances lately. And she often ends up getting asked, or bringing up, the 2016 election. She’s also out promoting her new book, “What Happened.”

At these speaking engagements, and in the book, she explains some of the reasons she thinks she lost. This sharing of her reasons has been described by The New York Post and others as Clinton’s “excuses tour.”

You’ll have to get creative with this costume, but basically you’ll need a power suit, a Clinton mask or wig and a stack of excuses you can hand out to anyone you talk to on Halloween. You could carry her book with you for extra emphasis.

7. Vacation Obama

Shortly after Trump took over the White House, Obama was spotted kite surfing with billionaire Richard Branson in the British Virgin Islands. The photo above, showing Obama fully enjoying vacation, quickly became a meme. San Diegans, this will be easy for you. All you need is a life jacket, some early 2000s sunglasses and a huge smile (maybe keep this photo handy on your phone for quick reference).

8. Sean Spicer and his podium

Former White House spokesman Sean Spicer became famous enough in his own right for serving as the middle man between the press and the president after he took office. But Melissa McCarthy’s impression of him on Saturday Night Live took Spicer to next-level internet phenomenon. You’ll need a suit and tie, and then of course, the podium. Even a cardboard box with “The White House” written on it would get the message across.

9. Jared Kushner in Iraq

Back in April, the president’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner went to visit troops in Iraq and was mocked online for wearing a flak jacket over his blazer and khaki pants amid uniformed military personnel. What was even worse is that there was a name tag on it, but all that was showing was “Kush.” Jimmy Fallon was quickly tapped to spoof the situation on Saturday Night Live. A flak jacket might be hard to find, but a vest might get the message across, or even a brown paper grocery bag cut into one. Here’s a Youtube tutorial for that. Just make sure you wear a “Kush” name tag.

10. Kendall Jenner with a Pepsi

If you didn’t hear about model Kendall Jenner’s controversial advertisement with Pepsi in April, you must have been living under a rock. But you can catch up here. What you’ll need for the costume: A white shirt, denim jacket and jeans. Hold up a Pepsi, or better yet, bring enough to your Halloween party to hand them out.

If you use any of these ideas this year, send us a photo to @sdutideas on Twitter and we may retweet it. If you think we should have included better ideas, let us know that, too. Happy Halloween!

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin