For some people, Halloween is the best day of the year. They look forward to the spooky holiday, decorating their homes and maybe even their offices as soon as fall hits. And some of these folks like to go all in and dress up for Halloween at work, but not all workplaces are costume-friendly. So before you show up decked out from head to toe and see that all your coworkers are wearing regular clothes like any other day, answer these questions about office attire for October 31.
Has your office celebrated Halloween in the past? - When it’s your first year at the job, ask around and find out the dos and don’ts for Halloween. Just because your last gig had a costume contest and festive happy hour to celebrate, doesn’t mean this job will.
What’s the atmosphere in your office? - If you work with kids or in a creative work environment, you might be encouraged to wear a costume. But if you work in a big corporation or have a lot of client meetings in your office, they might not appreciate folks wearing festive attire.
What does your daily itinerary look like? - Have a light day with no important meetings on Halloween? You could be safe to dress up. But if you’re sitting down with HR to negotiate a pay raise, you might not want to be wearing Lady Gaga’s meat dress.
Is your costume work-appropriate? - No Playboy bunnies or Harley Quinn hot pants in the office, please.
Are you keeping things P.C.? - Some costumes may come off as offensive or insensitive, even if you didn’t intend them to. Don’t try to make a political statement with your workplace Halloween costume, save that for your bestie’s party and play it safe at work.