So, you’ve read all of the CF Halloween articles, you’ve finally picked out the perfect costume, and you’re totally psyched for the holiday that’s all about candy and fun and scares and…a 50% chance of snow?!

Growing up in Southern California, I never had to worry about inclement weather on Halloween: I could always count it on being comfortably cool and crisp while I went trick-or-treating. Once I moved to Boston for college, though, I experienced my first truly cold Halloween. (Granted, I was a freshman and I may or may not have used the warming effects of alcohol to counteract the chill. This is not recommended.) Two years ago, it actually did snow on Halloween!

While you can always just throw on any old coat over your costume, it’s always a bit of disappointment to have to cover up your carefully planned ensemble. Obviously, if you’re going to spending the entire night indoors, you can rock your costume without worrying about being warm, but if you’re planning to be out and about, it’s probably a good idea to cold-proof your look.

Halloween comes but once a year, so don’t spend the night shivering in your costume or being sad because no one can see it! Read on for advice on how to stay warm without sacrificing your style:

Table of Contents

5 Tips and Tricks for Staying Warm on a Cold Halloween

1. Choose wisely

First and foremost, consider what you want to dress up as. Some costumes are inherently warm, while others may not be so conducive to adaptation for cold weather.

For instance, a Princess Jasmine costume is pretty much defined by the bare midriff: if you’re forced to cover that up, it just doesn’t look quite as Jasmine-y anymore. On the other hand, you can throw on a pair of heavy black or beige tights under just about any costume that involves a short skirt, like a Star Trek uniform, and it will still be recognizable.