Cute, not crass

Every fall, the costume industry rolls out a fresh crop of sexified costumes for the ladies that range from the unintentionally hysterical to the downright absurd.

Skimpy is fine, but a lack of creativity is not. Just because the Family Guy is a popular TV show doesn’t mean that a sexy Brian costume should exist. Google something as asinine as sexy breakfast food items and costumes will actually appear. You'll find everything from a low-cut bacon dress, a lingerie-clad barista, to a sexy stack of pancakes.

For those of you looking for something a tad more creative, I gift you with a few unique ideas I rounded up via Pinterest.

First up is a Björk costume featuring a replica of her famous Oscar night swan dress that has gone down in pop culture history. While you won’t be able to go out and buy this costume at Party City, I included a link to a basic tutorial via A Beautiful Mess that even the moderately crafty can follow. There are a couple of handmade versions for sale on Ebay as well.

If you’re looking for a couples costume, why not dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Fox from Roald Dahl’s novel Fantastic Mr. Fox? You will need his and hers masks and a vintage dress and suit from your local Goodwill. There are some terrific handmade fox mask options via Etsy. Amazon and Party City also sell fox masks.

Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol is another great couple’s costume that is fairly simple. Guys will need black jeans, a basic tee, a pair of Wayfarers, and a platinum wig. Amazon sells a Warholesque wig for $9.99 A camera around the neck is a nice added touch.

Ladies can look for everything from a faux-fur coat at Goodwill, a short black shift dress, or a striped black and white tee with black jeans. Just make sure to wear a cropped blonde wig and fake eyelashes to achieve a more authentic Edie look. Forever 21 sells a Sedgwick-inspired faux fur vest for $42.

For the '80s fans, there is the troll doll costume and the female cast of Heathers. For the troll doll, American Apparel sells a skater dress in various flesh tones retails for $52. Amazon sells fluorescent troll doll wigs to complete the look for $20.99. You can also scour thrift stores to find a cheaper version of the dress.

To achieve the Heathers look you’ll need two or three friends, a croquet set, scrunchies, and brightly colored '80s skirt suits. Brooches add a nice touch, as do white or patterned tights. Forever 21 sells a set of three scrunchies for $1.80.