• Halloween is an excuse to dress up.halloween image by Nicolas D from Fotolia.com
  
  Every Halloween, zombies, corpses and the undead invade neighborhoods, workplaces and parties. Pale make-up and torn clothing is commonplace, and you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a "dead" co-worker, dressed as a fresh (or not-so-fresh) cadaver. Think outside the coffin-shaped box, and go beyond the traditional death-themed costumes with unique, crowd-pleasing ideas.
  
  

Dead Pixel

• Gizmodo.com highlights a deceptively simple costume that appeals to computer geeks: the dead pixel. Laptop screens and other LCD monitors suffer from irritating, non-functioning points. However, they are the inspiration for a unique costume that is a great conversation starter. Use facial make-up to create a pale face, sunken eyes and other traditionally "dead" giveaways on yourself or your subject. Cover a large cardboard square with white, red, or dark-colored paper (don't use dark colors for trick-or-treating), and embellish it with two X's for eyes and a straight line for a mouth. Carry the square as the costume accessory.
  
  

Little Dead Riding Hood

• Many Halloween parties have a theme revolving around books or fairy tales. Little Red Riding Hood is a simple enough costume, incorporating a dress, a red hooded cape and a basket. Add latex scars, pale make-up and some fake blood, and you become Little Dead Riding Hood, a tragic victim of a wolf attack. As a bonus, the basket is handy for trick-or-treating.
  
  

Hershey's Kiss of Death

• Hershey's Kisses come in holiday foil colors, but silver is the most common.Kisses image by Julie Balderston from Fotolia.com
  
  Hershey's Kisses, a popular product from the Hershey Company, are foil-wrapped, chocolate treats. Create a Hershey's Kiss costume from cardboard and silver fabric or buy a pre-made Hershey's Kiss costume. Accentuate the negative with facial makeup in a corpse or skull theme. Add a paper or fabric tag with the trademark "Hershey's Kisses" note written in blue lettering at the point of the costume, grab a sickle, and you are the Hershey's Kiss of Death.
  
  

Grim Reaper Variations

• Many costume retailers sell long, hooded robes and sickles for a quick Grim Reaper costume. Give the costume a unique twist by combining the long, curved sickle head with an inexpensive broom, and the Grim Reaper is now the Grim Sweeper. Or add heavy gold necklaces, sunglasses, a backwards baseball cap and a large, portable radio to the traditional Grim Reaper costume, and the Grim Rapper has joined the party.