1. A "Native American" caricature.

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Native American people have made it clear time and time again that wearing a 'sexy Indian' costume or even just a headdress is extremely offensive and insensitive. Native American clothing often has spiritual meaning tied into it and if someone wears it without having earned the right to or without knowing the significance of it, it's a HUGE slap in the face to Native Americans. Not only will they look at you in disgust, but others will too because you've demonstrated that you don't care whether or not what you're doing is offensive - and that's not a good look.

2. A Nazi/Holocaust survivor costume.

It's unbelievable that people do this, but I guess some people find humor in dressing up in swastikas, and even as victims like Anne Frank. Nazism and white supremacy are not just things of the past - these awful things are alive and well in the US, and dressing up as them not only trivializes the issue but associates you with it.

3. Anything transphobic.

Costumes that make a mockery of trans people, like this one from last year, put trans people at the butt of an old and terrible joke. Trans people live their everyday lives in fear of backlash and violence, whereas you can take the costume off at the end of the night. Showing up to a costume party in this type of garb will make your LGBTQ/ally friends highly uncomfortable, and will put a terrible taste in everyone's mouths.

4. A costume mocking the mentally ill.

We've all seen the straightjacket or the "crazy man" costume at least once or twice at the Halloween store. Maybe innocent on the surface, these costumes create a mockery and a joke around the mentally ill. In 2019, we're trying to de-stigmatize mental illness, and a costume like this will show that you really don't care at all. Chances are, someone at that costume party will be struggling with mental illness, and it would be hard for them to forgive you for showing up wearing something that trivializes their struggles.

5. Blackface.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: DON'T WEAR BLACKFACE. Please. You might be tired of hearing it, but there are still reports of people showing up to costume parties in blackface every year. Blackface has a long and awful history in the USA. and has been, and always will be, used to dehumanize and demean black people. Just don't do it! This also includes caricature costumes of black people, even if you don't paint black on your face. If you want to dress up as a celebrity or an influential figure who's black and you're not, you still can! Just wear the outfit, and don't paint your face. It's really that simple.

6. A "fat person" costume.

Maybe you're considering a sumo wrestler costume (which is also culturally insensitive) or another type of blow-up costume seeking to make a joke out of fat bodies. Put that costume down, please. Body positivity is extremely important nowadays, and we know how insensitive it would be to portray a caricature of someone who's fat or plus-size. Fat people have been at the butt of humor for decades, and it would be very harmful and even triggering for you to make a mockery out of a body type.

7. A "hobo" outfit.

The homeless situation in America is no joke. People still laugh at, spit at, and are awful to homeless people in general, ergo, people still find it funny to imitate homeless people on Halloween. Newsflash: it's really not. If you pull up to the costume party wearing a "hobo" outfit, you're not only mocking homeless people, but low-income people as well. You really have no idea who homelessness has affected, so you could really make someone feel awful if you wear this costume.

8. Anything trivializing sexual harassment.

The classic "flasher" costume has been around for decades, but it really has not aged well. Public exposure is a form of sexual harassment and can be triggering for people who've experienced any type of sexual trauma. Especially in the midst of the #MeToo era, this costume, or any costume like it, will definitely not go over well.

9. An eating-disorder inspired costume.

This might be pretty obvious, but there was a costume circulating called "Anna Rexia" aiming to make a joke out of eating disorders, which is super not OK. This costume has been taken off the shelves, but people still seem to find their own creative ways to trivialize something so serious. You never know who has, is, or knows someone who has struggled with an eating disorder, and wearing a costume mocking it will make a lot of people really upset.

10. A terrorist caricature.

After 9/11, the stereotype that Muslim people are terrorists plagued the nation. This has lead to many costumes coming about that not only make a caricature of Muslim people but paint them as terrorists. It's not only extremely racist to Muslim people but horribly insensitive to victims of violence or terrorism. Do not show up to the costume party wearing anything like this!

11. A prisoner outfit.

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This one might seem less harmful on the surface but can come across a lot worse than you intended. Prison is no joke, especially when taking into account our broken prison system in America. People labeled "felons" can no longer vote in most states, and have trouble finding employment after they've come out of prison. There's a huge stigma and hatred against people who have been to prison, even though the vast majority are in for nonviolent charges. Don't dress up as prisoners, because at the end of the night, you can take the outfit off - but they can't get rid of the stigma.

12. A mockery of another culture.

I touched on this a little in the Native American and blackface points, but regardless of culture, if it's not your own, leave it out of your Halloween costume. Dressing up as a caricature of another culture or race is extremely offensive and feeds into an archaic narrative that's honestly just really old and irritating at this point. People are tired of seeing your 'sexy geisha' or 'Rastafarian' costumes, making a mockery out of other people's cultures and livelihoods.

13. Anything misogynistic.

Costumes (usually meant for men) that mock women's bodies are really tacky, outdated, and will make you look super ignorant. If your costume demeans or aims to make a joke out of women, leave it at home. It's not a good look.