KATIE HONAN

Last Minute Halloween Costumes. Like most people, I’m sure you’ve left your costume ideas to the day or two before. Ricky’s and Party City are mad houses, and anyway, you want to make a statement this Halloween. You want to be creative, witty, and insightful. You’re also lazy, pressed for time, and would rather spend your money on food/candy/alcohol than on a costume. What to do?

Here are some last-minute costume ideas, inspired by the biggest people in the news!

• Hired, Fired by Bloomberg: Mayor Bloomberg’s made a couple changes to his team this past year. Round up a friend or two and go as ex-deputy mayor Stephen Goldsmith. Add some white and gray to your coif, wear a suit or an Indiana Pacers jersey, and drive a car with DC plates. You can also go as Cathie Black, the former magazine chief turned schools chancellor who was a surprising pick for the mayor. Have a designer jacket? Short blonde wig? Pearls? A befuddled/angered look? You’re good to go. Just make sure you leave whatever party you go to very early. 
• Lost/Found/Sad Animals. Jack the cat, Willow the cat, that cat thrown out of a car on the Verrazano, Patrick the starved pit bull — just print out a mask of whatever animal you’d like to be, and look very sad. 
• Sanitation Worker During the Blizzard. Was there really a departmental slowdown during the great Blizzard of 2010? A later report revealed the supposed stoppage of work by higher-ups in the DSNY didn’t actually happen. It doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t dress up in some fierce green-on-green duds and do your best “lazy sanitation guy” impression. Bring a shovel to the party — then sit back and relax with a couple beers!
• Congressman Bob Turner. Suit, jacket, tie, Israeli flag. Done!
• Hurricane Irene Reporter. This might be the most practical of costumes during the big snow storm this weekend. Rain boots, windbreaker, hood tied around your head, and a microphone talking to the anchors all warm and dry back in the studio.