It’s that time of year again where Facebook statuses will be updated and profile pictures will display images of people’s costumes from Halloween weekend. Several of these costumes will be generic—the sexy cop, nurse, firefighter or vampire. What this consumer holiday is missing is originality.

Sure, there are several costumes that are deemed “original,” but there isn’t enough of that creativity to get me excited. Some of the cleverest costumes come from pop-culture and television shows, but how many Lady Gagas are we going to see this weekend?

I hope no one chooses to recreate Gaga’s meat dress that she wore at the MTV Video Music Awards, which doctors are warning people about because of the risks of wearing raw meat. Aside from being disgusting and rather bloody, it still isn’t original and is way over-the-top.

What Halloween needs to be a true success is for people to put the boobs away and the thinking caps on. However, some of the best pop-culture costumes I have seen at parties are ones that aren’t excessive, but are overlooked by people who fancy dressing promiscuously.

When using popular culture as a means for finding costume ideas, there are still some drawbacks. I’m sure there will be several females out at the bars dressed like “Jersey Shore’s” Snooki, or Republican Party candidate Christine O’Donnell. Just like Sarah Palin and Michael Jackson were overdone last year, I am predicting these two will be this year’s top contenders.

If one opts to go the route of what is popular this year, I can also appreciate it if it’s in good taste. Take the costume that is not recognized as much. One year someone was a “three-hole-punch version of Jim” from “The Office.” Additionally, I am still trying to get someone to be Green Man from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

It also doesn’t help that this October is warm and, compared to last year, dryer. If people are willing to wear lingerie for costumes when it is cold outside, just imagine what it will be like if it’s warm.

This leads me to my final gripe. What is it about lingerie and (insert type of animal here) ears? Just because someone dresses up in a black, lacy corset, stockings and heels with cat ears and a tail, doesn’t mean they are a cat or Catwoman.

They will look like they’re about to role play in the bedroom and have somehow gotten lost and confused in a drunken stupor, wandering around the middle of Wrigleyville. Yes, if you participate in activities such as this, I will be disappointed.

Stay creative and wear costumes that cover all of the goodies and still pack more of an original punch than simply wearing next to nothing.