Staying in good style while staying away from being trashy.

A8

Sarah Ratchford

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Halloween typically yields tons of people dressed up in ridiculous costumes. Dressing up is fun, but it's possible to be stylish while you do it.

The main thing women need to remember is to avoid skanky costumes. The same rules I always give still apply on Halloween.

Instead of dressing as a naked nurse or Malibu Barbie this year, try something classy and sexy.

If you like classic fashion and high style, try dressing as Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe.

For Coco or Audrey, you'll need a cigarette holder. Audrey wears perfectly fitted LBDs and sweeps her hair up in a bun. Add some long gloves and kitten heels to perfect the look, and maybe even a floppy hat.

Coco wears tweed suits or beautiful linen shirts and trousers.

For Marilyn, try to find that iconic white dress and a subway grate.

If you're the fanciful type, be a Disney princess. If you're pale with dark hair, put on some red lipstick and lots of foundation and go as Snow White. You'll need a mid-calf yellow skirt, a blue peasant top, a red headband with a bow on it and flats with bows.

If you have red hair, go as the Little Mermaid. Blonde? You have a plethora of royal characters to choose from: Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella"¦the list goes on.

If you're brown, go as Pocahontas. Moccasins are widely available right now, and to achieve the fringe look, either check out Value Village or cut up a brown dress around the hem and sew beads on. Asian? Go as Mulan!

A flower costume is also a cute idea. Get some green tights and long green gloves, and wear a colorful bubble dress. Add a fluffy hat to top it off, and paint little leaves on your face.

Think the singing flowers from Alice in Wonderland.

If you're a feminist, get creative with your costume choice. Wearing a Playboy bunny suit doesn't exactly showcase your beliefs.

Instead, dress as a pilot and go as Amelia Earhart. Or, create a warrior outfit and go as Joan of Arc, or Mabel Stark, famous female tiger tamer.

Or, go as something classy like a Grecian goddess. Pull the classic white sheet move and wrap it around yourself like a toga, go to the dollar store and get some sort of fake vine to turn into a loose crown, and wear a pair of last season's gladiator sandals.

Although it does cause cancer, you might want to fake n' bake a bit before you make an appearance in this costume.

If you're an internet nerd, be a lol cat. Dress up as a cat with a funny message written across your back or chest with iron-on transfers.

See? There's something for everyone. All of these ideas are cute and stylish. Slutty cop? Not so much. Save this look for the bedroom, ladies. You'll just look like an idiot if you wear it in public, and guys are going to look at you like a piece of ass and nothing more. So, if you decide to go out dressed like this, be prepared.

No matter what you decide to be, make sure to have fun with it. Halloween is about fantasies and staying young at heart.

Sarah Ratchford writes a weekly fashion column for [here] magazine.