[April Masini, your AskApril]

Trendy television show characters are always good fun as Halloween costume inspiration. If your girlfriend wants to go as Snooki, but you’re not interested in being The Sitch, consider being the police officer who arrested her for disorderly conduct! Political figures are a lot of fun, too!

Don’t forget the movies for inspiration. The Social Network is a huge hit right now — consider going as the FB founder (a nerd with a billion dollars in his pocket!) or else movie stars (Lindsay Lohan with a big old SCRAM bracelet) or rock stars (Lady Gaga in any of her famous get ups!) or even Donald Trump (with an exaggerated comb over).

People in the news who aren’t famous make interesting inspiration — be an elated Chilean miner for Halloween or else do something abstract, like someone who’s gone “green” (environmental) who is actually painted green and has recyclable bags and car keys to a hybrid in tow.

Does that help!?