Halloween is one week away, which means you’re either deep in a costume group chat or pretending you’re “not doing anything this year.” (You are. We know you.) Before you panic-order something at 11 p.m. on Thursday, consider this: the best costumes get a second outing. Privately. After the party.
Why costumes work (yes, there’s science)
Psychologists have a name for it: enclothed cognition. In a 2012 study, people who wore what they were told was a doctor’s lab coat performed better on attention tasks than people told the exact same coat belonged to a painter. Clothes don’t just change how you look. They change how you think and act. Translation: the person in the costume gets to be a little bolder than the person in sweatpants.
Add novelty and things get interesting. Research on couples links doing new, exciting things together to higher relationship satisfaction, likely because novelty taps the same reward circuitry that lit up when you first met. Role play is novelty you can try without leaving the house. Or the bedroom.
“But I’ll feel ridiculous.”
You might! That’s kind of the point. Laughing together is intimacy too, and nobody’s handing out Oscars. Let it get silly before it gets sexy.
How to implement
- Choose a character, not just a look. Pick someone with a little attitude you’d actually enjoy playing for an evening.
- Talk first, play later. This week, each share one fantasy. No judgment, no pressure to act on it.
- Pick a safe word. Even for gentle role play. Having an exit makes it easier to fully commit.
- Start with a scenario, not a script. Strangers at a hotel bar. A first date you never had. Keep it loose and improvise.
- Skipping the full costume? One prop works. A tie, glasses, or our Playtime Sleep Mask, which turns “close your eyes” into a whole new game.
- Set the stage. Low light, a candle, phones in another room.
Your after-party wardrobe
- The Voyage Kit with Kiki de Montparnasse. Basically role play in a leather case: Oui, two Enchantment Gel sachets, and Kiki’s cheeky French Lesson panty. Now $69 (down from $195), which is less than most store-bought costumes.
- “Party For One” Organic Ouvert Panty. The best part of any costume is what’s underneath.
- Spellbound. Air pulse on one end, vibration on the other, and a name that was clearly made for this week. Your character can cast whatever spell they like.
Now for the treat
From now through November 1, every single Cerē order over $60 comes with a free Enchantment Gel sachet. No code needed. It’s our arousal gel for him and her that boosts blood flow so you both get there faster, which makes it the perfect accessory for whoever you’re planning to be next weekend. Order now and it’ll arrive in time for the main event.
Xoxo,
Cerē
