When it comes to Halloween costumes, people usually stand in one of two camps: they’re indifferent or they’re Sydney Presley-level dedicated. Presley, a queer Xicana from California, has gained an audience because of the impressive costumes she puts together every year. Instead of heading to the store, Sydney creates her own looks, drawing from Mexican culture to come up with costumes that remind people of their childhoods and other happy moments.
“That came into play after a lot of inspiration from my grandma, who was a second mom to me,” Presley tells Remezcla. “My grandparents didn’t quite understand the concepts of my outfits, but they would laugh, mumble in Spanish, and do the sign of the cross. That was as much of an approval as I needed. Making these random objects I could find in their house into 5-foot-4, life-size replicas, was something funny and inspiring to me.”
Though both her grandparents died five years ago, when she dresses up as mazapan or other snacks, it reminds her of them. “It’s cool that even though these are personal memories of mine that I see others relate to it in their own way,” she adds.
Sydney got into dressing up back when her mom made costumes for her in her childhood, but it was really in high school where she hit her stride. She and her mom would create dresses for the high school dance and even football games. “I used these outfits to get myself pumped to go to things that otherwise I was meh about,” she says. “Can I tell you anything about football or why I was even at a high school football game in 2007? No way. But I can tell you that I was dressed as a giant pair of scissors behind the bleachers and my little friends got a good laugh out of it.”
On social media, Presley shows off her creativity year-round. If you’re not yet following her, here’s why you should be.
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She'll inspire your Halloween costume.
The costumes are likely what will draw you in first. Sydney – who has dressed up as Micheladas, Canel’s Chewing Gum, and a San Marcos blanket – creates costumes that speak to other Latinos. And since they’re likely not items you can just buy in a store, she’ll give you an idea of how to create your own amazing look.
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She sometimes matches with her dog.
And if that’s not the kind of content you’re looking for, then you’re doing it wrong.
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She makes a wide range of references.
Though most of her work references her Latinidad in some way, she also delights her users with other references, including this Daria-inspired top that we wish she’d start selling.
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All her looks are fire.
Sydney doesn’t need October 31 to dress up. She flirts with workplace cosplay and creates entire color coordinated looks for everyday outings.
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She does things like this.
If you’re looking for funny or delightful or interesting, look no further than Sydney.