Sex & Relationships

How Halloween parties could be your ticket to a new relationship

Candace Bryan may have been dressed as wholesome Mary Poppins, her favorite Disney character, but, like many women out on Halloween, she was more interested in man-candy than candy corn.

“Among the corsets and fishnets of other girls’ costumes, my non-sexy Mary Poppins get-up actually stood out. And since everyone loves Mary Poppins, my costume was a big hit,” says the 25-year-old blogger. “It probably helped that I stuffed my carpetbag full of beers and passed them out to people.”

By the end of that evening in 2010, she had found someone to share her umbrella with.

Dick Van Dyke, Karin Dotrice, Matthew Garber and Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins.”Everett Collection

“I ended up having a lot of suitors that night, but unfortunately there were no Dick Van Dykes,” adds the Bushwick resident. “So I settled for Batman.”

Between the costumes, the crisp fall weather and the general frivolity, Halloween is one of the best times to meet someone new.

“If you’re lucky, [a Halloween] one-night stand — because, seriously, what else is going to happen? — turns into a relationship,” says Maria Avgitidis, a matchmaker at Agape Match, adding that many people are eager to enter into relationships this time of year, with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve coming up. “If you’re even luckier, the face paint won’t stain your sheets.”

But, as Bryan learned, dressing as a naughty nurse or lingerie-loving kitty isn’t necessarily the best way to find Mr. Right.

“If you wear something sexy, men might feel a bit intimidated to say anything [to you],” says Victor Medina-San Andrés, the founder of the party hosting company World Masquerades. “But if you have a funny outfit, it shows you have a sense of humor and you’ll seem more approachable.”

Can’t come up with an attention-grabbing costume yourself? Just turn the tables, Avgitidis says.

“If you see a lady or maybe a man in a sexy bumblebee costume, ask them, ‘Where did the inspiration for your outfit come from?’ if you’re shy — or, if you’re bolder, make a joke, like, ‘It’s a jungle out there. I saw three bumblebees on my way here . . . never thought I’d make it!’ ” she suggests. “If you can make someone laugh, you’re pretty much golden.”

And if you can’t make them laugh, you can make them drool, the way Kris Ruby, president of the public relations firm Ruby Media Group, did in the sultry sailor costume she wore last year. The Financial District resident suggests using social media to entice a potential partner.

“Make sure to have your friend take decent photos of you in your sexy Halloween costume!” says the 27-year-old. “Then, text the photos to your Halloween hookup crush, and use them on your social media as you see fit — as long as they aren’t too scandalous.”

She effectively employed that strategy last year with Instagram. Immediately after seeing her photo on the social network, her crush sent her a text message reading, “Wow!”

“If a guy is interested in you he will be scanning your social media Halloween photos for sure,” adds Ruby, who says her crush asked her out, and they went on a few dates afterward.

Still, sometimes even the best laid Halloween plans won’t get you, well, laid.

Sarah Maslin Nir’s Halloween experience backfired in 2010 when she dressed up as a blue “Avatar” character.

“I was wearing literally nothing but paint, so I felt really sexy,” says the 28-year-old West Village journalist. She ended up spending much of the evening dancing with a man, but her interest wasn’t reciprocated. “Then I realized I may have felt sexy and naked, but I looked insane and blue,” she adds.