Did you know that people have been dressing up for Halloween for around 2,000 years? Historians think that the ancient Celts, who founded many of the Halloween traditions we still practice today, would dress in costume on the night of Oct. 31 to disguise themselves from spirits of the dead roaming around. These days, most of us probably aren’t worried about encountering unfriendly ghosts on Halloween night, but picking the perfect costume is still of utmost importance.

Kids’ Costumes

For kids, Halloween costumes go hand-in-hand with trick-or-treating. Since boys and girls will probably be walking around in their costumes all night, parents should keep safety in mind when helping them pick one out. Adorable superheroes and fairy princess should make sure that their capes and dresses aren’t dragging along the ground. Any fancy footwear should also fit well and not pose any tripping hazards. In addition, masks can block visibility, so makeup might be a safer alternative.

This year, the National Retail Federation predicts that the five most popular kids’ Halloween costumes will be princess, witch, Spider Man, pirate and pumpkin. Other classic characters such as cowboys, rock stars, athletes and animals are also cute choices.

Adult Costumes

Dressing up isn’t just for kids, however. More than 50 million American adults donned Halloween costumes in 2008. When selecting a costume, older partygoers should first consider where they’ll be wearing it. Halloween shindigs in a family or work atmosphere call for more all-ages outfits like famers and friendly witches. But if you’re heading to an adults-only fiesta, the sky’s the limit.

If you’re interested in a unique Halloween getup, you might want to stay away from the most popular adult costumes. For 2009, those are witches, vampires, clowns, pirates and wenches. Can’t think of anything interesting to be? Maybe a personality from a favorite movie, television show or band could be fun to dress up as. Or, perhaps political figures, famous couples or supernatural creatures (zombies, ghosts, etc.) are more up your alley.

Once you’ve come up with the right Halloween costume idea, think of ways to personalize it. Wigs, makeup, fake teeth and prosthetics can all transform a generic dress up outfit into a one-of-a-kind costume. Just don’t get spooked about being creative and get into the true spirit of Halloween!

You rejoice in your manliness—whether it means flexing in the mirror to show off your ‘guns’, ordering that single malt scotch to let the ladies know you’re a man of fine taste, bragging about your golf game to anyone who will listen, or making sure to rev your engine when at a red light. But what’s in your manly web-toolbox?

Ok, so you have every Van Halen album on vinyl—but does your iPod have any songs in rotation that were released in the last decade? Maybe you strive to be a saint by sending your lady roses every anniversary, but do you really think she wants to receive the same red roses every single year of your marriage? Perhaps you’re wearing the same ripped up Old Navy cargo shorts from 2006. You may think they look fine, but do you really think the ladies do? You can recite every engine spec for the Trans Am you drove in 1979, but do you know what the manliest cars are on the market today?

Have no fear, Gentlemen! I’m here to provide you with a strictly objective list of what sites you should be reading, bookmarking and digesting. From music to news to TV to cars to how to woo the ladies, I’m here as your neutral—and non-manly—tour guide. Become a better man: read on!

Manliness

What manly man couldn’t always strive for even more manliness? Check out these sites that give you the skills to pay the bills.

Art of Manliness
The Art of Manliness is a virtual hub for all things manly. The site covers areas such as Dress and Grooming, Money and Career, Relationships and Family, Health, and more—all packaged up in a fittingly manly-designed site. Check out the Manly Skills area for tips about everything from building basement shelves to tying a proper knot.

American Mustache Institute
Need I say more?

Men’s Health
Required reading for men everywhere, this staple covers fitness, style, women and more.

Man Institute
The Man Institute bills itself as “Your Source for Everything Manly”—you decide if it lives up to such a bold statement. A variety of topics is covered, including funny pranks, manly movies and Man Myths. Take a gander.

Marvel and DC

Real Men Still Read Comics!

Cars

Are you a motor-head? Whether your passion is for muscle cars, tricked out imports, shiny new sports cars, rugged utility vehicles, or flatbed pickups, I’ve put together a reading list for you.

Jalopnik
Jalopnik is the big daddy of car sites. If you are ‘Obsessed with The Cult of Cars’—as so many of us humans are—then you this is definitely the site for you and you’re slipping if you aren’t currently reading. Car reviews, new cars, classic cars, car crime, car news, car gadgets…they’ve got it all under one roof, or should I say, one server.

Car and Driver
Your favorite car magazine is online and ready to dish out car buying tips, reviews, news and more.

AutoTrader
How could I forget–this is a no brainer! Do your car research, sell your car buy a new or used car…we all know AutoTrader is your one stop site.

Ladies

Ok, so maybe you don’t want to admit it, but what manly man doesn’t need a little help in the ladies department? I’m here to tell you that there’s always room for improvement, guys.

FromYouFlowers.com
Ok, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we ladies love to get flowers. But, did you know that many of us find red roses passé? Send tulips, orchids, lilies and other unique choices to really get her swooning. And—please!—don’t just send her flowers only on anniversaries, birthday, and to express your apology for your most recent mistake. Send your lovely lady flowers on an ordinary day and watch her melt like butter.

Rouxbe
How can you get even more brownie points other than sending flowers? Cook her dinner! Rouxbe touts itself as the first online cooking school. More than just recipes, it has videos that actually show you how to prepare the meals. Very cool.

Need some romantic date ideas? Check out the next blog entry for the ultimate summertime date list.

Sports

Pick your passion—golf, baseball, football, mixed martial arts, basketball…these sites have got you covered.

ESPN
The granddaddy!

SI
More than just the swimsuit issue, SI has always been a tried and true source of real-time sports info, news and more.

Fantasy Football

If you aren’t already wasting—I mean, joyfully spending— hours of time on Fantasy Football, sign up here. Football season is right around the corner—do you have your fantasy team together yet?

UFC
The popularity of the extremely manly sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting has skyrocketed—to put it lightly—in the last few years. UFC is the ultimate—no pun intended—authority on MMA fighting. Packing thousands of screaming fans into every fight venue, the UFC has turned itself into an absolute worldwide phenomenon and has also brought on a successful empire of apparel, magazines, reality shows….even jewelry! Start at the source for your UFC fix.

Extreme
All things extreme sports are covered on this powerhouse of a site.

Shopping
It’s time to throw out those old and ratty and cargo shorts and sweat-stained t-shirts, fellas. Impress the ladies with some new fly threads and decent skincare.

Uncrate
This cleanly designed site covers all kinds of essentials spanning gear, entertainment, manly products and more.

Banana Republic
Dress to impress with this classic—and somewhat affordable—source for quality apparel. Whether you’re looking for the perfect suit, softest t-shirt, or a new pair of jeans, stop by for a solid collection of wardrobe essentials.

Kiehl’s
Carrying high quality men’s essential products since 1851, you cannot ever go wrong with Kiehl’s. An absolute standby for shaving cream, soap, cleanser, shampoo and more, they’ve got everything you need to look and smell good! Sure beats Irish Spring…

Men.Style.com
Check out this stylistically created website to really impress with the latest looks off the runway.

Music

From 8 tracks to vinyl to tapes to CDs to MP3s, the music industry sure has come a long way. If you can’t live without music then check out this list of essential music reading—and listening.

Pandora
In my humble opinion, Pandora is the coolest music website to emerge in the past few years. Completely customizable, Pandora lets you listen to the music you love and even find out new music based on your favorites. And their awesome mobile application lets you listen to your favorite artists on the go. A must!

Rolling Stone
An oldie but a goody! Music news, interviews, reviews and more are solid—and their interviews are always unique and compelling.

Hypem
Hypem scours the web for the hottest music blogs—then compiles the results all in one place. A search engine for music blogs with a cool user interface and handy media player, this site is sure to please.

Technology

There has never been a better time to be a nerd! Geek chic has gone worldwide and the evidence is everywhere you look—music, fashion, movies and more. Celebrities are Tweeting and your Grandma’s on Facebook. Embrace your inner geek—after all, geeks shall inherit the earth!

Slashdot
“News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters.” Indeed! Catch up on all the latest gadgets and news here.

Mashable
If you work on the web, you need to be reading this site. Social media news, tips and more, the site is chock full of information.

TechCrunch
A standby bookmark for techies everywhere.

Games Radar
Get your game on with reviews, articles and previews, all written from a true gamer’s perspective!

Family

Great Dad
The ultimate sign of a manly man is—without a doubt—being a great dad. And this site is full of helpful articles, resources and tips from the unique fatherly point of view. A must read for dads everywhere!

News

Turn off The Family Guy and catch up on the latest news so you can actually have an informed conversation about world events!

NPR
One of my all time favorite sites all around, NPR is overflowing with articles and news—National, Music, Life and Global—and has tons of really cool features, like listening online, podcasts and more. An absolute must on your bookmarks list!

BBC
Essential news website to help you stay informed.

Movies and TV

Hulu
How awesome is it to watch your favorite TV shows online?! And, even cooler, they are FREE! You’re slipping if you don’t have this site bookmarked.

Rotten Tomatoes
Movie reviews and more—you may not always agree with them, but the ‘Tomatometer’ is a cool concept nonetheless!

Movies.com
Find showtimes, trailers, reviews and more on this hub for movie fans.

Whew—I’m worn out from scouring the web for all things manly! I’m sure I’ve left out quite a few–after all, I am a girl–so speak up fellas. Tell me your favorite required reading. Class dismissed—go back to your whiskey, cigars, and pumping iron.