How to look fine on a dime on Halloween
Halloween, while an exciting holiday for most, can be stressful for others. Getting a party invite is great until you realize that you have nothing to wear.
On a college budget, the idea of purchasing Halloween costumes sounds like throwing cash away. Costumes you wear once and never again sound troubling, especially if the party you attend requires a costume. The following ideas and tips will help make sure you look great without breaking the bank.
First, raid your family’s closets. If you’ve never discovered the family attic, now’s the time to rummage through all the chests and trunks. Chances are you’ll find some clothes that your parents or grandparents have stashed away. If you find enough, base an outfit on the decades. Instead of buying poorly made 80’s costumes, find your mom’s authentic leg warmers or your dad’s letterman jacket from his glory days. Once Halloween is over, you won’t have spent any money and the clothes can go back in storage — probably for the best.
If you can’t find time to run home to get your grandma’s fur coat, look no further than social media for your inspiration. Vines, TikToks and memes are all at your fingertips. Go as your favorite video or meme. To complete the look, craft stores sell poster boards for under $10. With some cheap paint, you can transform yourself into the latest viral TikTok trend or your favorite meme from the last decade.
Go to the dollar store for inspiration as well. Spending a few minutes in the dollar bins could help you come up with a last-minute costume. Everything is cheap and if it breaks, there’s little damage to your wallet. Usually, the props found in the bins are the basic vampire and witch themes, but with a crunch for time, it’s better than nothing. If all you come up with is a headband and a couple of bracelets, you can at least say you put in the effort.
Consider also making a costume with pieces that can be used year-round. For example, if you want to be a pilot, there might be some pieces in your closet such as a white shirt and black pants. Go out and buy a bomber jacket and some aviator sunglasses and you’re all set. Look for high-quality items to sell the legitness of the costume. While they may be a bit pricier, if you can use the clothing or accessories more than once in casual wear, then it wasn’t a waste of money at all.
If you found out the party is in less than an hour and there’s no time to get a costume, not even enough time to grab a sheet to go full ghost mode, run to the grocery store and grab some appetizers or drinks for the party. If people decide to make fun of your non-costume, claim that you’re a chef because you supplied the food. It’s a win-win for all.
Header Photo: Halloween is a holiday where children and adults can dress up as their favorite character for the night. (Photo Courtesty of Flikr)