The wonders of the Halloween season are upon us and I am so excited!
All of the bigger surrounding cities have Halloween shops opening up. Party City has a plethora of costumes all waiting to be purchased and worn to costume parties everywhere.
Personally, I have found that making my own costume can be a fun and therapeutic break from a busy schedule and midterms.
That being said, let your imagination run wild and you can make your own wonderful and fun homemade costumes. Here are some tried and true ideas to help make any costume fantastic, as well as inexpensive:
1. Tutus. Tutus are a great way to turn a male character female, or just add a fun touch to a girly costume. Sometimes it seems that there is a wide variety of awesome male characters and some really lame female characters. Men have Mario and Luigi, Siths and Jedis, Link and nearly all of the comic book heroes from which to choose. What do women have? Princess Peach and other froufrou damsel-in-distress type options. Lame. So, girls can create their own version of the male characters while still being feminine, if they wish, by adding a tutu. For example, I recently saw on Pinterest, the Mecca of homemade costumes, and a female version of Luigi. Tutus would also be great for mixing up a traditional costume. Tutorials can be found online.
2. Morph suits. Not all of us have morph suits, but if you do, or if you have a friend that does, a morph suit can be a great Halloween option. For example, a black morph suit could be a shadow. Colored morph suits could be used to make different animals. I.e. Pair a pink morph suit with pig ears, a curly tail and a snout for an easy pig costume.
3. Use what you already have. There’s always the traditional sheet ghost. You can use an old sheet that you own or buy one at Goodwill (if you dare). A green v-neck t-shirt and khaki pants make for an easy Shaggy costume for Scooby-Doo lovers. There is an unending number of ideas, all you have to do is keep an open mind and pay attention to the potential in what you already own.
4. Hit up a thrift store. If you have an idea, but don’t already own what you need to make it happen, a cheaper way of getting your costume put together is to go to a thrift store like Goodwill or Savers. These stores have all sorts of hidden treasures, and with a good wash (or two, or three), they will be ready to wear to your Halloween event of choice.
5. Borrow. A wonderful hybrid between going to a thrift store and using what you already have is to borrow from a friend. You get what you need for free, and you don’t have to worry as much about any nasty germs that might be hanging around.
With these simple tips, you will be on your way to a fantastic costume that is inexpensive, original and fun to make.