Cheap Halloween Costume Ideas!

The following is a guest post by our frugalista friend Amy. Thank you for all your hard work & research, Amy!

It’s almost Halloween.  Time to search for the perfect costume.  You walk into the Halloween store downtown and start looking at different things.  Only one problem.  The cheapest costume you can find is $50.  The costume you want is $75.  Your credit cards are maxed out, your wallet only has a $10 bill.  How can you get a good costume without breaking the bank?

After researching some cheap costume possibilities, I learned the basic rule to making a great, inexpensive costume is to use what you have, and accessorize.

Here are 10 easy ideas for costumes that you can probably make with things just lying around:

1. MUMMY
Got an old sheet?  Cut it up into strips, wrap it around your body and go as a Mummy.

2. GHOST
Don’t want to go as a mummy? Use that sheet to make a ghost costume.  Cut out eye holes.  Spice it up a little bit and use a black sharpie to draw chains and cobwebs on the sheet.

3. HOBO
Got old clothing that’s too big for you?  Wear it, put some scuffs on your face.  You’ll make an excellent Hobo.

4. NERD
How about clothing that’s too small?  Go as a nerd.  Wear a too tight buttoned down shirt and tight jeans.  Slick your hair back.  Find some old glasses and put masking tape around the middle.  Carry around a large book.

5. ZOMBIE ATHLETE
Do you have any type of sports jersey?  Football, basketball, hockey, soccer, cheerleader?  Wear it and put on some zombie make-up.  Nothing is cooler than a zombie sports player.

6. PIRATE COSTUME
You have some old pants?  Cut them off at the knee.  Get a white button down shirt, and wear it with the top buttons unbuttoned.  Grab a bandana and an eye patch – Arrrggg, you’re a pirate.

7. ROBOT / TINMAN
Have a large roll of aluminum foil and some duct tape?  Wrap it around you.  For a robot, you can grab a large box that fits around your stomach and wrap that in foil too.  For the tin man, get an upside down funnel (also in foil) and wear it as a hat. Use tape whenever needed to hold foil together.  Paint your face silver.

8. BEDTIME SLEEPER
Wear your pajamas.  Carry a stuffed animal, pillow, and a bedtime story.  Girls with long hair should wear pigtails.  Yawn as often as possible.

9. SPICE RACK
Grab a large bra and wear it over your clothes.  Stuff spices in it.

10. BUTTERFLY
Have some black or brown clothes?  Leggings will work well with a turtleneck. Create antennae with pipe cleaners and Styrofoam balls. Make wings out of poster board and decorate with bright colors.

99 CENT STORE FINDINGS:
The 99 Cent store has witch hats, cowboy hats, cat ears and tail, and devil horns and tail.  Wear an old black shirt with the witch hat, black shirt and pants for the cat ears, and red clothes to match with the devil.  Don’t have red clothes?  Wear a blue dress instead and go as “Devil in the Blue Dress.”

They also have a nice selection of face paints, fake blood, etc. to spice any costume up!

TRIFT STORE IDEAS:
There are also many other costumes you can put together for cheap.  Go to your local thrift store and see what you can find.  Here are a few ideas to get your started:

1. Find some 70s or 80s clothing and go as someone from that decade.
2. You know those polka dotted dresses your grandmother wears?  Or what about those ugly brown sweaters Grandpa always has on?  Buy them!  Slip them on and put white power in your hair.  Your grandparents would be so proud.
3. Change your style!  Go Goth!  Get a dress and high heals – be a rich person!
4. Angelina Jolie is always an easy costume. All you need is a black dress, sunglasses, toy dolls (preferably different skin tones) and some yarn. Attach babies to dress using yarn. Or you know, just hold them all.

There are endless possibilities at a thrift store.  Get creative.  Go and see what you can find!
If you have other cheap costume suggestions, share it with the rest of us by leaving a comment…

Want to be like Amy write a guest post for LA Decostified? Contact us with your ideas!

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 2:14 am and is filed under Misc., National. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.