7 Effortless Costume Ideas for Halloween Parties

Finally, Halloween's landed on the weekend. With no work the next day, many people are looking to cut loose on Friday night; and if you don't have kids, that means one thing...costume party. But what to wear? Those specialty Halloween shops that seem to sprout up every season are no cheap deal; basic costumes often start around thirty dollars and only go up for there; a pretty steep price for something you're going to wear once. But fear not; here's a couple of costume ideas that are cheap, fast and fun.

1. MasterCard Commercial- All this takes is a white t-shirt, and black, red and orange sharpies and a steady hand. On the front of the t-shirt in black marker write the following...

T-shirt: $5.00

Markers: $3.00

Making a Costume ten minutes before the party: Priceless

Then on the front, if you have room, or on the back, draw the MasterCard Logo.

2. Movie Characters- many movie characters have a very distinct costume that can be very easy to replicate. Do you have a Boston Bruins Jersey and a golf club laying around the house? Congratulations, you're Happy Gilmore. What about a jean jacket and an orange vest? Mess up your hair a little bit, and you're a Marty McFly. The possibilities are endless...but don't pull any obscure references when going this route. The more classic the movie, the better.

3. Guido- this one's really only for those that live in or around the New York/New Jersey area. Pretty easy to do actually...wear the most obnoxious club shirt you have lying around your house, keep the top four buttons undone, throw a gold chain around your neck and blow out your hair and get a Staten Island accent. Just make sure there won't be any actual guidos at the party.

4. 80's aerobics instructor- this one's more for the girls. Just wear some bright spandex leggings and scrunch them up on the ankle. Complete the look with a headband, cut-off t-shirt, hoop earrings and an outrageous hair-do. Bonus points if you can find an old portable tape player to bring to the party.

5. Junkie- not the most politically correct costume of all time, but hey, it's a party right? You need a little make up for this one; whiten the face and darken the eyes to make the face look sunken and drawn in. Wear your dingiest clothes and bring it an extra belt to tie off with. A needle without the tip can be purchased at a drug store and really completes the outfit.

6. Sarah Palin- Honestly, is much, much easier to pull off than most people think. My buddy, who actually is from Alaska is going as her, so if he can do it, pretty much anyone else can. Honestly, any brunette can pull this one off; buy a cheap pair of reading glasses from and get the colorful suit at any thrift store.

7. Construction worker- surprisingly easy. If you have any relatives that are handy with tools, then they might already have the supplies you need. If not, take a quick trip to the hardware store. A hardhat and a safety vest will cost next to nothing. Combine with a few tools and a plaid shirt to complete the look. An alternative is construction foreman/forewoman. Just wear a dress causal outfit, a hard hat and carry around a rolled up piece of construction paper- your "blue prints".

Keep in mind, these are just a few ideas...really you're just limited to your own imagination. Thrift shops are perfect for both inspiration and materials for your plans this Friday. Happy Halloween!