Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

If you've waited until the last minute to get a costume, or didn't want to spend too much on an extravagant one, you can still create an effective costume from inexpensive items or use the items in your closet.

Thebargainqueen.com suggests reviving the 80's by looking in your closet for leggings, neon bright tops, or anything with big bows. Overuse hairspray and tease your hair, and you can be straight out of a John Hughes movie. The site also suggests dressing like a hippie, and to "stick a flower in your hair" for that complete Summer of Love look. (1)

Work clothes can also function as a costume. With a dress suit, glasses, and a homemade "Hello My Name Is" sticker, you can introduce yourself at the Halloween party as a new hire. You can also adjust your outfit to resemble a character from "The Office" or "Office Space" and act like them for the rest of the night.

Common makeup can work wonders for face paint. Lipstick can draw a clown mouth or fake blood, and an overabundance of green or blue eyeshadow and an odd lipstick color (metallic, purple, etc.) can give anyone an alien look.

The tourist costume is also a classic one. Thebargainqueen.com suggests loud Hawaiian tshirts, straw hats, cameras, and maps. Bronzer or too-dark concealer can give anyone a fake tan. Also, there's always the classic toga (bedsheet wrapped around yourself) costume.

You could also raid someone else's closet, such as a friend or family member. If they dress punk or prep, you can go as such, and style your hair and makeup accordingly. If you or someone has recently had a graduation or sweet sixteen party, you can borrow their graduation gown and cap, or tiara. Graduation gowns, if white, can also serve as an angel costume. If you have winter clothes, you might be able to pull off South Park costumes. Want something festive? Dress all in green, wrap Christmas lights around you and go as a fake tree.

In an article for TCPalm.com, Tyler Treadway suggests going to a thrift store like Goodwill for costumes. Karen Dierksen, a Florida clown, gave her tips in the article for finding costumes, and also suggested sewing and face painting to perfect the custom costumes. (2)

President of the Costume Designers Guild Mary Rose gave last-minute costume advice in a Los Angeles Times article. She suggested designing costumes around news worthy subjects. With celebrities and politicians constantly embarrassing themselves in the news, there certainly are plenty subjects to choose from. "Go as Larry Craig, complete with cardboard bathroom stall," Rose gave as an example. (3)

If your budget is limited, your imagination doesn't have to be. Before you shell out money for an expensive costume, look around your house first. The perfect costume might be hiding among your regular clothing.

SOURCES:

1 - "Last minute Halloween costume ideas" By Meg in Florida. October 25, 2007 (http://fashion.thebargainqueen.com/2007/10/last-minute-halloween-costume-ideas/)

2 - "Costumes on the cheap: Scare up last-minute Halloween duds from thrift-store steals"
By Tyler Treadway. October 21, 2007 (http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/oct/21/costumes-cheap-scare-last-minute-halloween-duds-th/)

3 - "What possessed you? Some costume tips" By Lea Lion. October 25, 2007 (http://www.calendarlive.com/nightlife/cl-gd-night25oct25,0,4342549.story?coll=cl-nightlife-top-right)