Halloween is the one time of year in our society that we get to be whatever we want for one night through the magic of costumes. The makeup, masks, and outfits we wear for just one night can get pricey. Costumes found at Party City and Spirit Halloween can run from $24.99 all the way up to a whopping $69.99. The quality of the product compared to the price point shows the large markup on the costumes made with cheap materials. A flimsy string around a plastic mask that pushes into the eyelids for the price of $19.99 is more than ridiculous. Instead of buying into this monopoly, save money this Halloween and be resourceful with costumes you may already have in your closet! Here are just a few examples:

The Scarecrow

The scarecrow is a classic Halloween costume that is safe to assume is in almost everyone’s closet. This look can be achieved with a pair of jeans (or overalls), a flannel shirt, and black eyeliner. The outfit itself is pretty basic and is not enough to be recognized as a scarecrow. A cheap way to elevate this look is with some fake hay found at any Dollar Store. Or, you can add black eyeliner to give the illusion of face stitches. 

Fake Hay: https://www.dollartree.com/faux-rectangular-mini-hay-bales-8ct-packs/333060

The Bank Robber

The bank robber look’s base is a pair of black jeans and a black and white striped shirt. The more black the clothing is the more realistic it will be. Some fun add ons that really steal this look are adding a simple eye mask by cutting out holes out of a black stocking, wearing a bandanna, or a black cap. Dress up your candy bag by adding a dollar sign print out to make it look like a money bag.  

The Pirate

Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the most popular Halloween costumes of all time. Pirates costumes can be achieved through just black jeans and a puffy white shirt. The accessories are really what sells the pirate costume. Bandannas and homemade eye patches are a must. Other fun accessories include gold jewelry, homemade aluminium foil hook hands, and black under eye liner. 

The Zombie

The Zombie is a classic halloween costume that is super simple but effective. You can be whatever kind of zombie you want to be when it comes to picking out an outfit. But, it is important to keep in mind the outfit needs to be nearly destroyed. Take scissors to the top of your choice and go wild making it look torn and weathered. Then, run it through the dirt or buy fake blood (red nail polish, sharpee, or cloth paint works as well)  to further the zombification. Finally, it is important to make your face look like a zombie too. This can be done by making your face paler than normal and your eyes darker. Let your imagination run free with the makeup. 

Black Eyeshadow Makeup: https://www.dollartree.com/la-colors-professional-series-3-color-eyeshadow-palettes/150767

The Brand

One of the easiest ways to pull off a quick and inexpensive Halloween look is to be your favorite brand. All it takes is a solid color t-shirt and a print out of the brand’s logo. For instance, people like to dress up as M&M’s by putting on a solid shirt and gluing an m to their shirt. The same shirt that you can make is found at Spirit Halloween for $25. 

Spirit Halloween M&M Costume: https://www.spirithalloween.com/product/adult-green-m-m-s-costume-kit/226065.uts?Extid=sf_froogle

Halloween is a fun holiday that does not have to break the bank. With a little bit of creativity the costume you want to be can already be in your closet. Big corporations sell expensive costumes that are made cheaply and are never worn again. Don’t buy a $70 costume this year to let it sit at the back of your closet. 

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