Cheap, Creative Halloween Costumes

Halloween is only a few days away, but what are you going to wear? I, for one, think about that last in relation to home remodeling, work, groceries, etc. Once upon a time, I invested time and money into a 4-5 hour makeover, but that phase has come and passed. Now, halloween costumes are about creativity and fun; an art masterpiece, which leads me to my first cheap and easy halloween costume suggestion...

• An "Art Masterpiece"! Take an old poster, or use a frame & create your own artwork, punch a large hole (large enough for your head), and hang it proudly around your neck. YOU are now an art masterpiece!
• Q-tip. This one is simple and extremely cheap. Dress yourself head-to-toe in white. Then, gather cotton of some sort (cotton balls, but I find it easier to use decor cobwebs) and form the cotton of your choosing into a cone-shape atop your head. You're now a Q-Tip!
• Siren the alarms! Cover yourself head-to-toe in dark colors (gray, navy, black). Attach random objects (a paper clip, leaves, candy wrappers, crumpled paper, etc.) using string & tape - to your shirt (ALL of your shirt - front and back). Once done, spin around. You are now a tornado! Feel free to tease your hair to mimic the wind tunnel effect!
• For the tech-savvy man... Using foam, cardboard, paper, or whatever fits your budget/needs, cut out 2 simple (but somewhat large) letter E's, and tape or glue one to the front of a shirt (of your choosing. An under shirt would work just fine.), and the other to the back of the shirt. Wallah, you are E-male!
• Friends of mine in high school did this. If you have a group of 5 or so, this & the following would work well for you! Find cheap, brightly-colored sweats (sweatshirt & sweatpants) -thriftstores are great places to look- and stuff the sweatshirt with a pillow. On the front (belly area) of the sweatshirt, glue or paint designs like a cloud, a heart, or a sun. You all are now Carebears!
• Dress yourselves head-to-toe in green. Get colored fabric that measures approximately 3-4" wide and 15-20" long. This fabric will wrap your head (around your eyes), so you'll want to cut 2 eye holes enabling you to see! Using black fabric paint, paint or spray the look of a turtle shell on your back, and throw on some shorts that match your head band! You're all Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! (Adding "muscle" suits, if your budget allows, makes this a little more real.)
• This one is probably the cheapest of all! Wear your normal clothes, but backwards. Put on a hat of some sort, but also backwards. You're Backwardsman! Walking/running backwards adds to the allure of the costume!
• (I have found that this one works well for the 20-something crowd.) Females, wear a button-down, collared shirt that is loose-fitting, with shorts, flip-flops, messy hair, and "day-old" make-up. You are "the walk of shame".
• EASY Beer Bottle: From your local grocery store, get a foil pie pan. Poke/cut a hole on one side, and again on the opposite side, and run string (about 12-18" long) of your choosing from one side to the other, through the holes. Get a beer-endorsed shirt of your own, and dress casually otherwise. Place the pie pan on your head, w/ the string under your chin (as a hat). You are now a beer bottle! Of course, this is a cheaper version. You can certainly dress this up however you would like!
• Wrap your body in aluminum foil (arms, bodice, legs separately so that you can still walk and move!). Wear a beret, and you are now a french kiss! Vuala!
• Wear a dark-colored sweatshirt, covered in cotton balls. You're a cloud! Carry a squirt gun, and you are now a rain cloud! Add a fabric lightning bolt, and/or a cone-shaped "Cloud" atop the head for more cloudiness!

Halloween -for adults at least- is no longer about "less is more". Feel free to be cheap and creative! I recently saw on Ellen that a little boy dressed like a prince, but with a stuffed whale (hole cut in it, and he slid in it as a costume, around his waist) around him. He was the "Prince of Whales!" Not only was it clever, but cute and funny.

This year, while rushing to figure out what to wear, think about what is already in your closet, bathroom cabinet, utility room, or kitchen, and make your own costume! It will not only save you time and money, but bring laughs -or scares- to the party!

Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!

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