Estimated Monthly Savings: $100
Creating the perfect costume is a feat for the imagination, not the pocketbook! Anyone can buy a ready-made disguise from a catalog or boutique but people rarely complement these uninspired creations. By using what you’ve got on hand or in storage, you can make a creative costume that will wow your friends and trick or treaters. Here are five easy ideas:Â
Sports Star. Grab that jersey and get crafting. If you’ve got a football shirt, add padding and darken your under eyes to match the players. Wear leggings and tennis shoes and drape a sweat towel across your neck. Soccer jerseys are great too! With a bit of creative makeup application, you can be a British futbol hooligan complete with bruises and stitches. You can even blacken a tooth with a bit of licorice! That makeup would be a suitable match for your hockey jersey as well, if you’ve got one!
Decade Diva. Perhaps you have a pair of bell bottoms in the attic or your swing dance suit is hanging in the closet. Dressing to a time period is a great way to be comfortable and creative. Use scarves and accessories in abundance to take the look over the top.
Artist. Black and white stripes, turtlenecks, berets, and aprons are quintessential artists attire. Carrying a few paintbrushes as a prop and splashing your hands and clothes with paint make this an authentic costume. You could even bloody bandage an ear with cheesecloth to give your costume a ghoulish, Van Gogh touch.
Granny. With your dowdiest nightgown, a pair of house slippers, and hair rollers, you can pull off the granny look quite easily. If you have grey or silver eyeliner, use it to add a few wrinkles under your eyes and around your mouth to complete the look. Also be sure to wear knee-high socks and roll one sock down farther than the other. Carrying a cane or a rolling pin is a fun touch.
Farmer. Overalls and a straw hat are the most important parts of this costume. Tuck a little straw in the pockets, tie a bandana around your neck, and paint on a few freckles for fun. If you have long hair, two braids are apropos. Be sure to roll up your pants legs and show off your boots and socks. Carry a stuffed farm animal and be sure to say howdy when you answer the door to trick or treaters!
A good costume is not the result of wealth, but a wealth of imagination. Use what you’ve got, borrow and trade with friends and family, and never let a lack of funds keep you from having fun!
