BY LAURA GRUHLKE | The Statesman Halloween is the time of the year where you can dress up like someone else for a night. It’s a fun tradition that most people have participated in since they were little kids.
It can be a fun night and a good excuse to dress up like your favorite character or person. However, it can be very pricey. If you don’t feel like going out and spending a fortune on a costume, you can create a costume with what you (or your roommates) may already own.
Guys:
Overall, I feel that it is a lot easier for guys to dress up for Halloween. If you are stuck thinking of a costume idea or aren’t really into dressing up, here are some good tips for you.
1. Jock/Athlete
This is probably one of the easiest costumes you can do and doesn’t have to cost you anything! If you already own a jersey (for any sport) you can just put it on. However, if you don’t own a jersey, I’m sure that one of your bros do and would happily lend it to you. If you want to step it up a notch you could add eye black across your face. Black face paint is available at Party City for only $1.49.
2. Nerd
This is another easy makeshift costume. Search through your closet and pull out that shirt that your mom got you and that you still have yet to wear because of how nerdy it is. If you’re lucky, it will have a pocket in the front where you can place some pens and pencils. Hopefully, the only thing you might have to purchase are nerd glasses. Wal-Mart can provide you with some for $6.
3. Superhero
This could be as simple as getting a Superman T-Shirt from Target for $12.99. To make it more secretive you could put a zip up jacket over it with the top of the “S” slightly showing. Then everyone will know your secret identity.
4. Brawny Guy
This costume is a little more creative than the others. First thing you will need to do is check out the paper towel brand Brawny, then look at the guy on the label and that’s who you will be. You will need a red flannel ($17.99 at JCPenney) and then a roll of the Brawny paper towel ($2.99 at Target). Then you will have a creative costume. You may also be able to pull this off as a lumberjack outfit.
5. Someone Else
If for some reason you don’t feel like dressing up or Halloween just isn’t your thing, you can always be someone else. You can channel your inner Jim Halpert from the hit TV show “The Office” and just throw a nametag on with someone else’s name. For example, if your name is Jim you can wear a nametag that says Dave. Nametags are available at Office Depot for $5.
Girls:
1. An Animal
Bring out your inner Karen from “Mean Girls” and grab an outfit from your closet and toss on some cat, mouse or bunny ears. Animal ears are easy to find since they are very popular. At Target they range in prices from $5-$20 depending on which animal you decide to be.
2. School Girl
A schoolgirl costume is one the staples of Halloween. They can usually be very cute and simple to make. Different colors of schoolgirl skirts can be found at Ragstock for $15.99. Then you can add in any top you want, from a plain shirt to a button up. You can make it unique to you.
3. Nurse/ Doctor
Being a nurse or doctor will require you to invest in a pair of scrubs. You can find scrubs at Goodwill or Savers and they will most likely just set you back a couple of bucks. Otherwise you can purchase new scrubs at Wal-Mart for $15. If you want to make it more creative, why not be your favorite character from Grey’s Anatomy?
4. Witch
Are you a good witch or a bad witch? You can deicide! Either way you can find a witch hat or a complete costume in a bag at Wal-Mart ranging from $5-$28. If you have a fun dress hanging in your closet, you could use as part of your costume and your costs will go down.
5. Mummy
Last year my roommate went to a Halloween party when she got off work and didn’t have a costume, so we decided to make her a mummy. All you need for a mummy costume is toilet paper. You will need someone else to help you assemble this costume though. All you need to do is wrap the toilet paper around yourself and you have a costume! I would recommend getting the cheapest toilet paper you could find. Wal-Mart has a pack of 6 rolls starting at $3.98.