Every year do you promise yourself that your next Halloween costume would be one major production—that you will devote time and effort to become that stunning image of horror, or fantasy, or reality—but instead settle for bleak, worn-out staples?
Don’t beat yourself up over it because life (i.e. lack of funds) really does get in the way of fun activities, such as dressing up for the Season of Spooks.
Inspired by pop culture, Super presents five costume ideas (check out the bonus!) with tips on how to make them quick and on the cheap.
Negan
- From AMC TV series “The Walking Dead.” This monster in human form wears leather jacket, dark-brown khakis, utility boots, and carries around a horrific weapon—a baseball bat coiled with barbed wire.
Super substitutes
Clothing – Black cropped denim or varsity jacket, slim dark-brown cargo pants, any roughed-up lace-up boots
Weapon – Haphazardly coil chicken wire on one end of a skinny rolling pin or leg of a broken wooden chair.
Eleven
- From Netflix TV series “Stranger Things.” The strange girl with telekinetic abilities is best remembered for her Peter Pan-collar cream dress, oversized royal-blue jacket, striped white socks and filthy sneakers. Her nose drips with blood when she uses her powers.
Super substitutes
Clothing – Cream/beige/light-pink baby-doll or skater dress. If it doesn’t have a Peter Pan collar, make cutouts from white cartolina and pin onto the dress’ neckline. Dig up dad or grandpa’s ’80s jacket. Draw thick green and yellow stripes on a pair of old white calf-length socks.
Accessories – White sneakers or slip-ons. For the hair, use a skintone hairnet on which you can draw her skinhead.
Tip: Draw blood on the nose using makeup.
REGINA
- Or Karen, Gretchen, Cady from 2004 iconic teen flick “Mean Girls.” Even Elle Woods would fawn over the amount of pink the Mean Girls wore, and how they loved parading the saccharine-sweet shade in form-fitting tops, miniskirts and high heels.
Super substitutes
Clothing – The tighter, the better. Look for the pink, white and red items in your closet that fit you when you were a teen, or from 5 years ago. Bottoms can be black or in pastel prints but they have to be really short. Pink should be the dominant color of the entire look. Black pointy pumps can replace pink heels.
Accessory – Don’t forget the “Burn Book.” Cover a slim photo album with pink wrapper whose backside is filled with (actual) kiss marks.
SIA
- Aussie songwriter and avante-garde pop artist. She whose face cannot be seen often wears a blonde wig accessorized with large bow or floppy hat. Sia also loves menswear-inspired threads in black, white or shocking brights.
Super substitutes
Clothing – Monochromatic. Black boyfriend blazer over black tank top or frilly blouse, and black skinny slacks
Accessories – Wear black pumps or oxfords. Use plastic straw string to mimic Sia’s thick blonde wig at the 2015 Grammys. Attach to it a large paper bow or black floppy hat. Apply bright-red lipstick.
Emoji
5There’s a gazillion to choose from, so this costume idea is good for groups of 4 or more.
Super tips
Choose funny or quirky emoji and make large cardboard versions. The group should wear similar clothes in the same color so the cardboard emoji (hung with a string, or attached/pinned/sewn on clothing) would stand out. A more striking effect would be to paint the emoji on your face.
Bonus
Judges of reality talent show “The Voice.”
We especially love Miley Cyrus’ flower-laden ensemble during The Blinds this season. You probably already have the jacket and pants. Just pluck the blooms from old plastic flower bouquets at home, then sew or pin onto the denim separates. Hair should be a messy double-braid, accessorized with plastic blooms as well.