When it comes to exchanges, holidays and bar crawls, there seems to always be a shortage of costume supplies. Questions like, “Can I borrow your neon orange Chuck Taylors?” or, “Do you have anything animal print?” seem to echo the hallways of our dorms and apartments daily. The truth is, bartering clothes to create the perfect Miley costume will only get you so far. And between classes, exams and work, who really has the time or money to invest in the perfect costume attire?
“I never seem to have the costumes I want when I need them, so I’m always scrounging around at the last minute trying to put something together and asking everyone I know if I can borrow something of theirs,” Elizabeth Dye, freshman at UIUC, said.
Not only are free costumes hard to come by, but also without a car, the choices are slim. Luckily, there are alternatives in the Champaign-Urbana area for those of us who need that perfect costume for every occasion.
You have probably passed this one on your way to class. At the corner of Green Street and Wright Street, Ragstock is the ultimate costume store for University of Illinois students. It has everything from recycled, plaid button-ups for barn dance to any crazy accessory you may need to have the perfect exchange outfit. It offers a wide variety of clothing, footwear and accessories at a reasonable student price, and its proximity to campus can make it the perfect in-between-classes shopping trip.
“I like the variety of clothes Ragstock has,” Jenn Flannery, freshman at UIUC, said. “It’s really convenient having one on a college campus because whenever I need an outfit to fit a theme, I know I can find something there.”
Off of East University Avenue and South First Street, Dallas & Co. has everything you need for the perfect Halloween costume. Along with makeup and wigs, the store also offers an assortment of unique costumes for any occasion. They have an array of magic cards, wands, hats and other items to fulfill your magic necessities. If you are willing to walk a little farther off of campus or to catch a bus, this store has it all.
Running out of other ideas? The store I.D.E.A. is a one-of-a-kind thrift store in Champaign. Located on Springfield Avenue, this store resells old, discarded materials so that people can reuse the items for crafts or projects. The store has a wide range of materials that can be bought in bulk or individually, so you can use them to create new costumes, or add to old ones!
Dandelion Retro, Vintage and Used Clothing is also another option to find costume pieces for any event. If you have access to a car, this vintage boutique is located on Taylor Street in downtown Champaign. It sells used clothing and contains a lot of variety of costume materials for exchanges and other events!
So no matter if you live on campus or anywhere in the Champaign-Urbana area, there are plenty of options for anyone looking for a new and unique costume.