Halloween is back. With it comes the return of not just the undead, but costumes. Celebrities including Tana Mongeau, Zoi Lerma, Trisha Paytas, and many others have already begun treating the entire month of October as Halloween. There are endless characters and options to dress up as, and it can be difficult to figure out what you want to be. Not all of us have the luxury to dress up every day, so we choose our costumes that will make the weekend or day of Halloween as special as we can.
It’s no shock that I love TikTok. Half of my articles include some sentiment about how the app helps people, and I believe that this is especially true when it comes to Halloween. Creators on the platform not only provide inspiration, but sometimes step by step instructions on how people can develop their costumes. One of my favorites to watch has been Sophie Silva. She pulled me in with her Fancy Nancy costume and has not disappointed since. Various other creators who have come across my for you page have had some insane ideas. A twist on a classic that I loved was a girl who dressed up as a deer with a Rhode Lip Peptide stabbing her in the forehead, calling herself “Rhode Kill.”
I don’t know what’s in the air, because in college I’ve never had more than one costume planned, but this year I have four. It’s a great option to buy costumes online or in person costume stores, however, most people I have seen or talked to are buying various pieces from different places. But why? If you buy a full outfit from a reputable store, it’s an efficient way to ensure that your outfit is going to be cohesive and arrive on time. Maybe you’ll have to scavenge for shoes and accessories, but for the most part, your costume is going to come together in one piece.
For those of us who are choosing to go in the opposite direction, in a Frankenstein way, we are all hoping that, in the end, all the various parts will fit together. There are many reasons why people choose to make their own costume, but if a character is popular and shops sell the costume as a whole, why are we taking the chance to buy parts that may not fit together?
As a kid, I remember being so excited when we would receive costume catalogues from Chasing Fireflies in the mail. There would be spreads of sparkling costumes where, no matter what the character or vibe was, I would have to narrow down my wishlist from fourteen to one. It was challenging to pick just one, and sometimes, another costume from somewhere else would catch my eye, but it was such a convenience to order the majority of an outfit from one place. I don’t doubt that if I could order a costume from those same catalogues now, I would, but there is something really special about designing my own costume. When I say I’m “designing”, I want to make the distinction that I am not day in and day out sewing or rhinestoning a costume – that is a task for creative soldiers.
However, there is something fun about the process of scrapbooking my costume. Looking at different stores and seeing how products could be combined to fit my vision has been a really cool way to involve myself in creating my costume. While exploring this process, I have found three reasons I believe people are drawn to creating their own costumes and not buying them as one in a bag. For some, it’s convenient to buy their whole costume together. For others, the bats, cats and oddly specific characters are staying in their perfect store packaging while creators see if lightning strikes.
Timely
I have become someone who, when I wake up, the first thing I do is check my email. The other day, I had to do a double take when I read the headline that the Louvre had been robbed. It was baffling, but it was even crazier to read that their costumes are what helped them blend in. Even more insane is that, because it’s the height of costume selection season, when I opened TikTok, there were already costume design ideas. Costume jewelry accompanying construction vests, I saw twenty different affordable ways – even more affordable if you were the one who robbed the Louvre – of ways to dress as the robbers.
When you choose to create your own costume, you can make it as recent as you want. If something notable or funny happens in pop culture, like the Louvre being robbed, you can pull together pieces quickly. There is definitely a discussion to be had on fast fashion and how quickly some companies jump to profit off of these moments. Typically, it’s a good idea to spend money on quality clothing that will last for a long time. But if you’re only planning to wear it for just one night, where any type of damage can happen to your costume – it can seem easier and less costly to buy from companies that aren’t typically the best to buy from. Choosing a timely costume can not only be a way to be unique, but it also allows you to quickly pull something together if you’ve put costume shopping to the last minute.
Minimal
Something I’ve heard a lot of people ask about their costumes is, will people know what or who I am? When buying from a store, it’s pretty much guaranteed that people will know. In Mean Girls, Cady said it best, “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Often we want people to know what we are dressed as, but sometimes wearing ears or makeup is the extent people go to convey what they’re trying to be. That’s why a lot of the time, basics can be the best. Basics are something that costume stores and individuals can do really well in replicating or at least generally resembling.
However, in creating your own costume, you can develop or shape a well defined character in a different way. I’m thinking of all the Princess and the Pea, ladybug and Carrie costumes I’ve seen. They don’t require a lot, but it’s the smallest detail or element that can bring the whole costume together. You don’t necessarily need to, “dress like a total slut,” but you don’t have to do everything you can to perfectly emulate what you’re attempting to be. Sometimes you just need ears, face paint, or a clothing piece to pull your outfit together.
Repeat Use – Beyond Halloween
Something that I really took into consideration when picking out clothing or accessories for my costumes was, will I wear this again? I tried to avoid shopping on fast fashion sites – despite a purchase from Zara – and bought from businesses on Etsy. Through not buying from a costume shop, I went for the concept costume route. I had ideas and combined what I already had in my closet with pieces I could either wear again or share with others. This, for me, not only allowed me to create costumes, but add some new staples to my wardrobe.
I think this is one of the largest benefits of designing your own costume. It’s convenient to buy from a shop , but it can be more long-term beneficial to buy pieces you know you’ll wear again. Sure, I’m not going to wear my sheer silver sparkly top everyday, but my more formal skirt and jeans I can wear over and over.
There are so many ways to customize your Halloween costume. These are a few of the reasons why I’ve seen people, and I personally, chose to put together their own outfits. No matter how you go about creating your costume, there’s no shortage of ways to look spooky this Halloween.