Nobody ever wants to be the jerk that shows up to a Halloween party without a costume. But sometimes, life gets in the way and you find yourself struggling at the last minute to come up with a costume that looks like you actually had a plan, without actually planning or spending a lot of money. I am an expert in this particular dilemma, so I’ve compiled some ideas to help you figure out what to wear to that party Friday night with minimal cost and effort.
1. Rosie the RiveterRosie is my favorite emergency costume. You can be Rosie completely with things in your apartment or dorm, or things you borrow from your friends!Step 1 – Find some sort of blue shirt that isn’t a t-shirt. I’ve found that a button down blue shirt looks best.Step 2 – Get a red bandana. You might not have this one lying around, but if you have an old red t-shirt, you can cut it up and tie it around your head.Step 3 – Get red lipstick. If you don’t own any and your friends aren’t about to share their lipstick and diseases with you, there is perfectly sufficient red lipstick at Duane Reade that costs $0.99.
Pros: You get to look cute and talk to people about feminism all night when they ask you what you’re dressed as.Cons: This is a popular last minute and minimal costume, so you might run into several different Rosies throughout your night. Avoid them, because you don’t want to make them feel bad if you look amazing and they look good but put in more effort than you.
2. LordeYou can just buy a fake headset microphone and be “a pop star” but that’s incredibly lame. If you go as a specific pop star, not only is it more fun, but you’ll look like you actually tried. Lorde is distinct enough that you can easily dress up as her, but she doesn’t give too much effort in her look, therefore you don’t have to either!Step 1 – Make your hair absolutely crazy. There are many ways to do this and it’ll depend on what your own hair is like, especially if it’s not naturally curly. You can just not wash or brush it for a couple of days, you can braid it or tie it up the night before and sleep on it, or just mess it up however you see fit.Step 2 – Google Image search “Lorde clothes.” Look at what she wears and then find something in your closet that looks closest to it. Remember, she’s a 17-year-old girl. We all probably have clothes similar to Lorde.Step 3 – Wear the darkest possible lipstick you can find; either black or dark purple. I again am going to suggest the $0.99 lipstick area of Duane Reade, CVS, or wherever your nearest pharmacy is.
Pros: You get to have people address you as Queen Bee all night. It’s also an incredible honor to dress up as one of the most incredible pop stars of our time.Cons: If you are at a party with a Beyoncé (or actual Beyoncé), nobody is calling you Queen Bee. Also, haters can and will say stupid things to you in reference to Lorde’s music and dancing and everything else.
*Special Note: I am dressing as Lorde for Halloween so if you run into me and you’re dressed as Lorde, we are going to have to battle and probably have a karaoke session.
3. Dead Person/Zombie/Bloody PersonThis is the most “traditional Halloween” costume you could wear unless you show up as a ghost or a pumpkin. If you’re really into makeup and have a large makeup collection, this is the choice for you.Step 1 – Get out all of your makeup and figure out what stuff you have that can make your face dead/zombie/bloody looking. This is your chance to be creative!Step 2 – Figure out the clothes. If you want to go as a zombie, just get whatever articles of clothing you own that are the most ripped and ratty. If you want to go as a bloody person/dead person/accident victim/something else along those lines, you can just put on a t-shirt that you don’t like and then spill some fruit punch on it. (If you are legally able to get your hands on wine, the staining will work so much better). Some drugstores also sell little watercolor sets that would have red, as well.
Pros: This is the most festive costume. Also, depending on your closet, this one might end up being the most comfortable.Cons: A lot of things happen on Halloween, and if at some point in the night you end up crying, your makeup will be ruined, the costume will be destroyed, and you will just look like a sloppy mess.
4. Ariana GrandeThis is the same deal as with Lorde earlier. Don’t just be a pop star, be a specific pop star! Ariana is an easy one as well.Step 1 – Look at all of your clothes and pick the outfit that looks the most like something a small child would wear. Think sequins, glitter, and big skirts you can twirl in.Step 2 – Put the top half of your hair up into a pony tail. Keep the lower half down. Boom. That’s it. Every time I see her she has that hairstyle.
Pros: By being Ariana, you are also giving yourself the right to act like a diva and treat people badly the entire evening. Also your hair won’t get in your face.Cons: If you’re trying to hook up with someone on Halloween, dressing up like a child might not be the best idea for you.
5. Candy CornThis costume only is going to work if you already have the clothes that make it (or feel like going out and buying them), but if you do, it’ll look like you put so much more effort into it than you did.Step 1 – White Pants. If you own female reproductive organs AND a pair of white pants, please know that you are already a winner.Step 2 – An orange shirt – real orange, please. Don’t show up in a blood orange t-shirt and try and tell me you are candy corn.Step 3 – Yellow something. I personally would wear a yellow hat, but if you don’t have one, this is going to be the tricky part of the costume. You could also paint your face yellow, or if you are really lazy, just say that your blonde hair is the yellow part.Step 4 – Buy a bag of candy corn and carry it around with you the entire night. This is not just important to help people figure out your costume, but mostly you will have a delicious snack with you at all times that you have absolutely no obligation to share with anybody.
Pros: You will have a delicious snack with you at all times.Cons: If you don’t do this right, it’ll look like you just threw clothes on and ran out the door and decided on your way to the party that you were candy corn. You will also have to deal with people asking you for candy all night.
These all are only suggestions, as I support any and all last minute Halloween costumes. Feel free to add your own spin to these or completely ignore this list and go buy a real costume. The choice is yours! Whatever you dress up as for Halloween, just remember Brooke’s Three Don’ts:
Don’t appropriate any cultures.Don’t slut shame anyone.Don’t dress up as Santa.
Happy Halloween!