Being the busy students that we are, we’ve all found ourselves in that situation where Halloween suddenly creeps up on us and we realise we don’t have any fancy dress ideas. It’s too late to buy something online, plus online costumes usually have a hefty price tag too. The next solution would be to rush to the local fancy dress shop, only to find that all outfits for women look like they’ve come straight out of ‘Mean Girls’ and are way too revealing for a cold October evening. There always seems to be a frustrating variety of male costumes whilst we are left with completely unoriginal sexy pirate or sexy rabbit outfits. The last resort is usually to dust off the old furry ears and go as a cat…again… for the FIFTH time in a row. Don’t despair! Making your own Halloween outfit isn’t as difficult or expensive as you might think. Here are five easy and quick ideas that won’t leave you in horror this Halloween.
Orange is the New Black
The women of Litchfield prison have been stealing our hearts since the series was first released on Netflix, and they are still as relevant and addictive today. Why not pass the time while you wait for the next series to be released by dressing up as your favourite criminal character? Because there are so many different and unique women in the series, there are so many ways you can customise your outfit and it’s a great one if you are dressing up in a group. All you need to do is buy a cheap orange T-Shirt, invest in some handcuffs and create a name badge with your prisoner number and last name. Then add little accents to become your favourite character. Opt for bright red lipstick like Morello, crazy eyeliner like Flaca or colour in your teeth to become Pennsatucky.
Zombie
A zombie costume may seem overdone, but with the rise in popularity of ‘The Walking Dead,’ the idea is still as current as ever and it is actually pretty scary, unlike most Halloween costumes. It’s also really easy to do, especially if you like going all out with Halloween makeup. Wear clothes you already own or buy cheap basics that you don’t mind ripping up a bit, or covering in a bit of fake blood. Buy some creepy contact lenses and then the rest is up to you. The great thing about this costume is that you can be as creative and scary as you want to be and there are plenty of tutorials all over Youtube for you to gather inspiration.
Scream Queens
There has been a lot of buzz around the new television series ‘Scream Queens’ about a group of sorority girls and a mysterious killer. It seems to be the new ‘Pretty Little Liars’ and has a star-studded cast. It has already aired in the US but is set to air the Monday before Halloween in the UK, so you can’t get more current than that! The Scream Queens would make the perfect costume as it combines scary with stylish with an added sense of humour. All you need is a preppy pink sorority outfit, some fake blood and maybe a fake knife from a fancy dress shop which features in the promos. What are you waiting for?
Bad Blood
One of the biggest and most talked about music videos from the past year was Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood.’ Whether you’re a fan or not, you’ve definitely heard about it and what could be more current than Taylor and her celebrity girl squad? This is another great one if you want to go as a group but all want to customise your looks. All you need is an all-black outfit straight out of your wardrobe, some black boots and a smokey eye. Add a bullet belt or a fake gun from a fancy dress shop and the costume is complete.
Kimmy Schmidt
If you have a bright wardrobe, the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt might just be the perfect Halloween outfit for you. Layer bold bright colours to create the perfect look and remember, the more youthful your look the better! A bright yellow cardigan and pink trousers is her most iconic look and similar items could probably be found in most low priced fashion retailers. You could even get your friends to dress up as some of the other characters like Titus in a robe with a bottle of Pinot Noir, or Xanthippe in an edgy moody teen inspired outfit.
Creating your own Halloween costumes can be easy and inexpensive, especially if you use your own clothes or buy low-cost versions of characters signature looks. You can choose any of your favourite characters or TV personalities and customise the outfits yourself with only a few items. Ditch the skimpy expensive and outdated outfits and be as creative and up-to-date as you want to be this Halloween! Good Luck!
Edited by Lucy Jackman
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