Fashion
Plenty of affordable Halloween costumes available for students
October 18, 2012
In “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” Lucy Van Pelt said, “A person should always choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality.”
Halloween is the perfect excuse for dressing up totally different than how you normally dress. There are many popular costumes that reference fashion or pop culture and most of them can be pieced together by finding items at thrift stores or even your closet.
Party stores and online vendors offer endless options of pre-packaged costumes, but they are usually costly.
Holly Golightly, the protagonist of the classic movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” is a popular costume choice year after year.
Her look is easy to replicate: simply wear a black sheath dress, long black gloves, a pearl necklace and a little tiara. Put your hair up and add heavy black eyeliner on your top lash line and you’re done!
Another costume idea from a classic movie is Sandy from “Grease.” Black leggings, a black boat-neck tee or tank top and red heels are all you need for this look.
Add curled hair and a red lip, too. Since the weather is chilly in Wisconsin during Halloween, a black leather jacket could keep you warm and reference the T Birds from the movie.
One of the best costume ideas I have seen on a blog this year is Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale.
“Little Edie” and her mother “Big Edie” were Jacqueline Kennedy’s relatives. They were hoarders and lived in a run-down mansion in the Hamptons.
In 1975 a documentary called “Grey Gardens” was made about the Beales’ lives, and in 2009, an HBO movie also called “Grey Gardens” was made about the filming of the documentary.
The HBO movie starred Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, and I believe they were the perfect “Little Edie” and “Big Edie,” respectively.
A “Little Edie” costume only needs a headscarf and a faux fur coat layered over black clothing. Both items are readily available at thrift stores.
Two costumes that will be especially popular this year are “Catwoman,” from “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Black Widow,” from “The Avengers.”
Both costumes are actually very similar. These are two costumes that are heavily featured in costume stores, but I would recommend just using black leggings, or even better, black coated jeans and pairing it with a black jacket, preferably a faux leather jacket. Don’t forget black stilettos!
The only difference between the costumes is the hair. “Black Widow” has red curly hair, and “Catwoman” has straight brown hair with cat ears and an eye mask, items that are cheap and easily found at party stores.
Also, might I suggest a pearl necklace for “Catwoman?” It would be a nice touch and it would separate Anne Hathaway’s “Catwoman” from the other versions of “Catwoman.”
As for me, I’ve got my costume all ready. I changed my mind several times, but once I realized I already had all the pieces for Wendla Bergman, a character from the Broadway musical “Spring Awakening,” I decided on her.
You can’t beat a costume that didn’t cost a cent! My Wendla costume requires brown oxford shoes, thigh high black socks and a white baby doll dress – all items already in my closet. So now I just need to sit back, carve the pumpkin that’s been sitting in my apartment, and watch the Halloween specials on TV until it’s time to don my costume!
Happy Halloween!
Amanda White is a junior majoring in journalism. She appreciates good books, good style, and good conversation.