Halloween is just around the corner, which means candy, parties, seeing friends, and suiting yourself up with a cute and unique costume! Being in your 20s now, your costume really matters. It'll be something people will remember you by, and a way to stay memorable is to make your own! Here are the stages of grief you'll experience when you decide to get creative.

1. Seeing the price tag on the pre-made costume you were planning on buying.

You know from past experience that a $30 Rick Grimes costume is essentially made out of felt glued onto some awful synthetic fabric, and that you can’t actually ever use it again (unless you count that sheriff’s hat…).

In any case, you’ve decided this year that if you’re going to invest in a costume, it may as well be something nice. How expensive can decent fabric be, anyway…?

2. Assessing your skills.

You’re good at writing words on paper. School taught you to be a good note-taker. You’re good at… communicating. You like to watch other people be artistic; you’re good at appreciating other people’s work.

Oh, but you don’t know the first thing about sewing. You watch a tutorial video that looks easy, and it feels more promising after that.

3. The fabric store (oh, God).

This is new territory. There are all kinds of fabric of all different textures, and the only thing separating them appear to be names such as “Mystic Purple” or “Pumpkin Shandy.” Why would anyone name a fabric after beer? They’re all on theses strange cardboard rolls, too… This is when you learn that you can’t take the roll and run; it has to be cut to a certain length. Dear God, the tutorial video never told you how much you would need…

You take it to a counter where you have to take a number because there are so many other people and you’re surrounded by grumbling, grumpy old women. (But you don’t blame them because this store makes you feel grumpy, too.) The store clerk doesn’t know how to help you, either, having never attempted such a project themselves. You struggle to make a decision as old women give you death stares for taking too long. You hastily order two yards of everything, hoping you won’t have to (ever) come back.

4. Matching the tutorial to real life.

This is the part where you wish you did research before going out to the store. Who knew clothes-building would be so hard? The girl in the tutorial is vague and skinny and only shows you how to do things once and then speeds it up like it’s easy. You hesitantly bring the scissors to the fabric, knowing one wrong cut will send you back to the fabric store.

5. The hours of work.

It really shouldn’t be this hard, but you sat there for four hours and you’re still only a sixth of the way done. No wonder the tutu on Etsy cost $83; this is back-breaking work.

6. The labor on your hands.

You may be tying, sewing, gluing, or all of the above, but doing any of it for long enough leaves you with some serious hand cramps and some pricks or cuts. You know it’s all in the name of a good project, and you hope to heaven that all your work will not be in vain.

7. Accessory and make-up hunting.

Your local Halloween store is unfortunately not enough. The staff know nothing about what make-up goes best on the body and don’t have the accessories you need. You could order online, but Halloween is sooner than you would like it to be… You visit three stores before you opt for similar-but-not-exactly-the-same jewelry and call it good.

8. Fabric store, take two.

Despite your best efforts, two yards of everything was simply not enough. You’ve snipped, stitched, tied, and glued all you possibly can, but it’s still not sufficient. At least you know what you’re looking for this time.

The staff is unhelpful. You hate being that person, but “Eggplant” is simply not going to be the same as “Mystic Purple.” One shade off and you’ll look like a patchwork scarecrow. Not the look you’re going for when you want to be elegant. You end up going to another fabric store that has your shade and order double what you ordered before (just to be safe).

9. Looking at the price of your costume overall.

Now that you're looking at it, it would have cost just about the same amount of money and a lot less effort to just buy your costume pre-made. The truth is heartbreaking sometimes.

10. The finished product.

You knew all this effort was going somewhere. True to the artist stereotype, despite the time it took to create, you’re still not happy with it. It may not be how you hoped it would turn out, but darn it if you’re not still proud. You made that with your own two hands.

Will your Halloween costume still have use after Halloween? Probably not, but hey, you really made something there. Don’t be shy; go out and show it off. You’ve got bragging rights now.

Whether or not you actually made your costume, I bet you’ll look fab. Have a fun and safe Halloween!