It's that time of the year again. The temperature is regularly dropping below fifty degrees, people have traded in athletic shorts for sweatpants, and the sun is starting to go down earlier. Fall is probably my favorite season and with fall comes Halloween. When I was younger, I used to spend months thinking about what I was going to be but as I've gotten older, Halloween has become more of an afterthought and I am usually scrambling to think of a costume. That's why I have come up with five easy costumes that you can either make entirely with things found in your closet or that require minimal spending.
Cowboy or Cowgirl
This is a classic costume and is so easy to make if you have a couple of wardrobe staples. You only need a flannel shirt, a pair of jeans (ripped or unripped I prefer ripped though), a bandana which is pretty cheap, and a cowboy hat if you feel that you need one. This used to be my go to when I had to hand out candy at home when I was in high school and it's perfect if you are a procrastinator and don't feel like spending more than $10 on your costume.
Athlete
By Reese Bernstein
I am not going to lie, I have only done this costume when I am really struggling to come up with anything else but it's super easy and counts as a costume. All you need is a jersey or some sort of shirt for a sports team, athletic shorts, high white socks, and maybe eyeliner so you can draw black lines under your eyes to look like eye black. This costume is one that I would use if you have five minutes to think of a costume but it gets the job done.
Angel or Devil
While these costumes are ones that are usually done with a lot of planning, you can still pull these off at the last minute. This costume requires a white shirt and white pants if you are an angel and a red shirt and red or black pants if you are a devil (because honestly, how many people own red pants). A trip to the local drug store will be needed and there you are almost guaranteed to find a halo or devils ears for at the most $5. This is probably my favorite last minute costume because it looks like you put in some effort when really, you didn't.
A Tourist
Reese Bernstein
Unfortunately, this costume will probably cost you some money but it is one that you can put together last minute. You probably will need a bucket hat and a fanny pack which can all probably be found at your local drug store. That along with flip flops, shorts of some kind, and a glob of white paint on your nose to look like sunscreen will have you looking like you are about to get severely sunburned on a Family Vacation. A Hawaiian shirt would also solidify your tourist status but it isn't necessary.
Frat Guy
If you would like to look like a Brad or Chad this Halloween, now is your chance. You will need a long-sleeved collared shirt, a pair of athletic shorts, long white socks (bonus points if they are Nike), and a backward baseball cap. This costume is one that I will probably be doing this year because it requires minimal spending and actually looks like I put some thought into what I am wearing when really, I haven't.
While this Halloween season will look very different due to Covid, dressing up even if it's just with your family or the people you are living with and eating candy will still be fun and give some sense of normalcy during this difficult time. Hopefully next year we can return to going to parties and having normal Halloween's but this year, safety is important. I hope this was helpful and that everyone has a happy and safe Halloween!
