Halloween Costume Guide

Halloween is just two weeks away and that has had me thinking about costumes. I absolutely love Halloween and one of the many reason why is that it's the one night of the year I can still play dress up and "pretend" as an adult.

The way I see it, there are two ways to go about costume ideas - store-bought or homemade.

Store Bought Costumes

This can be a tricky choice. On one hand, you can find some nice costumes that won't break your budget if you research or know where to look. Just make sure you don't get suckered into a pricey but cheap disaster!

Source: Spirithalloween.com

       (1)   READ REVIEWS
I suggest reading product reviews on websites. This was you can figure out what sort of quality the material is made of, what the sizes run, ect. I have had the luck to buy costumes from a few stores that were well made. However, last year I made the mistake of just buying one as a frantic "It's the week of Halloween and I have nothing!" purchase. When I got home I was dismayed to find it made of the thinnest material possible and very itchy. But I couldn't return it due to opening the package! Reviews are your friend!

       (2)   SHOP AROUND
If you are an online shopper, it really helps to look around different sites. If you have a particular costume in mind, you can use Google to see if it's cheaper anywhere else! While you need to account for shipping times and rates, sometimes the prices can fluctuate up to $20 or more! That's saving.

Don't forget about Ebay! You can usually find costumes at a low price on there. I will admit I have been hesitant in the past because my thinking was that those were defected but they're not! I've bought two really nice costumes on Ebay - brand new - for half the price I would have spent on a costume site. But again - read reviews of the seller and check shipping rates! Research is key.

       (3)   COUPON CODES
Keep your eye out for those coupon codes! RetailMeNot.com is a life saver sometimes. Type in a site you are contemplating a purchase from and see if you can get it cheaper! These online coupons can be a percentage off 1 item or even free shipping after spending a certain amount.

       (4)   BRICK AND MORTAR STORES
If, for whatever reason, you don't want to buy a costume online I would still stress to read reviews if that store happens to have a website. Some stores offer you the option to try on costumes to make sure they fit well. (Party City is one store.) I would take them up on that offer! You want to be sure you love it before you buy it.

Homemade Costumes

Now, when I say homemade I don't mean handmade where there's sewing involved. I stink at sewing! But just because you choose not to buy a costume from a store (because, honestly, quite a few look silly!) doesn't mean you can't have fun. Below are the costumes Husband and I wore last year and they were homemade.

       (1)   GATHER IDEAS
The first think you want to do is, obviously, come up with an idea of what you want to dress as. Easy choices are characters from books, TV shows, and movies. Indiana Jones, Velma from Scooby Doo, Mary Poppins... with some effort, anything can be achieved!

       (2)   THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Maybe you don't want to be a character at all! You can get creative (and clever) by going as an idea or object. This may require a bit more craftiness as you most probably will have to make the costume rather than slapping together some clothes and accessories. Don't get too discouraged as there are still easy options. (And sometimes it's fun to try your hand at a craft.) Coolest-homemade-costumes.com has hundreds of ideas! Another lifesaver for ideas is Pinterest. You can find entire boards on this!

       (3)   GO HUNTING
Thrift stores are your friend. They should be where you start. Not only can you get clothes/pieces there cheap but the variety is amazing! Use a few different photos for inspiration or reference and take off to your nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army. You may not find an exact fit to what you want to achieve but be open-minded and again, use a couple of photos for reference. The costumes Husband and I made last year were 99% from thrift shops. (I had to buy my wig.)


No matter how you get your costume this Halloween, I hope that you enjoy the day and feel fabulous with your choice! Remember, we're all just kids on Halloween so Trick-Or-Treat!