Six Not-So-Spooky Last-Minute Costume Ideas

A perfect mix of trendy and classic costumes, get ready to dress to impress at every Halloween extravaganza!

Amongst the bustle and stress of midterms, Halloweekend has snuck up on us! If you spent more time in Butler Library than in your dorm this week and didn’t have time to put together the perfect costume, we’ve got your back! Here are six budget-friendly and easy costume ideas, covering both the latest trends and timeless classics.

Barbie

As all Barnard baddies know, Barbie was the movie of the summer thanks to alumna Greta Gerwig ‘06. What could be a more perfect way to pay homage to this cultural icon than a cute and simple costume?

Consider these combos:

• Grab a pink t-shirt and head to the Barnard Design Center, located in Milstein Library on the first floor. With the help of staff, you can iron on the famous “Barbie” logo for FREE! Pair it with any skirt, a high ponytail, and pink lipstick. 

• Are you a fan of the “Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper” movie? Put on a pink dress, plastic tiara, and gold jewelry to be royalty for the night. If you’re looking to make this a duo costume, grab a friend to be the blue-dressed Erika to your pink-dressed Annalise and recreate this iconic moment!

Princess Mia from The Princess Diaries

From the cult classic movie, The Princess Diaries, this costume captures the timeless beauty of Princess Mia, AKA Anne Hathaway. The story of a normal, ordinary girl transformed into the Princess of Genovia is inspiring to everyone! So, as a homage to everyone’s favorite princess,  grab some accessories and dress up as Princess Mia for this Halloween! 

Consider these styling tips:

• Any white dress convenient to grab will do the trick! Join the Royal Thermopolis family (with Queen Clarisse’s approval) draped in your favorite white fabrics and showing off that elegant princess style!
• With the dress, don’t forget to add on some black sunglasses and put on any pair of headphones. Fully immerse yourself in the iconic character that is ordinary Princess Mia.
• Princess Mia shows all of us that any girl is capable of being a princess, so make sure you crown yourself with a tiara to finish the costume!

Wednesday Addams 

With the dance that has been taking over Tiktok, dressing as Wednesday Addams is an extremely trendy costume idea that is both cute and spooky. Fashioning a full black outfit and intense makeup, this costume is perfect for the season!

Consider these styling tips:

• First, the hair is essential in getting Wednesday Addams right. Make sure to put your hair into two slick, tight braids. If you have bangs, you’ll match Jenna Ortega’s adaptation perfectly! However, no worries if you don’t, the original is just as celebrated!
• The outfit is very flexible and anyone can easily recreate it!  Just wear any long-sleeved black shirt and a pair of black pants. Bonus points, if you have white collar that you can layer or attach on top of the black long-sleeved shirt! 
• The makeup is very important in completing this look! Some renditions use a lighter hand with the black eye shadow and lipstick, so feel free to abide by your own personal preferences. Some iconic looks that you can consider are a black smokey eye, thick eyebrows, and black lipstick. 

Cat

There are only two essential items needed to pull off a successful cat costume: a little black dress (LBD) and black eyeliner to draw whiskers. Feel free to let your creativity run wild and layer LOTS of accessories with this look!

• Consider pairing it with some fishnet tights and over-the-knee boots to add different texture and dimension. 
• In terms of makeup, consider a smokey eyeshadow look, maeve blush, and black or maroon lipstick to compliment your dark clothing.
• Lastly, grab some black or glittery nail tip extensions to serve as both your “claws” and a fun accessory! 

Witch

A witch Halloween costume follows the basic ideas of the previous cat one with a lot of flexibility for you to jazz it up! The only item you really need is the witch hat! Use as many accessories as you want and create your own unique version of a witch!

Consider these styling tips:

• Wear any dress of your choice! Keeping to the themes of a witch, a purple, green, or black dress would be a great choice! Layer on fishnets, chunky rings, or other accessories to make the outfit your own!
• For the makeup, blend dark colors of purple, green, and black together to accentuate the spookiness! Witches are a very broad costume idea, so feel free to explore any color combination you like and transform yourself into any version of a witch!
• Lastly, for extra fun, get an old broom that you can use as your fashionable “vehicle” to ride around Halloween night with!  

Mouse

As eloquently said by Karen Smith from the movie Means Girls, “I’m a mouse… duh!”. Quickly order some ears from Amazon, borrow your dorm neighbor’s headband, or subway to your nearest Spirit Halloween. Because the ears are the highlight of this costume, most clothing combinations will work. However, in the spirit of Karen Smith, I would recommend pairing it with a short dress, a pink ribbon tied around your waist, and bright red lipstick.

These quick and easy Halloween costumes will save you time and effort while still making sure you look absolutely SPOOK-tacular this Halloweekend!