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5 Clothing Items You Already Own to Craft a Last-Minute Costume

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

Autumn is arguably one of the best times of the year. With the spooky season upon us, so too are scary movies, pumpkin carving, and Halloween. In an effort to be sustainable, save money, or create a last-minute costume, assembling the right pieces entirely from your closet can be difficult.

As much as we all try to plan, the chaos of costumes is a yearly occurrence. Here are some unassuming pieces that might already be in your closet with major potential to create the cutest Halloween costumes:

Leopard Print

Leopard Print tops and skirts have been on the rise with us embracing our inner Y2K aesthetic. This trendy piece can be used in a literal sense by dressing up as a leopard. Simply add cute cat ears or pigtails if you don’t have any, and throw on some leopard makeup to perfectly accessorize the outfit.

Another easy, rushed costume is more figurative. The “party animal” costume is a fun play on words with you dressed in animal prints with the addition of party accessories like party hats. This outfit will allow you to be more creative with bright colors and fun accessories, embracing the fun of Halloween.

Red Dress

A simple red dress can go a long way. Regardless of the vibe you’re trying to achieve, a red dress is so versatile for even the best classic costumes. One with a bit more accessories is a figurative chef’s kiss. The creative combination of a red dress, chef hat, an apron, and a pop of red lip will guarantee compliments and be a perfect conversation starter.

Classic costumes with a red dress are typically vampires, but one figure in fantasy that deserves a role in the classic Halloween costumes is Cupid. With a red dress and angel wings, this outfit can be the easiest to get the pieces for.

Denim Shorts
@libbygoldring

The trio @Hayley🌸 @Jessie🍒 minions #fyp #besties

♬ som original – GĂŞmeas Castro

Even though summer is over, it’s time to bring your denim shorts out again. The best, most recognizable way to dress these into a costume is to pair them with a yellow top. Instantly, you’ll transform into a minion from the iconic Despicable Me. Goggles and a banana would complete the look.

With a classic red shirt and denim shorts or overall shorts with a red bandana, you can recreate the main character, Maxine, in MaXXXine. To fully duplicate the outfit and aesthetic, you can add some fake blood or a fake weapon, fully symbolizing her character.

Black Tie

The Magic Mike series has inspired last-minute costumes that look flawless whether or not it was pulled together within five minutes. Pair it with denim jeans, a backward hat, a white tank, and a tie, and you’re golden. With many of these pieces being timeless articles for everyday, casual wear, this is a simple costume.

You can tap into your inner Men in Black vibe with a black tie, professional clothes like a white button-down, and a black skirt. Even with some friends, this could easily be a matching costume, given how accessible the parts of the costume are.

Pink tank

From the iconic pilot of Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw sports a pink tank top and a fluffy white skirt. With only a two-piece costume and some curled hair, the duplication of a fashion and TV icon is complete.

In the theme of pink, wearing an all-pink outfit and some pink cat ears, you have The Pink Panther. With the nostalgia and playfulness that come with the outfit, it’ll surely be a charming throwback.

All these costumes are based on clothing from your closet with a few accessories to encapsulate the vibe of whomever you’re trying to reimagine. Still out of luck? There’s an app named Raide, where you can rent pieces of clothes that others post. You should check to see if your imagined costume can be gathered or scroll for inspiration.

Remember, it’s all in the details! No matter how you decide to put your costume together for Halloween, have fun and be safe!

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Hi! My name is Hanna Remtulla and I am from Winter Springs, Florida. Currently I am studying Political Science and Finance at Florida State University. My perfect day includes pilates, reading, playing pickleball, drinking kombucha, and watching the TV show New Girl. I am so grateful to be apart of the Her Campus community and am very excited to share my writing with you all!