It’s that time of year again folks… Spooky season is upon us already, and Halloween is next weekend! As a college student in 2022, this means finding picture perfect costumes for every event and party. However, as we all know, putting together costumes is not as easy as it may seem. Putting together the perfect costume requires time, energy, and money, all of which us college students are constantly strapped for. However, as a senior, I have 3 big tips that make the costume process a lot easier and cheaper.
Use Social Media: Pinterest & Tik Tok
Whenever I need inspiration, Pinterest is the first place I go. The app is loaded with hundreds of ideas for Halloween costumes, and after some looking you are destined to find an idea you love. Similarly, I always seem to find inspiration on Tik Tok.
While it may not be as easy to actively search for costume ideas on this app, my “for you page” this week is overloaded with girls who are wearing the cutest costumes. For example, I saw a girl who was dressed as Lava girl, a super easy costume, as all she did was spray her hair pink and wear a pink matching set.
Repurpose items you already have
This tip I cannot emphasize enough, do not waste your time and money shopping for new items, when you can make a costume out of stuff already in your wardrobe. After browsing for inspiration online, take a look in your closet, and see if there are any pieces you can use to make into a costume. This tip saved me this Halloweekend, it helped me make two of my costumes, both of which I love. The first costume is a sailor, super simple and so easy. I went into my closet and looked for anything nautical and found a pinstripe skirt and a navy blue bodysuit, perfect for the theme. After I found my outfit, all I had to do was buy a $9 sailors hat from Amazon. It really doesn’t get easier than that! My second costume is an 80s aerobics outfit. I have been wanting to do this costume for a while, and I’m so glad it came together this year. I put this costume together by putting together pink leggings, a scrunchy, and a jean jacket I already owned combined with a $16 bodysuit for Amazon, which again was super easy and inexpensive!
Exchange/borrow stuff from friends
If you cannot seem to find any inspiration from the items currently in your closet, ask a friend! In a college dorm there are plenty of girls who live in a hall, so just ask around to see if a friend may have a piece you need for a costume. One of my friends is a blonde and was looking to do a couples costume with her boyfriend who has dark hair. After looking on Pinterest, she had the idea to be Sandy from the movie Grease. This costume is easy since she’s already blonde, so all she needed was Sandy’s all black outfit and a red lip. She already owned the leather pants, but did not have an off the shoulder black top, so she asked around our hall, and it turns out another one of our friends had one that she happily exchanged. Ultimately, my friend was able to make her Sandy Costume for free, such a score!