It’s the night before the Halloween party. You are sitting on your bedroom floor with approximately 10 outfits laid out in front of you. Some look vaguely like costumes—especially that bathrobe you wear when you dye your hair that looks like a Jedi robe. Yet, you are still utterly stuck; there is no way you’re going to come up with a costume before tomorrow.
Most people have been there. This year, with Halloween on a Wednesday, there’s twice as many fun weekend activities to attend in this celebration of the spooky. If you’re lost for ideas, here are a few costumes you can whip up in record time with the clothing and supplies already in your dorm.
As a bonus, included in this article is a step-by-step guide to making a more complex costume out of dollar store supplies in case you want to get fancy.
1. The Tourist: The list of supplies is simple: jean shorts, running shoes, sun glasses and a tacky Hawaiian shirt. The Tourist is a fun, easy character that will amuse your friends and maybe make you wanted in several states for being annoying.
2. The Ancient Greek God (or Goddess): This costume is an “oldie but a goodie,” so to speak. There’s no sewing or time commitment, though you must be willing to sacrifice an old white sheet to the cause. Take your sheet, cut a big hole in the middle and tie it off around your waist with a piece of cord. You can get creative on the wrapping style and shove a few leaves in your hair to get the full effect.
3. Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”: This reference might be outdated, but it’s iconic enough to get a kudos at any party. All you need is a white button-up, white calf-length socks and some killer sunglasses. We do ask that you wear white shorts for this one; walking around in boxers might get you in trouble.
4. Where’s Waldo: While silly, this is one of the easiest costumes to put together. A red-and-white striped shirt, a matching hat and a pair of black glasses. Plus, you can enjoy hiding from people all night as part of the gag.
5. Scarecrow: Luckily, it’s fall, so you’ve already unpacked all of your flannel shirts in preparation for the season. Take one of those and pair it with a nice pair of blue jeans and boots. Then, with non-toxic face paint, draw the classic scarecrow stitches along the corners of your mouth. A straw hat is recommended, but not required.
In the end, it’s all about having fun and not taking yourself too seriously. Halloween should be a fun, inexpensive time to eat sugary food and hang out with your friends. So grab whatever is in your closet, get creative and go out into the night this Halloween.
