With spooky season in full swing and Halloween under way, many students have been planning their costumes for weeks, if not months.
If you aren’t one of these well-prepared, ahead-of-the-game people, don’t fret. You won’t have to be a devil, cat or witch for the third year in a row. Here are some last minute, cheap and easy Halloween costume ideas that you can throw together from simple, thrift shop finds.
Tina Belcher from “Bob’s Burgers”
$9 (if you already own Converse)
Any “Bob’s Burgers” fans out there?
Dressing up as Tina for Halloween is pretty straightforward. You’ll need a blue t-shirt, a navy blue skirt, some white tube socks, a pair of converse, a yellow clip and glasses.
Throw in some awkward quips about boys, butts and being in middle school, and the look is complete.
Wednesday Addams
$5
This one is really simple, iconic and you probably have everything you need on hand.
Put on a long sleeve black shirt, a black skirt and black tights. You can substitute it for a black dress if you want. Add a collared, white long-sleeve shirt under if you have one for that iconic Wednesday Addams look. Finally, add in two braids with some black eyeshadow and black lipstick.
This costume might be on the boys’ minds, but the only thing on yours will be homicide.
The Brawny Man
$2
A plaid, red shirt.
That’s it.
That’s all you need to be the Brawny Man this Halloween.
What makes this costume great is how recognizable it is on first glance.
If you’re feeling inspired, pick up a pack of Brawny paper towels on your way to the party and you have perfected the totally unsponsored look.
Men in Black
$10
Who isn’t a fan of Will Smith in “Men in Black” or Will Smith in general?
You can look just like him by putting together a black suit with a thin black tie, a pair of sunglasses and holding up a silver pen.
Thrift shops usually carry an array of blazers and dress pants, which should be paired with a white dress shirt. They might not fit perfectly, but it’ll get the point across in proper late ‘90s manner.
While this costume might be a bit more elaborate than the rest, it will definitely make up for you violating all of those intergalactic treaties.
“Risky Business”
$4
All you need to emulate Tom Cruise in “Risky Business” is three items: A white collared dress shirt, a pair of sunglasses and some socks. Not only is this probably your easiest option, it’s likely the cheapest, too.
You’ll be gliding across The Steer’s sticky floor all night long.
Damien from “Mean Girls”
$7
Somebody wise once said, “In the real world, Halloween is when kids dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In girl world, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total s--t and no other girls can say anything else about it."
But rather than opt for the classic recreation of the Plastics, we’re focusing on an underrated “Mean Girls” character: Damien.
Find a blue hoodie and some black sunglasses for this one. Put your hood up and pull the strings tight so only your sunglasses show.
Bonus points if you spend all night screaming, “She doesn’t even go here!”
Juno and Paulie from “Juno”
$15
For all the “Juno” fans who still remain out there, this costume is the one for you.
For Juno, you’ll need an orange striped shirt, a black zip-up sweatshirt, a pair of jeans and a flare skirt. Throw a pillow under your shirt and you’re set.
As for Paulie, you’ll need a maroon athletic shirt (track shirt if possible), short yellow shorts and a yellow sweatband. Throw in a ukelele or a jug of orange juice and this iconic duo will have everyone laughing and secretly panicking over the thought of teen pregnancy.
Cards Against Humanity
$5
This iconic game took the world by storm and you’ll do the same to any crowded bar.
One person writes the line you’ve chosen from the game on a black sheet of paper and dresses up in all black.
The other writes down the answer or fills in the blank on a white sheet of paper and dresses in all white. It may be effortless, but it’ll leave everyone around you wishing they did the same.
Tourists
$3
Grab your friend group because you’re going on a trip this Halloween, or at least you’ll look like you are.
Everyone will need a Hawaiian shirt or an “I Love NY” shirt to complete the tourist look. From there, you can mix it up. Add a bucket hat, camera, binoculars, map or fanny pack. You’ll look like you’re fresh off the bus on the way to the Big Apple.
Be careful though, you will also look super easy to rob.
Cast of “Holes”
$6
For this one, you will need an orange jumpsuit (or orange pants if you don’t have one on hand) and a white t-shirt or tank top.
Tie the arms of the jumpsuit around your waist or let them hang down by your sides. Then get a jug of water and put it on a string. Write your character’s name or nickname on the front of it and wear it like a necklace. Add a bandana or a hat to spice it up.
Now you’re ready to start digging holes in the desert like Shia LaBeouf and you may end up running from yellow-spotted lizards all night. But it’s worth the commitment.
Chloe Ferney is a staff writer and can be reached at Features@UBSpectrum.com.
