The Broke Bitch’s Guide To a Dope Halloween Costume
Planning a Halloween costume is fun and exciting, but it can also be expensive af. Especially for something that you may only wear for one night and then never look at again.
Since you’ve got other important shit to spend your money on (billz, burritos, wi-fi) we’ve got your guide to creating a dope ass Halloween costume for little to no dinero. Thank us later.
1. Amazon Is Your New BFF
Sure, you could go to American Apparel or the mall for a sexy leotard and metallic spandex shorts, but you could also check Amazon. They have a goldmine of cheap-ass costume-y stuff and lingerie, some of which is available for Prime shipping if you waited until the last minute. Be careful, because if it’s not available for Prime shipping, it might be coming from China or somewhere in East Asia, which means that it could take forever. But as long as you check the shipping and the reviews, you should be golden. If anything, it’s just more of a reason to plan your costume in advance.
2. Scour Your Local Thrift Shops
Searching a thrift store for something specific can be anxiety-inducing. Instead, try going with an open mind and seeing what you come up with. If thrift shops are too much for you, try meeting somewhere in the middle. Stores like Buffalo Exchange stock costumes for Halloween, most of which include accessories and are a fraction of the original price. An added bonus is that the costumes are likely older, which means you won’t be wearing the same thing as any of your friends.
3. Utilize Your Makeup Skills
If you’re a makeup-savvy chick, you can probably create an entire costume based around your makeup rather than wasting money on clothes. Check out some tutorials from your fave beauty bloggers for inspo, then plan your clothing around whatever you’re doing with your face. Zombie or skull makeup calls for an all-black ensemble, whereas alien makeup calls for something bright and metallic. Doing a full out makeup look may take you slightly longer than it would take you to run into your local store and buy a slutty French maid costume, but it’ll be zero dollars if you already have the all the makeup that you need.
4. Have a Costume Swap
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: have a costume swap night with your girlfriends (or your sorority, or your co-workers). It’s an excuse to drink wine and try on cute outfits, plus you’ll get more use out of the slutty bumble bee costume you wasted money on last year while also getting a new costume fo free!
5. Check Your Own Closet
Sometimes you get so excited about the cute costumes you see on Yandy that you forget about the shit you already have in your own closet. That black pleather bodysuit would be perfect for a cat-woman look. Your old cheer costume from high school could make a fun zombie cheerleader look…or maybe Jennifer from Jennifer’s Body? If you’re not living at home, think of all the random shit that’s still in your bedroom at your parents house and see if your mom can send it to you.
6. Comparison Shop
If you really want one of those pre-packaged costumes that you get at the Halloween store (although we’re not sure why you would), check online before paying the in-store price. Lots of costumes are cheaper online, even after you add on the shipping rate. You can also check Ebay or sites like Vinted to see if the costume is being sold on there.
