Despite the plethora of Halloween kitsch that hits stores long before the October holiday, designing a good costume always seems like a serious undertaking. Today, we give you 11 ideas for costumes that require little more than wardrobe staples you already own and a handful of accessories you can find on the cheap. From classic stock characters to modern movie figures, this list features costume interpretations that are flattering and comfortable. We break down the basics of each look, but feel free to wear additional pieces you deem fitting!
Rosie the Riveter
Who: The cultural icon that encouraged women to volunteer during World War II
What you need: Your favorite denim shirt, a red bandana and the confidence to flex your guns!
Denim shirt and red bandana? Easy costume … boom! Done!
Rosie the Riveter | Image credit: Wikipedia
Cat Lady
Who: The lady next door (or perhaps an estranged aunt), who spends her time in tacky knit sweaters, oversized denim and the company of her cats
What you need: Cat sweater, high-waisted jeans, white sneakers and a cat
Cat sweater, Mom jeans, and a stuffed cat create the perfect Cat Lady costume
Mona Lisa
Who: The famous lady with the elusive smile painted by Leonardo da Vinci
What you need: A large, empty frame, a peasant blouse and a wrap
Gold frame, renaissance blouse, black shawl … a work of art!
Three simple ingredients are the perfect recipe for this costume classic. Image credit: Amazon.com
Fortune Teller
Who: The creepy character who looks into a crystal ball to reveal your life’s pending fortune … or misfortune
What you need: Head wrap or towel twist, gold jewelry, patterned shawl
Your future looks festive with an amazingly easy costume: Head wrap, gold hoop earrings, gold statement necklace and a tasseled shawl
Image credit: slorenlaboy.deviantart.com
Mime
Who: Vintage Parisian street actor who performs without speech
What you need: A black-and-white striped shirt, suspenders, a black beret, white gloves and face paint
Striped shirt, Suspenders and a beret speak loud and clear. Just add white gloves!
Image credit: londontown.com
Where’s Waldo?
Who: The striped-clad children’s book character who travels the world leaving his belongings behind
What you need: A red-and-white striped shirt, hat, glasses and blue jeans.
Red and white striped shirt, blue jeans, hat and glasses, and you have a stand-out costume.
Image credit: prince-books.com
Wednesday Addams
Who: The stoic daughter of the Addams Family
What you need: A black dress with white collar, braids and a scowl
All you need is a simple black dress with a white collar.
Image credit: wednesday—addams.tumblr.com
Bank Robber
Who: Infamous character who steals from banks and dashes away with the loot
What you need: A black turtleneck, black mask, black boots and a sack to carry your coins!
Back turtleneck, drawstring sack, black mask, black boots, and black gloves add up to the perfect crime!
Mia Wallace, Pulp Fiction
Who: Uma Thurman’s drug-abusing character, who stars alongside John Travolta’s Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction
What you need: An oversized, white button-down, black pants, black flats and red lipstick
Oversized white button down, black pants and black flats show that personality goes a long way!
Image Credit: Adventures of an Indoor Girl
Morton Salt Girl
Who: The young girl in yellow who has graced Morton Salt canisters for decades
What you need: A yellow dress, an umbrella and a container of Morton Salt (add a blonde wig and yellow shoes for extra authenticity)
Yellow dress, umbrella and yellow shoes add flavor to any Halloween party.
Image credit: spicesandspackle.com
Garth from Wayne’s World
Who: One half of the hilarious duo from the ’90s cult classic film, Wayne’s World
What you need: T-shirt, ripped jeans, black Converse, a flannel shirt and black-rimmed glasses
T-shirt, ripped jeans, black converse, a flannel shirt and black rimmed glasses … EXCELLENT!
Image credit: blast-o-rama.com
