5 Easy, Inexpensive, & Totally Cute Halloween Costume Ideas
Since Halloween is a little over a week away, I thought I would give you girls some last-minute Halloween costume ideas that you can put together with the stuff you probably already have! You’ll stand out from the hordes of sexy cops, sailors, and kittens, but still look totally adorable and creative!
So, without further ado, here are my Top 5 Inexpensive and Totally Cute Halloween Costume Ideas!
Idea #1: Updated Wednesday Addams
If you’ve ever seen the Addams Family movie or TV show, you might remember Wednesday–the slightly creepy, LBD wearing, raven-haired daughter of the family!
Wednesday has a look that is totally iconic, but also really simple if you’re short on time or money! All you really need for this costume is a black dress, white collared shirt, and tights or thigh highs.
Product Information: Button-up, Forever 21. Thigh Highs, Fredericks Of Hollywood. Dress, Old Navy. Shoes, Piperlime. Belt, Dorothy Perkins.
Idea #2: Cute Equestrian
If you want a look that’s on the sultry side, dressing as an equestrian is a great way to go. With their tight pants, high boots, and button-up shirts, you can create a totally cute equestrian-inspired look with stuff you already own!
Essentials for this costume include leggings, knee-high boots, boyfriend blazer, and a button up shirt, complete with a flirty, lacy bra to peak out from it. Grab a riding crop from a costume store and you’re set.
Product Information: Leggings and boots, Piperlime. Bra, Elle Macpherson Intimates at Nordstrom. Button up, Forever 21. Blazer, Brass Plum.
Idea #3: Flirty Ballerina
A definite throwback, a ballerina costume is a great way to revisit your childhood while adding an obviously adult twist.
To keep your look more fashionista than juvenile, all need for this costume is a leotard or tank top, cute thigh-high socks, and a bubble skirt or tutu! Go wild with colors here–the ballerina silhouette is so classic, no one will be confused by your costume, even if you don nontradtional baby blue and white instead of pink and black. Both Claire’s and Target sell tutus for under $20 if you want to buy one to complete your look! Or, ditch your tutu all together, add fishnets, and go as Beyonce from her Single Ladies video!
Leotard, American Apparel. Tiara, Claire’s. Thigh Highs, 3wishes.com. Tutu, very.co.uk.
Idea #4: Rachel Zoe
Everyone’s favorite stylist, R.Zoe, was once famous for creating looks for celebrities such as Nicole Richie, Mischa Barton, and Lindsay Lohan, but has now come into her own as a star. With the success of her best-selling book and TV show, Rachel Zoe is more famous (infamous?) than ever.
Since her styles have been so influential, you’ve probably got a good number of the items that would make up a great Rachel costume–skinny jeans, a baggy top, faux fur vest, and, high heels, lots of oversized accessories! Add massive sunglasses, wear your hair curly, say “I die,” and “bananas” all night, and everyone will know who you are!
Product Information: Faux Fur Vest, Forever 21. Jeans, Current/Elliott Legging Jeans, net-a-porter.com. Paisley peasant top, Charlotte Russe. Sunglasses, Fred Flare. Jewelry, girlprops.com.
Idea #5: M.I.A.
Another huge pop-culture figure, M.I.A. has an awesome, totally individual, recognizable sense of style. This costume is a great one for those of you who want to stand out on Halloween!
Grab a blue bob wig, put on some sparkly leggings, sunglasses, an oversized graphic tee, and kicks or converse! If you have something with crazy prints or neon, this is the time to wear it! With M.I.A., the brighter the better. Keep this in mind when you do your makeup, too. Check out her website for further inspiration!
Product Information: Makeup palette, Claire’s. Blue bob wig, mooncostumes.com. Converse high tops, Delia’s. Silver lamé leggings, American Apparel. Oversized neon tee, C&C California at Shopbop. Earrings, girlprops.com. Sunglasses, Tilly’s.
Your thoughts?
Do you guys already have your Halloween costumes picked out? Do you like to buy your costumes or make them? What are you going to be for Halloween this year?! Let us all know in the comments section!
Posted on on October 22, 2009 / Filed Under: College Life / Tags: Costumes, Fall 2009, Halloween, M.I.A., Movies, Rachel Zoe
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aimee
totally dig mia’s style yo!
Sam
There are some great ideas in here. However, I’m not digging the Rachel Zoe or M.I.A. look. To be honest, I don’t know who those people are and I doubt most people would be able to recognize the costumes either. The ballerina idea is really cute and so is the equestrian!
Kristin
These are some really cute costume ideas. I just bought a new trench, so I am going as Sherlock Holmes. Just need to get a fedora and magnifying glass. Much more practical than the $70 I spent on a pre-fab costume last year
Giselle
these are great!!
myvogue
the Cute Equestrian is a great idea – thank you thank you. Now I know what I am going to wear for halloween :))
Shawn
Today fell in love with this website. I was doing a quick search for winter outfits and one of your outfit collages popped up on google images. I started browsing for other winter ensembles and found a whole bunch of great looks that I could replicate or tweak.
I live in Florida (and HATE being cold), but travel all the time and it’s hard to keep up with trends when everyone here wears sweatpants and Uggs the two days a year it’s really cold.
Thanks so much for your great pics.
Btw.. Although I usually am not a fan of American Rag at Macy’s, their pea coats are always gorgeous, I’ve got a couple and I always get compliments on them & they’ve held up really well from year to year.
Cathy
I like that you guys are posting Halloween articles but I hate celebrity “costumes” like that Rachel Zoe one, which just looks like a trendy outfit. Unless it’s a signature Madonna-look or Marilyn Monroe, nobody would know who you are dressed up as unless you look exactly like the person you’re emulating. The celebrity looks that I have seen on College Fashion are great in terms of copying the celeb’s style, but I wouldn’t say they are all “instantly recognizable.”
Julie
I looked on forever21 for that Rachel Zoe fur vest and couldn’t find it
Jack @ Cheap Halloween Costumes Shop.
That is really an interesting blog.I love to with the equestrian outfit that are really cool.thanks for providing Such a lovely idea on different type of outfits.
Leira
As an actual equestrian, I like the idea of that for Halloween! Although I am slightly freaked out that a lacy bra is part of the outfit…
Nice post.
Alana @ The Comm Ave Strut
How about lady gaga? Just don’t wear pants!
adult character costumes california
to: Alana @ The Comm Ave Strut!
I agree with you, Lady Gaga is the new Madona or Kylie Minogue or Bjork in style! Her avant garde fashion is cool!
Tara from My Little Fashion Finds
Great costume ideas! I have a few posts on Halloween costumes you can make with clothes you already have in my fashion blog. I actually posted one for an Equestrian or horseback rider too, except I suggested wearing a military jacket instead of a blazer (though the blazer is a cute idea too).
Jenny
I love these costume ideas! Very cute and easy to put together in a pinch!
I’m dressing as Barbie this year. My mom gave me a bright pink bridesmaid gown she wore in the 80s, and I’m pairing it with pink heels and pink accessories. I have dark brown/pink hair, so I’ll be spraying it with gold glitter hairspray to make me look a little more like Barbie. I lucked out with the dress – I only paid about $30 total for everything else (which I will definitely wear over and over in the future).
melissa
Julie, you could try this for a furry vest in stock: http://www.ae.com/web/browse/product.jsp?catId=cat1410002&productId=0387_1366
Mrs. Crowe
Hello everyone, I’m a mother of 3 wonderful kids, and I would say that you have a nice collection here!
In my spare time I love sewing and making costumes and home clothing for my children.
I happen to see some interesting baby costumes in this website. They are very cute, I tried making the baby Amidala for my 4 yr old daughter and she loved it!
http://pinoytutorial.com/lifebytes/cute-halloween-costume-ideas-for-babies/
Emily
clever and cute, good ideas!
MAXINE
A ballerina should be easy to copy and I used to do ballet when I was younger. Hmm How would you copy a princess or princess Lea from Star Wars?
Cheyenne
The costumes on this site are so adorable. I am a teen myself and i don’t usually like stuff like this stuff and i love the costume ideas on this site. I am also a young mother of a little girl and last year my mother and I both decided to make a costume for my daughter and she absolutely loved it. We made the ballerina for her and she was adorable in it. She is 3 this yuear and wants to be a baby Rachel Zoe. If it werent for looking at this site last year she wouldnt have had a costume.
Lydia
Harry Potter characters are also fun and very recognizeable! I like Luna Lovegood because you can go all-out!
Nicolette
I was Wednesday Addams in middle school, and subsequently had to tape a sign to my back that read, “No, I am /not/ a pilgrim”. Memories *shivers*.