Thrift Store Costumes
Would you like to save money this year and have some fun making all of your Halloween Costumes using items you find at the thrift stores. You might also consider using some of those old clothes you have been saving in the back of your closet, or if you plan far enough in advance, you could pick materials up at garage sales and flea markets.
Anyway, there is nothing that says that you have to spend a bunch of money to have unique costumes for Halloween. This Saturday, take the kids down to the Salvation Army Thrift Store or your local Goodwill Industries or second-hand store and be prepared to be creative.
Just use your imagination and you can come up with all kinds of ideas and let’s list some things you should be on the lookout for.
An old standby is a ghost costume. Keep and eye out for white sheets – a plus to this is that you can cut up this costume and use it for cleaning or dusting rags after Halloween. If you’re pressed for time and you are not that handy or creative, you can cut some eye holes and a mouth hole, adjust the length with scissors or safety pins and you have an acceptable kid costume.
Any kind of gaudy, large or flash jewelry such as big hoop earrings, bracelets or beads are good. Find a loose fitting skirt, a large white shirt and a shawl, scarf or big hat and you have just created a gypsy costume.
You can make great use of those polyester suits or shirts and bell bottoms – throw in some beads and some platforms and you have an instant disco dancer or wear a headband and maybe a long-haired wig and you could be a hippie.
If you have need of a plus size costume, you could look for moo-moos and become Mama Cass of the Mamas and Papas.
Back a couple of decades ago, I can remember wearing really wide, flash ties. You can probably find some of those, get the strangest and flashiest colored (think paisley, weird stripes and checks or maybe polka dots) shirts and pants and some huge shoes and you can easily make a clown costume.
There should be lots of old Hawaiian shirts available. Pair that with some white or khaki shorts, an old Polaroid camera, some colorful, large sunglasses and some of that white stuff you put on your nose to prevent sunburn and you can go trick or treating as a tourist.
Find an old prom dress or bridal gown? You can go as a princess, or a “good” witch – remember Glenda from the Wizard of Oz? A nice white dress could be used for an angel – you would just have to make or buy some wings to go with it.
Old jeans and flannel shirts can be the base for cowboy costumes, hobo costumes, or even a scarecrow costume. Be on the look out for cowboy hats and boots, old gentleman’s hats like fedoras or bowlers, walking canes, suspenders and other accessories to complete your unique costumes.
When you get home just remember to wash everything that you possible can, spray everything you can’t with a disinfectant like Lysol and use Febreeze to freshen everything up. Safety pins are great for simple changes such as shortening the length of sleeves and pant legs. Use those suspenders, belts or even some decorative cords as needed. Then a little makeup and some of that jewelry or props that you found and you’re all set.
Have a spectacular and fun time making Thrift Store Costumes.