How to pull off Halloween like a last minute pro

‘Tis the season to get spooky. As our favorite candy pilfering, bone chilling, mischief making holiday approaches, a problem arises: we need costumes. Worry not! Here is a list of simple, affordable, do-it-yourself digs for your perusal.

G I R L S

Rosie the Riveter

If you’re looking for a costume that makes a statement, you might like the idea of embodying this influential American icon. All you’ll be needing is a red bandanna, a denim button up, classic blue jeans, red lipstick, and a pair of boots. Fasten your hair up like Rosie’s and you’ll be good to go.

Wednesday Addams

The Addams family is a Halloween staple. All you’ll need to get creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky is a ghastly shade of foundation, a set of braids, and a black dress. Bear in mind that the key to pulling off this costume is the attitude, not the appearance. Study up on Wednesday with a viewing party while you’re at it, and you’ll be good to go.

Kim Possible

Call her, beep her if you want to reach her. Your one way ticket to nostalgia calls for olive cargo pants, black boots, a utility belt, and a black shirt. If you want to be fancy you can even toss in a flip phone and a red wig, but the costume will survive without. Redheads will find this one especially simple.

Katniss Everdeen

The girl on fire! The easiest version of this costume would require you to track down a brown leather jacket, a black tee, brown boots, and a toy bow and arrow. Make sure to complete the look with Katniss’s signature braid and stern expression.

Princess Leia

Who could forget the world’s favorite space princess? Leia Organa sports a number of outfits throughout the star wars franchise, but her most iconic look is her duel bun up-do. Fasten up your hair, freshen up with some blush and lip balm, and repurpose a white sheet.

B O Y S

1950s Greaser

This one’s a classic. Slap on a white tee, some distressed jeans, and a black leather jacket. As long as you’ve got enough hair product to turn your hair into a cinder block, you’ll have no trouble with the rest.

Dustin Henderson

Any Stranger Things fan worth their salt knows exactly what they’ll need to pull this one off. Drop by Michael’s for a white cap and some fabric markers and get to coloring! The rest of the costume is simple enough: some geeky graphic tee or other, a brown jacket, blue jeans, and old tennis shoes.

Dwight Schrute

Rainn Wilson’s Office character is a fan favorite, sure to be a crowd pleaser. Gather a mustard yellow button up, a khaki blazer, cheap wire frames, and a striped tie for completion. If you’re feeling extra, toss in a bucket of beets or a black belt.

Clark Kent

Superman is a staple of American pop culture. If you’re looking for a simple but effective way to pay homage to DC Comic’s frontrunner, try wearing his logo on a tee under a white button up. Add a pair of glasses, and you’ll be ready to unveil your identity at any costume party.

Brawny Man

You may know him from his commercials, or the extensive variety of memes his face has appeared in. Dress to impress in a red flannel and a white undershirt, and tuck a roll of Brawny under your arm.

U N I S E X

Undercover Cop

This one is a quick art project for a quick laugh. Pull together some construction paper and a printer and get to making a fake badge. Once your crafting is complete, show up on Halloween day in your usual attire with the fake badge in your pocket. When someone asks you what you’re supposed to be, whip out the badge and make your presence known.

Tourist

The goal here is to be as stereotypical as possible. Track down a Hawaiian shirt, a lei, cargo shorts, sunglasses, a fanny pack, a visor, the whole nine yards. If you don’t feel your peers burning holes into the back of your head with their stares, you’re not doing it right.

Olympian

Congratulations, you did it! What exactly you did is up to you, so long as you’ve got a fake medal and uniform to show for it. Deck yourself out in your country’s colors and play up your victory to anyone willing to listen.

Conspiracy Theorist

I hope you’ve got more tin foil in your possession than you know what to do with. Borrow a helmet from a friend or sibling and wrap a mountain of foil around the exterior. Aim to add a good three inches of height to your person. Get creative and make pamphlets, babble passionately, and insist that we’re all doomed.

Pokemon Trainer

Childhood nostalgia, I choose you! If you happen to have a pile of Pokemon paraphernalia that you’ve acquired over the years, this is the costume for you. Load up a backpack with plushies and pokeballs, put on a baseball cap and fanny pack, and look serious. Bonus points if you can convince a friend or little sibling to play the part of your Pokemon.

Cereal Killer

This one is bare minimum in terms of effort, but it’ll go a long way in its effect. Collect empty cereal boxes and wield a fake knife as menacingly as possible. Cheerios, beware.

Ceiling Fan

GOOOO CEILINGS! This one is pretty self explanatory. Make like a crazed fanboy/fangirl and deck yourself out with foam fingers, DIY merch, and emphatic posters. There won’t be a room in the building that doesn’t excite you this Halloween.

Nickelback

This musical group’s name leaves plenty of room for pun-making. If you’ve got more spare change than you know what to do with, add packing tape and fasten it to the back of your shirt. Make sure not to spoil the joke by using anything other than nickels. Approach your friends and turn slowly- they’ll never see it coming. Get ready for plenty of complaints.

Sim

If you’re a fan of the sims games, you know exactly what makes this costume work in all the right ways. Grab a headband, pipe cleaners, and green construction paper and make yourself your were own diamond icon. If you want to be extra, invest some time in practicing simlish phrases and commit, commit, commit.