Don’t break the bank this spooky season on a single Halloween costume. To have the scariest fit of the year without being terrified of the cost, The Daily Texan has compiled a list of affordable ways for students to be a Hallo-queen.

Thrift stores:

Thrift stores such as Goodwill Central Texas and Flamingos Vintage Pound offer a variety of clothing options for low prices. If costumes aren’t available for purchase right off the rack, students can bust out Pinterest during their trip to see what pieces may match up to a character they’re interested in. For example, overalls and a flannel can be the foundations for a scarecrow or cowboy costume.  A yellow skirt and a blue top can turn into an instant Snow White. The perfect costume may only be a quick Pinterest dive away.

Online shopping:

The internet is filled with shopping sites, such as Depop, Poshmark, Amazon and eBay, where a quick scouring of the many listings can produce a perfect costume combination. These online thrifting and shopping alternatives give those with busy schedules or an inability to travel the option to shop from home. Open up Google to see some options on costumes and other clothing that could potentially become HalloWeekend looks.

DIY:

After securing main pieces for the costume, consider DIYing some accessories to help tie the look together. The craft section can prove invaluable, as hot glue and wire can transform a normal headband or hat. This process can be used to make devil or cat ears. For another fun and easy costume piece, grab a thrifted T-shirt and use puffy paint to create a personalized look. For more advanced craftspeople, sewing or stitching on portions of a costume would be perfect. The options are limitless with a bit of fabric and the
right design.

Get fancy:

Not all looks will be totally attainable through thrifting. Stores such as Blue Velvet and Coco Coquette house a selection of vintage accessories and clothing as well as wigs. These places aren’t exactly budget friendly, but if a portion of a costume is thrifted or DIYed ,it may be easier on the wallet to splurge a bit on certain aspects of a costume.

Makeup:

From beauty gurus to those who have never picked up a beauty blender, makeup can help pull together any look. A trip to the local drug store for some black eyeliner and lipstick can aid in creating costumes from a cat to a vampire or even a Disney princess. Colorful makeup palettes can also add drama to a look. For tips on how to best utilize makeup in a costume, check out YouTube tutorials and test out different looks to find the
right one.

Work with what you have:

If buying any new pieces is off the table, try looking through your closet to see what could be possible for a costume this year. (And you could even look in your friends’ closets and try to borrow some pieces.) A Longhorn T-shirt could become a Longhorn Zombie costume with the right makeup, a black shirt could become a cat look with some drawn on whiskers and an old sports jersey easily makes you a
star athlete.

With only 29 days left until Halloween, it’s never too early to start searching for your perfect costume. Explore all your options, and have a very spooky time while doing so.