Halloween Costumes from Your Closet

Hello Everyone!
Halloween is Monday and the week-end, Halloween weekend, is upon us.  If you are like many people, you have suddenly discovered or just been talked into a costume party/function and have realized that you have no costume to wear.  Never fear, you don't have to go out and buy one.

If you are like me, buying an outfit that you will only wear once in your life is not a savvy decision and Halloween practically dictates that you do this.  Over the years I have found that many costumes can be created by using items you may already have in your closet - the secret is in choosing the right accessories and hair styles.  The great thing about shopping for a costume in your closet is that it costs you nothing!

Here are some of my favorites:

Rosie the Riveter

Items you will need:
1 chambray shirt
1 red bandanna (if it has white polka dots, even better)
1 pair of jeans  (High waisted are the best but any jeans will work.)
brown leather work boots or brown leather brogues
Brown leather belt
Red ankle socks
Red lipstick

If you can get the blues in your shirt and jeans to match, then
you really have the look going for you!

If you don't have work boots, then oxfords such as these
are a great option.

How to assemble:
1.  Roll up the sleeves of the chambray shirt so that they hit the mid upper arm area and tuck the shirt into the jeans.
2.  Roll up the jean legs so that they are ankle length.  This will show off the snazzy red socks or the work boots.
3.  Put on the brown leather belt.
4.  Roll your hair into victory rolls and cover with the bandanna.
5.  Put on makeup making sure not to forget the red lipstick.

If you don't know how to make victory rolls, there are several tutorials online and on YouTube.

Farmer Theadora

You can wear overalls this short, but I suggest going with longer pants.

Items you will need:
1 flannel shirt
1 pair of overalls (You can do a pair of jeans, but overalls look better.)
1 cotton bandanna
1 pair of leather ankle boots
1 straw hat (optional, this is only if you have hats)

I will admit, these are more likely to be
in your closet if you are a child of the 90's.

How to assemble:
1.  Put the overalls over the flannel shirt.
2.  Fold the bandanna corner to corner so that the bandanna forms the shape of a triangle.  Starting from the opposite the bottom of the triangle, roll the bandanna so that it forms one long "ribbon".  Tie the bandanna around your neck and knot into place.
3.  Finish off with the boots and straw hat.
4.  If you do not have the hat, put your hair up into a ponytail or leave down and pull back with a headband.

Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly

Items you will need:
1 Little Black Dress
1 long strand of pearls
1 pair of black pumps

How to Assemble:
This is possibly the easiest of the costumes if you have long hair.  The secret to getting this look correct  is to get the hairdo right.  If you get that, the rest sort of falls into place.

1.  Put on the dress.  It is best if the dress is a knee length sheath dress but almost any simply black dress will work.
2.  Wrap the pearls around your neck twice and pull snugly to your neck creating a "choker" leave the rest of the pearls do dangle down.  If your strand of pearls is not long enough to do this, then try getting the same effect with two strands of pearls.
3.  Put up your hair in the classic Holly Golightly do.

     Here is a video that shows you how to recreate the classic hair do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjby7ZnX45A

(Skip the tiara part of this.  Holly wore a little hair tiara which is hard to find, so just go without the tiara.)

Donna Reed or 50's Housewife

Items you will need:
1 button down shirt (preferable white)
1 full skirt or circle skirt (preferable knee length or mid-calf length-you can also use a penil skirt if you don't have a full or circle skirt)
1 wide belt
Apron (optional - I am aware that most people don't own them)
1 pair of leather pumps
1 Strand of pearls
1 fifties style hair do of your choice

How to Assemble
1.  Roll the sleeves of the button down shirt until they are at the elbow.
2.  Tuck the shirt into the skirt and cover the waistband of the shirt with the wide belt.
3.  Put on the pearls
4.  Fix your hair in a 50's style hair do.
5.  Finish your make-up with red lipstick.







So, there you have it ladies!  Some last minute costume ideas for Halloween that you can pull from your own closet.
Hope you enjoy or found some inspriration.