I like Halloween as much as the next girl, but I don't have enough extra money to invest in a costume that I'll never wear again. The past few years, I've half assed it and assembled a look that's definitely costume, but made of pieces I can wear again in the future. In case some of you aren't hard core Halloween partiers, but still want to partake, here's an idea for something you can wear that's made of pieces you may already have in your closet. If I end up at a party on Halloween weekend, I'll be wearing something like this.
The theme is goth, with a chic twist. I'll start with black leggings (or tights or jeggings, whatever you have already own) and layer a short black dress or long shirt on top. I have a black strapless dress from Express that's far too short for any other day of the year, but you can look at Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe for cheap options. The point is to create a sexy base layer that's comfortable enough that you won't be pulling at it all night. Then, add some killer heels or black lace up boots if you have some in your closet. Everything shown below is from Forever 21 and under $35. You'll be able to wear them all again separately.
Next, the fun starts with jewelry. Find dark, gothic, heavy pieces with studs and skulls and blood red stones. Hot Topic and Forever 21 are good places to start. I once wore a black studded dog collar from Petco because it was only $9.99 and less than any of the necklaces I found in store. You can wear these again later (one at a time!) so get things you like.
Now, if you really want to get a reaction, find some high end fake tattoos for your collarbone area.
The one below is only $2!
Next, head over to Ulta or Sally Beauty and get some clip in hair streaks in a color totally opposite of your own. I like these red and platinum blonde ones from Hot Topic because they're under $10 and you can easily cut them to blend with your hairstyle.
Now that you're got clothes, jewelry and hair, the last step is makeup. This is where you're going to get the most reaction for very little money. I like to get a new felt tip black eyeliner and practice along with Lauren Luke tutorials on YouTube. Add some (blood) red shiny gloss from the drugstore and you're all set.
Hopefully this helps someone solve the "what do I wear on Halloween?" question. What are you going to be this year?
I'm going to a (family style) Halloween party this year. My daughter is 1 and will dress up and I think it'll be fun for me to do so as well. I'm plus sized and can't wear tight/sexy/short clothes but was thinking of all black. I bought some pretty wings, a hot pink wig and some glitter eyelashes. I'm on the hunt for some bright (very) pink lipstick.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I need some jewelry, too...
I think you should definitely dress up! Even if the base layer isn't tight fitting, the hair/makeup is what makes it a costume. If you're going to be a fairy, check out this tutorial I used last year from Lauren Luke:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KGw5u2bcvw
I used bright purple/pink eyeshadow from Ulta and a turquoise liner that I found at Target for $1. It turned out really well after about 3 practice rounds. :)