Halloween costumes need not cost much to work well
COMMENTARY
Emilee Baker

Ah, Halloween. The holiday where we can all dress up in our goofiest attire, humiliate ourselves, embarrass others, and have a great time. I myself have a tendency not to think of a costume until about half an hour before festivities begin. Given that we are college students with little time and even less money, I have tried to help everyone out.

For all of you out there who, like me, do not enjoy spending much money or time on costumes, or you have yet to think of one, I have made a list of cheap, easy costumes so you can enjoy the holiday and not be shunned by your dressed-up friends. Some of these, of course, may not seem like your cup of tea, but hopefully this list will inspire you to imagine greater, or even cheaper, pieces of attire.

Number One: An officer of the Fashion Police. Very simple, and very effective. All you need to do is layer hideously mismatched clothes and add a child’s police badge. One of my friends used this costume last weekend and it was a hit.

Number Two: A robot. Simply take a large box, cut out the proper holes, and slide it over your upper body. Add cans — approximately coffee-can size — to your arms, and voila. Decorate the box as you see fit. This may not sound like much fun, but be creative. I have yet to see a “Sex Machine” out this year!

Number Three: A nerd. All you need is a friend significantly smaller than you. Borrow their clothes, bring the pants or skirt up to your chest, and get some thick glasses. If pockets are on the shirt, you know what to add in.

Number Four: A member of a boy band. I hocked this off of the msn.com website. All you need is a “flower shirt, a bandanna, and a wife-beater.” Add a couple of fake tattoos if you want to be the “bad boy” of the group.

Number Five: An annoying brat. This was an idea given to me by a close friend. Just slip on some pajamas, grab a sheet and tie it around your neck. The most necessary piece — a water gun. Go out and have fun blasting your friends.

Number Six: A member of the opposite sex. It’s timeless and guaranteed to be successful, particularly for the men. I don’t think an explanation is necessary, but for the men, don’t be afraid to use balloons to perk up otherwise lacking areas.

Number Seven: An out-of-date beauty queen. Mainly for the girls, but not closed to the guys, all you need is an out-of-style dress and fake tiara. In order to save money, go to a thrift store and look in the gown section. Most of these stores will have exactly what you need, and a fake tiara will be under two dollars at Albertsons.

These costumes all cost less than ten dollars, and they’re easy to find and put together. When you are running around at the last minute, hopefully this list will help. Don’t forget to take pictures so friends can blackmail you later, and be sure to have fun!

Emilee Baker is a senior anthropology and sociology major from Sheridan, Ark. She can be reached at (e.m.baker@tcu.edu).