You’ve been invited to a Halloween party and want to dress to impress – or at least get a chuckle. If money is tight or pre-packaged pirate and ghoul costumes aren’t inspiring you, then you can easily put together creative costumes from items you have around your home. Here are five ideas to get you started.
Freudian slip: Pin words and phrases associated with psychology or famous “misspeaks” on a slip or slip dress. Include words like “ego,” “super-ego,” “repressed memories,” “affective disorders” and “neurotic.” You can also use famous verbal blunders by politicians, such as “Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning” and “I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully” from former President George W. Bush; and “The Middle East is obviously an issue that has plagued the region for centuries” and “I’ve been in 57 states, I think I have one more to go,” by President Barack Obama.
Spam: In a variation of the Freudian slip, you can turn yourself into Internet spam by either writing or pinning spam email subject lines onto a pink top. Everyone has an entire junk email folder full of ideas. For kids, be sure to keep it G-rated. Phrases such as “Lottery winnings waiting,” “Widow of African prince needs your help please,” “Earn thousands working from home,” are some examples. For adults, you can go further with references to certain enhancement products and other such topics.
Reality TV show star: Members of a group of friends can be the star and production crew for a one-night reality TV show. The star can go as himself, with others serving as cameraman armed with a digital video camera, director calling the shots and makeup artist at the ready with face powder. The reality TV crew can record the star as he interacts with party guests and provide copies to party goers later.
Recession superhero: The economy has hit all sectors hard, and superheroes are no exception. For this costume, the more home-made looking, the better. Use an old sheet or blanket for a cape and make a mask out of a dish towel. For a chest insignia, draw a downward trending arrow with the word “Economy” under it on an old T-shirt.
Real housewife: “The Real Housewives” series pulls huge ratings and can inspire an easy to assemble Halloween costume. You can go two ways: exude the drama and high fashion of the stars of the television shows or create a more modest version of a real housewife. For the first option, vamp it up with a polished hair style, cocktail dress and the attitude to match. If you want to be more low-key, pin your hair back with a kerchief and slap an apron over jeans and T-shirt.