Revelers who do not decide that they will actually don a costume until the last minute do not need to panic. There are several quick and inexpensive costumes they can pull together and still look good. Here are some of the most frightfully easy costumes that take no time at all to put on.
Zebra: Simply wear a black body suit, tracksuit or other reasonably snug black clothing. Use some white masking tape to create stripes. The tape can be easily removed when the night is over with no damage done to your black clothing.
Firecracker: Wear a red shirt, matching red pants or tan pants if you can manage it, and attach a length or cord to your head. This can be done with a headband, visor or hat. Wrap yourself in bubble wrap to complete the costume.
Tourist: You can create this costume from the items in the back of your closet or with a trip to a local thrift store. Wear comfortable clothes. The more colorful and wild the print you can find, the better. Wear your sunglasses, a sun visor or baseball hat. Some white sunscreen or face paint on your nose or unevenly applied on your face, arms and legs is always a nice touch. Do not forget a camera hanging around your neck. If you do not want to wear a real one, you can pick up a toy camera or a pair of binoculars at a dollar store, as well as a handy guidebook.
A Sunday newspaper: This outfit just requires you to dress all in white or all in black, and mutilate a newspaper. After you are monochromatically dressed, use safety pins to attach sheets of newspaper to your outfit.
Hoodlum: This is yet another costume that starts with reasonably snug black clothing. The only accessories you will need are some black gloves, panty hose on your head and a toy gun. I do not suggest doing this costume if going trick-or-treating or traveling by public transportation.
Skin Diver: This is an easy costume for anyone who owns a wetsuit, not so easy for the rest of us. Don your wetsuit, although the all-important tight tracksuit can be used as a substitution. Accessorize with goggles and flippers. Do not forget to wet your hair and slick it back.
Forest: This costume will ruin a set of natural colored clothing. You will need an outfit of brown and or green clothing. Take leaves, twigs, branches, other natural materials, and either hot glue gun or pin the materials to the clothing.
Pumpkin: This costume requires the purchase of a garbage bag that is pumpkin-printed, generally available throughout the fall, or an orange garbage bag. Wear black leggings, tights or snug pants and an orange top. Cut the appropriate slits in the bag so you can wear it. Secure the bottom and stuff the bag with newspaper, packing popcorn or peanuts, or whatever you have on hand.
Floor Lamp: I will admit this one might be stretching it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Dress in a single color, pin an electrical cord to your pants and wear a lampshade on your head. Make sure you can see where you are going with the charming shade on your head.
Money Tree: Dress entirely in green or in a green shirt and brown pants. Glue or pin fake money to your top. I highly suggest using money that is obviously fake, for your safety.
No matter what you wear or where you go, have fun, be safe and enjoy yourself!