CincySoChic: Cheap and Chic Halloween Costume Ideas!

With Halloween fast approaching, some of us are still trying to figure out what to dress up as. Now that I’m in my late 20s, there’s no competition in the neighborhood or at school for coolest costume, but we do have lots of Halloween parties to attend! It’s also important to find that right mix between silly (or scary) and sexy for ladies’ costumes. I've found that Forever21 is one of the best sources for costumes. I’m not a big fan of a costume in a bag, and actually try to use as little “Halloween Store” stuff as possible. Of course, my boyfriend and I have an epic couples costume planned as we have done every year (you’ll have to wait and find out!), but here are some suggestions for DIY costumes that will keep you chic this Halloween!

1 1. Pop Star: Think Britney, Madonna, Lady Gaga

What you’ll need: blonde wig, leather, outrageous headpiece or prop (i.e. rubber snake), glitter, super high shoes. Or you can always do the classic “I’m not that innocent” Britney with pigtails and a plaid skirt.

Forever 21:

2. Cher, Dee, Amber, or Tai from Clueless. I’ll admit I went as Dionne twice as a kid for Halloween. Clueless is my favorite movie of all time. And the characters make for great costumes! Your wig may be a little different based on which character you choose, but the outfit is easy (especially if you have anything left over from Middle School). Plaid or brightly colored mini, coordinating blazer, white blouse (extra points for ruffled sleeves) or crop top, knee socks or knee high boots. The best part is, it’s easy to make it a couples or group costume, just find some old sweatshirts and baggy jean shorts for the guys! My costumes as a kid included a Chanel shopping bag and fake cell phone!

Forever 21:

3. Flapper/20s Chick: With The Great Gatsby recently released on DVD, this look is already at the forefront of people’s minds, as well as retailers. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a couple of pieces to make this look your own. Feather boas are easy to come by, and even if you don’t have short hair you can pin your hair in a low side bun or fake bob. Cute sequined or feathered dresses, skirts, and tanks are all over Forever21, Modcloth, and Piperlime. Add some red lipstick and a pair of fishnets, which you can find almost anywhere under $5, and voila! This is my backup go-to outfit every year because I have a fabulous vintage fringe dress that’s actually from the late 70s/early 80s.

Forever 21:

4. 80s punk chick: You can see there’s a theme of me suggesting my previous costumes here… This was one of my favorites. It may overlap with a Madonna theme, but either way it’s definitely fun and sexy. Hopefully you already own a leather or denim jacket. Add a black ankle boot, fishnet or neon leggings, and a tutu, denim cutoffs, or leather shorts. Anything fishnet is great (think those old fishnet tops Bebe used to sell!), as well as metallic, neon, and leather. Punk is already in this fall, so this might be one of the easiest costumes to pull off.

Forever 21:

5. 50s Glam: Yes, another decade is on the list. I really like historical authenticity. For this one, you can get away with saying you’re almost anyone from Mad Men and pull out a long pencil skirt or your cigarette pants! Anything Vera wore on Starz Magic City would work. Think J. Crew Minnie pants, ballet flats, or a fun Kate Spade a-line dress. Add some cat-eye eyeliner and you’re done.

Forever 21:

6. Rachel Zoe: One of my favorite stylists/designers out there. I actually wanted to go as Rachel for Halloween this year! What you’ll need: long blonde wig with bangs, flowing maxi dress (printed or black), floppy black hat, huge black sunglasses, gold tassel necklace, black blazer, enormous handbag. Anyone stylish should own at least 75% of this list anyways. For added affect you can carry around a baby doll with dark hair and a fedora on, or add a fur coat/vest.

Forever 21:

7. Carrie: With the new Carrie remake coming out, I’ll give a nod to fashionista Chloe Grace Moretz and add this terrifying character to the list. All you need is a cheap (or your old) Homecoming/Prom dress, a tiara, and cover yourself in fake blood (If you don’t want to use fake blood, I used dark red lip liner last year to be more precise. However, this won’t work on your clothes.).

Forever 21:

8. Zooey Deschanel: Perfect for the hipsters out there. Dark wig with bangs, peter pan collared dress, and sing in a weird voice all night.

Forever 21:

Those are my best suggestions! Some of my other favorites you can DIY are:

- Princess: buy a tiara and wear any party dress!

- The girl you wish you hadn’t started a conversation with at a party (Cecily Strong) from SNL: put on a cocktail dress, get a clutch, and talk like her all night!

- OR, for a costume with a friend, dress up as the two late night sales models from SNL (Cecily Strong and Vanessa Bayer): throw on matching bandeau dresses and mispronounce words like “Champagne,” "Hermes," and “elegance,” and make gestures with your hands.