My DIY Halloween Costume 2019

In terms of favorite holidays- Halloween doesn’t top my list. I’m not a scary movie, haunted house, blood and guts kind of gal. Since playing dress up was and will always be a favorite past time of mine- you’d think I would be all about this holiday… That just simply isn’t the case. When and if I do decide to dress up- I like to make it easy with pieces I know I’ll likely wear or use in the future.

When I was little, my mom would plan a few months ahead regarding what we would be that year. I remember getting excited for the big night out only to be majorly disappointed. You see- my love for fashion started at a very young age. Long ago blossomed a very stubborn side to me that hated to mess with the perfect look. I have always lived in Western Massachusetts and Halloween night tends to be very chilly. I remember throwing many fits as a child when being told to wear a jacket over my costume. The costumes were cute on their own and covering them up was such a shame. I do give my little self credit for being so passionate about a “look” but admit that having to alter my costume took some of the fun out of it. I loved to be all the pretty things: princesses, movie stars, Miss America and even a blushing bride but, since none of the costumes came with a chilly weather option- I was so put out.

Now that I am grown- which, is a very weird thing to say, I am still all about the “look” and getting it for less. Quite honestly, I can’t understand how some people purchase new pre-made costumes each year. Everyone has their traditions when it comes to costume creating and for me- it’s all about finding pieces that I have the potential to be worn again. I love being able to find something from my own closet and pairing it with one or two new pieces to complete the costume.

Last year I was invited by my best girlfriend to attend a halloween party. With a few days to plan, I took to Pinterest for some inspiration. By the end of my search, I have decided on either Mary Poppins (even though I have never watched it) and a version of Super(wo)man. Ultimately deciding on Super(wo)man, I started by searching for the key pieces to the costume. The only missing items were the suspenders and the iconic tee shirt. Lucky for me my brother in law had suspenders for me to borrow (and I still have… so much for “borrowing” ) and I was able to find the teeshirt at Old Navy for Under $10. Now- have I worn the superman tee yet? No, but in the grand scheme of things I spent 1/5 of the price that I would have had I bought a brand new costume- likely to fit poorly and never be worn again.

This year for my goddaughter/niece’s 5th birthday, my sister settled on a Halloween themed party. Knowing I would want to be something easy- I landed on being a ballerina. I had danced for 23 years and the thought of being in a leotard and tights again was nostalgic. I took to Amazon to locate some reasonably priced pieces and had a ton of luck! My biggest obstacle- finding shoes that fit while still being a color that matched the rest of my outfit. This proved to be nearly impossible so I had to become realistic about my expectations. I was able to score the entire look for under $60.

You might be thinking- wasn’t the point to avoid paying so much for one costume? Absolutely! but- these pieces are likely to be worn again either all together or by themselves. The priciest piece was the black long sleeve body suit but it is definitely something I wanted for my fall/winter wardrobe- along with the leg warmers. Spending a little extra was well worth it. Although the shoes and skirt are not likely to be wore again- they were less than $8 each so I am not hurt if they are a once worn and done kind of thing. Who knows- maybe I’ll be a ballerina again someday- I’d be perfectly happy with that!

For the make up- I kept it very simple- using romantic neutrals and things I had in my bag already. For my hair- I chose a classic ballerina bun and used a donut- bun mold and bun pins for stability and hold. Since I was helping with the party that day- I needed an easy- no fuss look and was able to achieve that. My niece told her entire preschool class that her Auntie could face paint. Whether or not that statement was accurate I couldn’t let her and her little friends down. The party was so much fun!

Lastly, I had offered to do make up for my best friend and cousin Jackie. She chose an equally easy costume and decided to be a cheetah. I was able to dig a little deeper into my make up collection and find items to create the entire look. I found a how to guide from Pardonmuahinsta (Amanda Marshall) she is the cutest Kentucky based blogger! Easy to do and I didn’t need to break the bank to complete it.

What about you? What’s you favorite holiday and where does Halloween rank for you? Favorite ideas for costumes? Whether you are like me and a bit lukewarm on the entire holiday be sure to comment down below!

See you soon