trick or treat

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday ... I know it's weird, but I always have SO much fun thinking of a costume and putting it together. Halloween is the only holiday where everyone not matter what age is allowed to dress up and be someone else. It's a holiday where you can laugh at yourself, be a little more sexy then you usually are, and show off your creativity. Since college, I've been making my own costumes. Sometimes I construct the whole thing and other times I'll use real clothing pieces to put to together my costume. Here are some tips for the costume hunt if you haven't figure yours out yet:

• Make a list of Halloween costume ideas throughout the year
• I usually know my costume at least a few months in advance, this way I can slowly hunt for things I'll need
• Don't leave your costume making to the last minute
• This is easier said than done because I usually wait for the week before to actually make my costume (although I'll make sure to buy materials earlier), but your Halloween week will be a lot less stressful if you make your costume in advance
• Use old clothing from your wardrobe
• This goes back to using items you already have in your closet. Why buy something new when you can reuse? Also if you know your costume early, you can keep items that you would have donated to use for scraps or as the base of your costume
• Avoid any 'trend' costume
• On Halloween, you want to be a little original. And this is especially important to keep in mind if you won't be making you costume. How embarrassing is it when you walk into a bar to see 10 other people wearing the same thing?
• Be original and don't repeat costumes
• Although I have my favorite costumes, I don't repeat them for many years. It fun to try to think of a new idea every year, but if I'm in a crunch I can always fall back on a favorite. 
• Get creative and team up with friends for a bigger impact!
• It's a lot of fun to do group costumes with friends (and easier to find them when you're out)
• You can stick to one overall theme or a set of characters. Some ideas that my friends and I have done are Super Heroes or the Wizard of Oz

Below are some of my favorite costumes and how much they cost. Let me know  if you need any help with your costume this year because I love this stuff :)

Poison Ivy, $30
H&M: Body Suit $10, Green Tights $5; Party City: Red Hair Piece $2, Red Hairspray $2
 Michael's: Ivy Leaves $6, Hot Glue $5, 

The Cowardly Lion, $35
Forever2: Fur Vest $30, Party City: Lion "courage" pin $5
brown leggings $0, ears $0 (made them with paper and cotton balls)
I love this vest and wear it all the time!

Mime, $47
Hot Topic:Tutu $15; Target: Gloves $2,  Beret $15, T-shirt $10;
Party City: Face Paint $5, Vest $0
this one cost more than usual, but I still wear the beret and shirt