Costumes—they’re the central component of Halloween. Yes, candy and scares are also important, but the spirit of Halloween is embodied in the creative and artistic costumes people exhibit on the night of October 31st. Halloween isn’t Halloween without them. As such, millions of people around the world make an effort to pick out a fresh and fun costume each year, dressing to impress or simply to express themselves. Many may stop by department stores, browse online, or even send in custom orders to purchase a costume. However, what about those who can’t afford a costume, don’t have the time to purchase one, or can’t find their desired costume through sellers? Without your own costume, it can be saddening to watch others fully dressed for Halloween festivities and drab to pull the same white sheet with two eye holes over yourself every year. It’s hard to resonate with the spooky spirit when you don’t have your own spooky getup, after all. But fear not—money is not the only means to having a costume. Using your imagination and your hands is an alternative method and one that has proven to be cost-effective. YLHS’ art teacher, Ms. Fritz (staff), notes that “the benefits to making your own Halloween costume are that you can create an original design that has your own artistic vision. While store bought costumes are great, they don’t showcase the personality of the person wearing them. Creating your own allows you to alter and create something unique.”

Although some especially committed people devote large sums of money and time to creating lavish DIY costumes, this is not the case for everyone. The true keys to conjuring your own costume are resourcefulness and creativity; try looking around your house for materials that can contribute to your costume of choice and old costume parts that can be recycled. If not, browse the web or your local department store for low-cost materials. Even if you cannot exactly imitate whatever you are trying to recreate, that is fine. The main objective is to create a costume that is recognizable enough as a whole and the most cost-efficient.

Still, the dreadful possibility of running dry on creative ideas lurks. If a creative block spooks you, don’t be afraid to turn to the internet or suggestions from friends and family. Many fun, quirky, and doable DIY Halloween costume ideas, such as a jelly bean bag with balloon jelly beans or a bottle of Sriracha, can be found online. Another popular costume idea over the years has been to wear a plain shirt or a sign that reads, “Error 404: Costume Not Found”; such a costume is the literal embodiment of a creative block.

Overall, creating your own costume is not only a way to save money but also a rewarding project in itself. Anybody can wear a store-bought costume, but a DIY costume can be something special and unique to the wearer. In the end, what matters is that you create something that you are happy with and can enjoy the festivities of Halloween in.