Halloween how-to: Do it yourself — Costumes

It is that time of year again, folks: Hallow’s Eve is just around the corner to scare the pants right off you. But in all seriousness, Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. I thought once I went to college, I would have to retire my enthusiasm for Halloween, but actually, it got even better.
I think the best costumes are the ones that take a few risks and inspire some good, old-fashioned, improvised creativity. And though the established costume stores like Party City do offer an easy way of obtaining costumes, the products are also expensive and cheaply made. I admire people who actually put some effort into their costumes.
Whether you want to be creepy or merely cute, here are a few suggestions that took minimal time and money to create.
1. Girl’s costume option one: Black Swan/White Swan.
This first option has the potential to be both pretty and scary. It will depend on what sort of costume you want to create.
What you’ll need:
1. Ballerina costume with tutu (online; Amazon, Party City, Target)
2. Feathers
3. Felt
4. Headband
5. Tights and ballet slippers
6. Eyeliner
7. Glue
“I bought a bunch of feathers from a craft store,” junior English major Ashley Locke said.
She and her roommate went as the Black Swan and the White Swan from the recent hit movie, “Black Swan,” starring Natalie Portman. The way Locke and her roommate made their costumes was the same, apart from the color.
“It took a really long time because I had to layer the feathers. I had to use a lot. I did it over a period of one day,” she said.
After securing the feathers, Locke then opted for a simple headband, glued a piece of felt to it, and then secured more feathers to that.
“My roommate did our makeup and drew all over our faces with eyeliner,” she said.
They drew their inspiration from the movie’s makeup, obviously. It is best to have a blown-up image or really concrete idea of how the makeup looks in order to get it right.
2. Girl’s costume option two: Alice, from “Alice: Madness Returns.”
This is a bit more edgy than the first costume described. Alice, from the “Alice: Madness Returns” video game, finds herself in a twisted version of Wonderland.
What you’ll need:
1. Blue dress
2. White apron
3. Hair tie
4. Fake blood
5. Fake knife
6. Combat boots
7. Leggings
“I went to Goodwill and got a blue dress, cut up a pillowcase and made an apron,” senior elementary education and psychology major Paige Hammer said.
Sounds easy enough, especially since Oxford’s Goodwill is rife with fabulous would-be costumes.
“I’m planning on splattering myself in blood and getting a fake knife to dip in the paint as well,” she said.
The only other things you need for this costume are some black boots, preferably combat in style, and striped tights.
3. Boy’s costume: Lumière from Beauty and the Beast.
If a guy has a playful sense of humor, and is relatively tall, this costume will be a hit at any party.
What you’ll need:
1. Gold/orange headband
2. Hairspray
3. Two plastic, gold/orange bowls
4. Gold/orange fabric
5. Scissors
6. Hot glue
7. Yellow button down
8. Camel-colored pants
“I, like a candlestick, am very tall and skinny,” freshman international studies major Chris Butts said. “Creating this costume involved turning my hands and my hair into flames, and it cost me less than $10 and a few hours of my Saturday.”
Butts borrowed hairspray from a friend to perfect some gravity-defying locks of hair. Men: Any girl you know will be more than willing to lend you some hairspray for this fun idea. If you aren’t a natural redhead or blonde, purchasing some washable hair powder from Walmart or Sally’s is always an option.
“At Walmart, I bought two cheap, plastic golden bowls and used a little elbow grease to knock out their bases, so I could slip my hand through the bottom,” he said.
Butts then bought some golden fabric that he cut into triangles, gluing them to the insides of the bowls.
“I chose stiffer materials so the shapes would point upward like the flame of a candle,” he said.
After the craft portion of his outfit was completed, he said he threw on a button-down, some slacks and was ready for the party.
“The hard part was managing to keep my hands at an upright angle all night, while I simultaneously danced and/or held my drink,” he said.