As October is coming to an end, everyone has started to begin preparations for one of the most decorative holidays of the year: Halloween. Out of the many traditions of this holiday, one of the biggest festivities is dressing up in unique costumes. From a DIY costume survey, around 2 out of 3 respondents believed that dressing up was at least somewhat important to the holiday. Uniqueness, when buying a costume that has been mass-produced in stores, is very difficult. People make their own costumes for many reasons, including distinction from other costumes, as well as to cater to specific tastes and styles. In addition to this, the prices for decent costumes also increase with the high demand for Halloween. Spending money on wigs, accessories, and other supplies could be unnecessary when a distinctive costume could be put together for a better cost.

Because every person has a different style, finding the perfect costume on Halloween can be difficult. Halloween is a holiday in which one can express themselves, wearing whatever they feel fits. To find out which costumes of the many styles were most in demand for a tutorial, a survey was sent out in Wheeler to gain insight from students. In the survey, many options were provided to choose from to find the most requested costumes for a DIY. People were given multiple options: a fairy, superhero, witch, vampire, ghost, cat, bat, or a character from a show. Of these choices, the most popular were the vampire and the superhero (specifically Black Widow).

Vampire:
Suggested Materials for the DIY: Construction paper, T-Shirt, White button-down shirt, black pants or skirt, rings, or other accessories

For the vampire, the main focus is the makeup and the teeth. The teeth could be made at no cost using a sheet of construction paper. For this, a rectangle and two triangles must be cut out. The rectangle should be able to fit one’s mouth. Then the two triangles should be glued on opposite sides of the rectangle to finish the fangs for the vampire. However, for those weighing time over money, going to party city and getting a set of fake teeth for around 2 dollars may be easier. Apart from the teeth, the cape is also a key aspect of the costume. This could be made by cutting out the collar and back from any black T-Shirt. This DIY also takes time but could be bought for less than 10 dollars at any store as well. Both of these DIYS should be paired with a staple white button-down shirt, black pants or black skirt, and rings for accessories. Applying makeup resembling a vampire would also enhance the overall look. The total cost of this outfit would be less than 30 dollars.

Superhero:
Suggested materials for the DIY: Long-sleeved black top, black leather pants, black belt, red-head wig, black construction paper.

Upon the release of the new Black Widow movie, a tutorial for the inspiring character, Black Widow, has been very requested. The character is known for her iconic all-black outfit and red hair. For this all-black outfit, one would need a long-sleeved, tight black crop top, black leather pants, and a black belt. The black shirt and black belts are staples but could be bought if needed in under 10 dollars. For those who do not own black leather pants, these could be found for under 20 dollars in places such as Macy’s, Target, and Forever 21. Red-headed wigs could be found on Amazon for prices ranging from 10-20 dollars. The costume could be elevated by accessorizing with a baton, resembling the one Black Widow has in the movie. This could be made by rolling up black construction paper into a cylinder, or a black bat/rod could also resemble a baton.

Though buying costumes could be more efficient and time effective, doing DIYS could create more personalized, unique costumes. There is a wide selection of styles to choose from to wear on Halloween, and finding the perfect costume is very difficult. Finding a costume that makes one the most confident on this holiday is very important. Making costumes gives people the freedom to unleash their creativity and make whatever they know would fit their tastes. Whether you want to go all out for Halloween, or you simply do not have time to buy a costume, these tutorials could be a lifesaver. This year, as the parties begin and the trick or treating starts, these quick and affordable DIYs will come in hand to make a memorable homemade Halloween.