Last-minute homemade Halloween costumes

Amanda Ogus
wustl.thefacebook.com

Did you wake up this morning and realize that after a year planning the perfect costume, you just never got around to it?
Planning to go to a Halloween night party downtown and worried you’ll be laughed out of the place for dressing in jeans and a shirt and saying you’ve “come as you are,” like that Nirvana song?
Have no fear. This year, Student Life offers you the perfect solutions, using materials at your very fingertips. Here are a few easy-to-throw-together ideas for tonight that may, at most, require walking across the hall:

Walk of Shame

Featured in every single college movie classic, the Walk of Shame is a staple dilemma at all universities. Why not poke fun at this situation? All you need is a mini-skirt (tube tops will double), high-heeled nightmares and an oversized, preferably stained, men’s t-shirt-the more holes, the better. Add some makeup smears under your eyes, fuss up the hair, and you will be a vision. To add a bit more clarity, one could always sport the Captain Obvious “Walk of Shame” sign around the neck. With this ensemble, who wouldn’t want to give you candy? Someone obviously thinks you’re sweet.

All-Nighter

As Halloween falls on a Monday this year, this one may not be so much a costume as a reality for some. Combine the bed-head tousled look and dark bags under your eyes with some sweat pants or pajama bottoms. Sport a coffee mug and a “don’t-bother-me-I’m tired” attitude, and you’re all set. A textbook or two, supposedly the reason for the late hours, might also help clarify the situation.

Sexiled Roommate

Another awkward part of the college life, being the sexiled roommate, also doubles as a great Halloween costume. Grab a large backpack or hobo-style satchel, throw in a toothbrush, books, pajamas and maybe a pillow, and top it all off with a cardboard “Homeless: Busy Roommate” sign written in Sharpie, and you are ready to go. With a little Halloween luck, it will be your own roommate donning this costume.

Shower Dilemma

We’ve all been there. After grabbing all of the essentials needed for a shower (old-dorm style), the crucial component, your key, is forgotten in the rush. After a relaxing shower, you return to your room to discover that, not only did you forget this item, but your roommate has rushed out to her three-hour seminar. This costume only requires a towel (size can vary, based on preference), wet hair and a shampoo bottle or two. Don’t forget to bring your key.

Mummy

While one may only wear this costume after losing a bet, it is still a viable alternative for the procrastinators around. Raid your bathroom for an endless supply of toilet paper, and start wrapping. Extra points for any gold jewelry, beetles or stuffed cats.

Knight

With this costume, you can finally make good use out of some of the Bed, Bath and Beyond paraphernalia your mom bought at the beginning of freshman year. Grab that trusty mesh trash can (emptied, of course), dress in all black and hold an umbrella in your outstretched hand. Instant knight. Now you just need a dueling partner, or possibly a noble steed.

Roly-poly

With this costume, you might actually have a chance at keeping warm in the frigid October air. To dress up as your favorite childhood bug, merely put on every piece of clothing you own. If that look is too extreme, at least double up a few sweatshirts with a bunch of long sleeves and a few pairs of sweatpants-the tighter the better. How attractive.

Facebook Picture

In order to properly show how college students spend 75 percent of their time, it would only do the Facebook justice to honor it with a Halloween costume. Even with the advent of photo albums on Facebook, the one opening shot still has to be picked with care. To properly use this look as a Halloween costume, grab one of those empty handles of Smirnoff (or Dimitrov) lying around your room and that digital camera. Based on the majority of Facebook pictures I’ve seen, it seems that the only consistencies are the presence of alcohol and a drunken demeanor, so this costume will be pretty easy.

Sumo Wrestler

To be a sumo wrestler, all one really needs is a big pillow and maybe an over-sized pair of tightie-whities. Cram that pillow under your shirt to create the big stomach. Then pull on those tightie-whities over whatever pants you have on. The last step is the massive bun on the top of your head. As with the knight, make sure you have a partner to randomly tackle throughout the night (although I guess random people would work, too).

Superhero

Along the underwear lines, a superhero costume is also a snap-just think Doug Funnie. Rip a blanket off your bed and attach it around your neck. Pull on a pair of underwear over your pants, and, to top off the costume, pull on a pair of obnoxious rain boots. You also must think of a creative super power and proceed to demonstrate the power all night. Just steer clear of trying to fly.

Underpass

This last Halloween costume requires a little more preparation but leaves a more permanent mark. In the spirit of the famed underpass that leads to the South 40, this costume creates its human counterpart. First, decorate your body with tape in interesting designs or words (clothing in certain areas is allowed, but not mandatory). Next, allow your friends to paint all over your exposed areas. When you rip off the tape, voila! You’ll be a walking billboard, sporting any message from “Wash. U. Girls are Hot” to “I Ate Grilled Cheese for Lunch.”

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