Thrifting 101: Halloween Thrifting

Don't have a Halloween costume yet? No worries there's a thrift store for that. 

When I was a child I used to love Halloween. It was the one day I could be someone or something else. Even though it was one of my favorite days I would always wait until the very last minute to put my costume together, which meant I had to use what was in the house. 

One year I was a Rubik's Cube. I got a box big enough where I could cut out a hole for my head and holes for my arms to go through. I then painted squares of the corresponding colors to the 3-D combination puzzle. It was the classic last minute costume!

Another year I was a teacher. Then I gave the bunny rabbit costume a try and the list goes on. 

If you're still trying to figure out what to be for Halloween this year, the perfect costume can be found in your closet and your local thrift store.

Here are my top costume ideas and tips for Halloween 2014: 

• Where's Waldo 

This is one of my favorites and probably the easiest costumes to pull together. Grab a white and red striped sweater from your closet or thrift store. Can't find one... the get a white sweater and add red duct tape for the stripes. You can find the red duct tape at Home Depot or any hardware supply store. The jeans you should have in your wardrobe or change it to a denim skirt to make the costume a little more female friendly. 

Waldo must have a hat! If you can't find the signature hat, get either a solid red skully or a solid white skully, which you can find at any discount retailer. The look will work either way. 

Additional Waldo accessories: Black sunglasses minus the lenses, a cane, brown boots or brown shoes, and a messenger bag will complete the look. 

• Lumberjack 

This look is fairly easy. A red and black flannel button down shirt is the main component. Add a pair of overalls, which are now back in fashion, or denim jeans and add clip on suspenders. Wrap up the costume with an ax and you are the perfect Paul Bunyan or Paula Bunyan. 

• Cowgirl 

Cowboy hat, plaid shirt, denim skirt, cowboy boots and your look is complete. The beauty here is that you can find all of these pieces in your everyday wardrobe. And if you don't have a cowboy hat, because not everyone has one laying around the house, you're sure to find one in your local thrift store.

• Rosie the Riveter 

This cultural icon is always a powerful costume. Roll up the sleeves of your favorite denim shirt and top it off with a red and white polka-dot bandanna as head gear. 

WARNING: Consider making a cardboard cutout that you can hold up with the phrase bubble 'We Can Do It!' If you don't do this you risk being asked all night..."Who are you?" Then you'll be the history teacher explaining how American women pitched in to go work in factories while their husbands, fathers and brothers went off to fight in World War II.

Do you have any thrifty Halloween costume tips and tricks? Leave us a comment below or send us a tweet @ShopStyleHaven 

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