I’m terrible at putting together Halloween costumes. Every year, I decide on November 1st that nextyear will be the year when I finally work it out and do something awesome and elaborate…and then every year, I end up dressed as a cat, which is a costume that involves wearing black (plus a pair of the most bedraggled ears you’ve ever seen).
This year I’m going crazy and being a mouse, which involves…wearing black (plus a slightly more rounded and marginally less bedraggled pair of ears).
But when there’s a party to get to, it’s nice to at least look like you put in a tiny bit of effort. And it is doable, even if you’re as prone to procrastination as I am: with just a little creativity, you can easily shop your closet for some fun costume ideas.
Below, five easy shop-your-closet Halloween costumes…and the perfect accessory to pair with each one to ensure that you make it to the night’s next destination on time.
Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story: I wore this costume (pictured above) for a Halloween party a couple of years back, and it was the easiest thing ever. All you need is a white nightgown, slicked-back hair, and a crystal necklace worn across your forehead and secured behind your ears with pins. If you have a willing and able Atreyu, have him wear black pants, a brown t-shirt, and a necklace (while an Auryn necklace is preferable, any old medallion should do the trick).
Buttercup from The Princess Bride: Wear a long, flowing gown (preferably red), and wavy hair (pull back two sections of hair from the front, twist, and secure with an elastic at the back of your head). Add smudges of dirt to your face for a post-Fire Swamp effect. If you’ve got a guy with you, have him wear all black (and a black mask), and presto: Westley.
Audrey Hepburn: Oh, this one’s so easy. Just wear a black tea-length cocktail dress, cat-eye sunglasses, and pearls, and throw your hair into a teased updo.
Gypsy: This is really an anything-goes costume; it’s all about the layering. The key elements: floaty, flowy clothing, loose, casual waves (add some braids for texture), lots of jewelry, and maybe a fringed shawl or scarf.
Britney Spears: I love this one because there are so many Britney incarnations you can go for: ‘Baby One More Time’ Britney, Slave For You Britney, Mama Britney, Matt Lauer Interview Britney (eeks), X Factor Judge Britney…anything goes.
This post was created in collaboration with Timex and originally appeared on Timex Stylewatch.
