Madeline Kuhns is a journalism senior and Mustang News opinion columnist. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
At eight years old, I stood in a doorway with my pillowcase candy bag. I was thrilled to show off my costume: a bat with wings that spread when I put my arms up. My mom had sewed shiny black fabric and wooden sticks together . My grandmother was big on making elaborate costumes for my dad with what she had, so of course it was passed down to my family.
My get-up wasn’t the most trendy. I wasn’t wearing a Spirit Halloween zombie cheerleader costume like the other kids, but I felt unique. My childhood costumes could be made with what we had or what was easy to get. They didn’t cost a fortune, so it wasn’t as painful to spend money on a one-time use.
Fast forward ten years, as I was standing in front of my dorm room mirror, I was wondering how on Earth I could find a costume in time for a night more thrilling than trick-or-treating. To make things even worse, upperclassmen were telling me I had to plan a different costume for each night of the weekend and find a way to pay for it. Thankfully, I quickly learned that for residents of San Luis Obispo, a plethora of thrift and craft stores awaited and saved my wallet.
For the uninitiated, Halloween is not a singular day of celebration at Cal Poly. Students here turn Halloween into a three to four day event called Halloweekend, and the celebration doesn’t stop on Oct. 31.
With multiple days to celebrate, a new issue arises. More than one costume is needed to fit each day.
Just because you are now a grown-up doesn’t mean mom’s home-made fit isn’t still an option for the world’s best costume. Using a combination of thrift shopping, sewing and maybe borrowing from your roommate’s closet, the possibilities are endless.
Sustainable-clothing shopping isn’t just for everyday attire. Extend your love for second-hand items to holidays like Halloween. Not to mention, thrift stores occasionally carry a Halloween costume array from superheroes and clowns to basic costumes.
Whether your spooky disguise leads you to a classic white-sheet ghost or a non-traditional outfit, you can avoid breaking the bank and harming the planet through homemade techniques. Upcycling and a little creativity can bring new life to old clothing without hurting your wallet or our planet.
Speaking of homemade: freshman, when was the last time you called your parents? If you need sewing techniques, you can always ask for some tips. One of the best shared opinions of Cal Poly students is homemade and thrifted fashion is cool!
1. A funny/goofy costume
Who doesn’t love a good Guy Fieri wig? Not to mention you can find an old bowler shirt from
thrift stores like Fred and Betty’s or Goodwill. Couples: how about changing the classic cute couples costume to something out of the box? My personal favorites are Dobby the Elf and Lucius Malfoy.
2. A raunchy costume
You’ve been hitting the gym, so show off that body! Essentially any regular costume can be made hot by taking away half of the fabric. Yes, that even means you can turn your funny Guy Fieri into a sultry Guy Fieri if you’re desperate.
3. A scary costume
Growing up, scary costumes meant zombie makeup or vampire teeth. Now it may mean something different: a real-life fraternity brother. Get your best backwards hat, khaki shorts, a polo shirt and your gym shoes. Nothing is scarier than a slightly off-beat flick and an empty set of eyes.
4. A group costume
This is the chance to get your friends together to coordinate a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Maybe you’re all matching, posing as the Penguins of Madagascar with used tuxes. Or you can all fit a theme with your own unique flairs, channeling the Very Hungry Caterpillar and fruit with monochrome outfits.
This story originally appeared in the October print edition of Mustang News. Check out more from the edition at news stands around campus and San Luis Obispo.
For more stories from the October print edition check out the featured print section on our website or the full issue.
