How to DIY the Best Halloween Costumes of 2017
Yes I realize as a halloween freak I might take costumes and decor a bit more seriously than the average bloke. I also realize it takes time, money, effort, and risk of feeling awkward to go all out for Halloween. But alas, I challenge. Halloween is worth it. And the best Halloween costumes steal the show every time.
At Sparksight I wear a few hats, one of them being our Production Stylist, doing the hair, makeup, and wardrobe to set whatever scene the client requires. In video production, you have to get creative. Things will go wrong, but the shoot must go on.
Learning to “fudge it” is a great skill, in my personal opinion. Most of the time nobody ever knows! This concept applies to successfully constructing the best Halloween costumes as well. Here I’d like to help all those creatives “on the cusp” of their greatest costume of all time – actually get there this year.
I love the process of transformation. Halloween gives us all the chance to ignore every social boundary we so choose! With these steps you will wow whatever party you attend, make trick or treaters laugh until they cry, or scare the pants off your boss when you show up to work as quite the lifelike Chucky. (Stay tuned for updates on that one…)
Step 1: Brainstorm
As with any success, costumes are no different. The best halloween costumes all start with a great idea. Don’t let this daunt you! For me, halloween costumes are a joy to put together. I’ll admit though, the brainstorming can sometimes be a little intimidating. I like to start be thinking about all the features I don’t have, but that I’d love to have, at least for a day. You can really be anything or anyone.
You might go the funny route, the movie character route, the group/couples route, the ironic route, or the scary route. Whatever direction you do choose, make sure its something you enjoy. Here are some elements that your idea should possess to set you up for success:
Costume Concept “Must Have’s”
- Iconic, recognizable. The best halloween costumes (IMO) are the ones people can immediately understand. This doesn’t mean it must be mainstream. What it does mean is you need to either be obvious, or have a really obvious picture to back yourself up. It’s not fun to have to explain your costume 60 times. A good test is to ask yourself “If I saw this in a picture, would I get it?” If not, make some tweaks. Think about what differentiates your character. What drew you to dress as that particular person in the first place?
- Personal. Identify your personal goal so you have a clear picture in your mind of what success looks like. Maybe you want to make your kid laugh, maybe you want to win best costume. Figure out what a “win” for you would be.
- Limit -Free. Many of us accidentally sabotage our costume aspirations by not recognizing this pitfall. Don’t base your idea off of convenience. Just because you’re blonde doesn’t mean you should be Sandy from Grease. Don’t let “what you already have” stand in your way. Gender? Hair color? Species? Halloween says you can change it all. So, go for the gold.
Moral of the story? Let your imagination run wild. Once you have a pretty good idea, keep going! Later, you can narrow it down to the best of the best.
Step 2: De- Cide
Did you know de-cide stems from the latin root “cide” to kill? Suits halloween quite well actually. It’s time to Kill the other ideas! When you enter the creative process, whether it is store bought or 100% pieced together, you must have a narrow focus. There will be one million options that are close.
This is how you stray from your concept! It’s a trap! This will inevitably lead to that awkward question of “so … what are you…..”
Don’t fret though, even when I was dressed as Khalessi, Quees of Dragons, I was asked if I was Peter Pan. -_- When I was Edward scissorhards I was asked if I was snow white… 0_0
The dumb questions will come, but they will be far out numbered by the awe-stuck admiration of your peers. Trust me. 😉
Step 3: Execution
Am I taking the death puns a little too far here? Nah.
As you select the peices of your outfit, remember there are certain elements that should not be compromised. Identify these peices of your costume before attempting to put it together. If you nail those, then “fudging” the rest comes easy.
Don’t skimp on the makeup! It’s pricey, yes. It takes time, yes. But there’s no better feeling after makeup well done and looking in the mirror to find.. well, not you!
Embrace the wig!
Wigs are probably the second piece I would give some extra thought to – the cheaper, the more they will shed on you. I’d recommend buying wigs in person, rather than online. My favorite local costume shop in town is hands down Lucy’s in Disguise with Diamonds.
Lucy’s is amazing and can certainly help with speciality items. My advice though woulf be to start in a thrift shop, see what you can find, then go from there. Pre-made costumes are always also a fine place to start – its the personal touch that counts!
As you may have guessed, I adore Halloween. More than Christmas and my birthday combined. I have dressed up as countless characters and am nowhere near tired yet. If you’re stuck, ask me! Happy to help, drop me a comment in the section below.
