28 Oct Last Minute Halloween Ideas

Halloween in America is no laughing matter. It might only be three days till the big day but there’s still time to get an amazing costume together with these easy tips!

Decide Early

If you’re reading this, you probably don’t have that luxury. Instead have a quick google of what you want to be and check out the basic elements. Decide whether your event calls for scary or something more cutesy and go from there. You don’t want to be drenched in blood whilst everyone else is dressed as a fairy or a mouse.

Easy ideas include animals like cats/rabbits/bats (just face paint really), witches, TV characters, foods, festival goer (glitter!) Also, if you’re great at makeup, prosthetics or skulls are always a good idea too!

Some general tips for a last minute costume:

Don’t pick anything too complex, you only have a few days and if you’ve got a lot of lectures you can’t be running round the city looking for things!

Don’t appropriate any culture or race, if it seems like a bad idea or something that might offend someone, just don’t do it. If you’re really unsure, google it, but go with your gut.

If you dress as a clown, please don’t linger around in the fog with a red balloon!

Shop Around

Again, you haven’t got much time, but now you know what you want to be you can be a bit more selective! I would recommend going to the Haight for your costume.

From campus, hop on the M and the 43, or the 28 and the 7 to get to the Haight Ashbury district.

Buffalo Exchange has loads of premade costumes and accessorises so if you go with friends you can definitely find different things for each to wear/go as a group in!

                                                Inside Buffalo Exchange

If you’re money conscious but still want to look good, a little patience goes a long way in Goodwill, with a whole two sections of the store on Haight Street dedicated to Halloween costumes!

Target and other shops like Walgreens sell costumes and wigs, but these can be more expensive, but if you’re in a rush it’s always worth a look. Target is only a short walk from campus!

Shops like H&M and Forever 21 also often have Halloween collections. I bought a butterfly costume from H&M two years ago and it’s been used many a time for socials back in the UK, so even if things are expensive think about when you can wear them for other events!

If you’re reading this on the day of Halloween…

I’m not sure how much help this post will be if it’s reached the 31st and you’re reading this instead of running around frantically! All I’ll say is a little fake blood and a ripped shirt goes a long way. Both are readily available at Target.

Have a spooky one! 🎃👻🧡