The art of the DIY costume

With Halloween right around the corner, the inevitable question of who or what to dress up as may be on the minds of many students.

However, for those living on a shoe-string student budget, buying a costly ready-made costume may not always be a viable option. Whether you’re itching to unleash your inner Martha Stewart or you’re simply looking for the absolute basics on how to craft your own costume, The Weal has gotten the lowdown on how you can make the most of a homemade Halloween getup.

 
Know where to shop

When on the market to make, rather than buy, your own Halloween costume, there is one store that has your dress-up essentials: Value Village.

According to Dale Givens, manager of the Chinook Value Village, shopping for a costume “is extremely easy” when you know what you are looking for. With a huge selection of ready-made costumes and supplies in abundance to make your own festive outfits, Givens said that he sees an average of over 100 costume-hunting customers per day around this time of year.

“Most people I talk to about Value Village the first thing that jumps into their head is Halloween,” he said.

As for the intentions of such seasonal clientele, Givens typically sees a split down the middle of customers, with half looking to make their costumes themselves and half intending to purchase those of the ready-made variety.

 
Get creative

If you are anything like SAIT student Dean Livingston then you know all too well what Value Village has to offer. Livingston has been making his own one-of-a-kind Viking costumes for several years. With his vast experience, he has the creative touch to turn a tattered fur coat into a Viking vest, but if he is really stuck for inspiration then he will venture to the local costume shop to see what is there and find the supplies to make his own creation.

Take a leaf out of Livingston’s book and take a look at what you currently own and see what you can creatively cobble together to create your own custom costume. You may be surprised by your own creativity.

 
Enlist the help of a professional

If you’re at a Halloween costume stalemate – with finances stopping you from buying a costume and the creativity required to make an ensemble has given you the creeps – know that help is out there. For inspiration and creative direction, pop into your local costume shop or Halloween specialty store and have a chat with one of their sales people.

Though you may not be purchasing your entire ensemble from them, it might help to discuss your creative vision with a professional purveyor of costumes and getups – at the very least, these sales associates may help to round out your idea for a spook-tacular outfit.

 
Accessorize

For any props or finishing touches that your costume may require, the city’s many temporary Halloween stores have it all. But if you are looking to shave a few dollars off your total expenses, a venture to your local dollar store or craft supply shop will do the trick.