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Experts share DIY Halloween tips and tricks

By R. R. Branstrom 6 min read

ESCANABA -- While costumes off the rack may be an option for those looking to dress up on Halloween, many people forgo the stores in favor of using creativity and odds and ends to design clever, one-of-a-kind getups that usually end up being far less expensive.

Avid DIY-er Abigail Schwendeman suggested a look at the back of one's own closet. "Take inventory of some pieces that you have that you might not have worn in a while -- maybe something that's a little too dressy for everyday wear but could be repurposed … an old prom dress could turn into a princess -- or zombie princess if you don't mind ripping it up!" she said. "A suit and tie could turn into James Bond; a pajama set could be one of the Lost Boys from Peter Pan.

"Take a look at some of your favorite TV or movie characters," Schwendeman continued. "What do they wear? Do they have a particular style you could match? … Add in a prop that symbolizes their character." She said that both men's and women's racks at thrift stores and flea markets are great for sparking inspiration.

At the St. Vincent de Paul store in Escanaba, shopping for "bits and pieces" to create unique, affordable costumes is a family activity, said General Manager Joyce Frady. The nonprofit charity shop sells completely-ready secondhand Halloween costumes for prices that are accessible to "neighbors in need." Frady said that attainability is important because while not everyone is able to afford costumes sold at big-box stores, all people should be given the opportunity to create core memories like working on costumes and going trick-or-treating.

"People do come in and use their imaginations as far as just in our clothing area," said employee Kay Carlson. "Look at those snakeskin boots -- aren't they fun?"

Building a costume using donated clothes is an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Carlson recounted a recent instance during which she had fun helping a group of women pick out clothes for a party with a Las Vegas theme.

"They were dressing up in like the decades… '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s. Well, of course, they weren't looking for necessarily Halloween costumes," said Carlson. "The one was all hippied out, so of course she got her stuff right from the racks. … One of them had a dress that looked almost like Lucille Ball."

It's a similar story at Goodwill. With a week and a half before All Hallows' Eve, most of the designated costumes have sold, said Cheryl Windbiel, who manages the store in Escanaba. Granted, that doesn't mean there won't be more -- Windbiel said that the people working intake have been asked to "fast-track anything Halloween," but incoming donations are hit-and-miss.

Some of the items on the holiday-specific rack weren't manufactured to be costumes, but they've been designated as such now.

"Some are like vintage clothes that are put out for costumes because people are looking for that," said Windbiel. "We have a wedding dress to the point where -- there's stains; we couldn't put it out for normal (bridal wear), but people buy these for -- for the vampires and the blood."

Like the party Carlson helped at St. Vinnie's, shoppers have come into Goodwill with the aim of creating retro looks.

"We get vintage in. One woman that bought a black evening gown, she was going as a dead bride. So even though we mark those up to $12, it's still a very cheap costume to make," Windbiel said. "Most of the people coming in are looking to make their own."

Some creative costumes people have made in years past involve unorthodox interpretations of well-known expressions.

"Think of some phrases or puns you say often," said Schwendeman. "How can you create something out of concepts?"

Schwendeman said that her favorite Halloween costume was when she went as the "dumpster fire" of 2020.

Kyle Baldwin shared a photo of a costume that, while not a wise choice for small children, was a hit at a Halloween party in college: He borrowed a classmate's jacket from track and field, wore additional athletic gear and held a pair of office shears -- he was "running with scissors."

"A fishbowl on top of the head makes a phenomenal invisible man," said Mary Branstrom. She explained that she covered herself with a trenchcoat with gloves attached to the sleeves, used a clothes hanger to form shoulders above her own, put a hat on top of the fishbowl and peered out between the buttons of the coat.

For those wanting to stick to a classic horror theme, Lindsay "Linny" Hazlett, a licensed cosmetologist who has worked with Players de Noc on theatrical productions, says that a lot can be achieved with makeup.

"A black eyeliner is always, like, a must-have for any kind of last-minute costume grab," Hazlett said. She said that in addition to using the tool as eyeliner itself, which can help to create period looks, it can be used to draw cat whiskers -- which are easy to pair with ears either purchased from the costume section or made at home using a headband and construction paper. The cat is classic, but other animals are just as doable.

Hazlett said that eyeliner has also been used to draw mustaches and wrinkles.

Instant coffee works to create dark circles under the eyes for a zombie or other undead monster.

"You can even do gory makeup with Elmer's glue, toilet paper, and face paint," said Hazlett. She described the glue and toilet paper together as akin to paper mache, and said that face paint can be applied as it dries. The goal is to create the look of burned, peeling or rotting skin.

"And if you already have supplies for that, it's something you could practice before the day of Halloween," Hazlett reasoned.

One makeup idea Hazlett has enjoyed several iterations of is that of a Day of the Dead sugar skull. The concept generally involves some sort of pattern around the eyes -- often colorful -- and black stitch-like lines along the lips to give a skeletal impression. Such designs can be produced using either face paint or everyday makeup like eye shadow.

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