If you’re the kind of girl who likes the challenge of pulling together a Halloween costume last minute, let us help.
Halloween often spirals into a stressful event, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Pre-packaged costumes can be absorbently expensive and retailers know that desperate last-minute Halloween revelers will pay the price.
However, before you go dropping $200 on a vinyl Harley Quinn costume, consider the simple, but stylish, items in your closet that can easily be accessorized into a costume.
Seriously, your closet’s costume potential may surprise you ... and if you don’t have one of these items, your friends undoubtedly will.
Check out the wardrobe staples you can easily turn into a Halloween costume below!
A LBD (a.k.a. little black dress) is probably the most versatile item you have in your closet, both in life and for Halloween.
The most obvious costume idea is Audrey Hepburn, but if you want to go a little less basic, you have a bevy of options. With a few choice accessories, you can rig up a Cruella de Vil costume, Wednesday Addams, or another famous Disney villain, like Ursula from "The Little Mermaid."
If you work in a corporate environment, you likely have one, two or seven black suits hanging in your closet. Have a little fun with your office wardrobe and turn yourself into the godfather of fashion and brutal honesty, Karl Lagerfeld. All you need is a cheesy white wig and a faux Choupette to complete the look.
Moto jacket owners can easily be bad Sandy from "Grease." The iconic character’s look is rather easy to achieve: tights and an off-the-shoulder top are easy to find or may already reside in your closet. And if you don’t already have a ruby red lipstick, you can pick up an inexpensive tube from your local drugstore.
Other options using your moto jacket include every rockstar that ever existed — Courtney Love and The Ramones are just a few biker jacket enthusiasts that come to mind.
Overalls really made a comeback over the last two summers, so it wouldn’t be all that surprising if people made use of them for their Halloween costumes.
The most famous overall wearers of all time, the Mario Brothers, make for a pretty hilarious costume. You can also transform yourself into a minion or a scarecrow if you’re in the mood for something spooky.
"Flashdance" may have been born in the '80s, but everything old is new again, as they say. Off-the-shoulder sweaters, similar to the one worn by dancer Alex Owens in the film, can be found virtually anywhere, if not in your closet already. Black booty shorts and red heels are easy-to-find additions to complete your '80s-inspired look.
Bomber jackets may be this season’s most accessible piece of clothing. Everyone owns one in various iterations. Good news is, you can utilize it to build your "Stranger Things" costume. The popular Netflix series will likely inspire many costumes this season, in particular, Eleven, whose signature look can be replicated with a bomber jacket and a pink collared dress.
Bodysuits are another trend that have come back into vogue thanks to Kim Kardashian and American Apparel. If you have a bodysuit, you can pull together a variety of last-minute costumes. Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" look is an obvious choice, while a gymnast costume is a great way to pay homage to the summer Olympics that took place in Rio this year.
Bodysuits are also a great base for animal costumes and the always-popular, ballerina ensemble. And if you’re in a crafty mood, you can always use your bodysuit as a base to pin things on. Have you always wanted to go as a bunch of grapes? Pin some purple balloons to your bodysuit and you’re ready to go.
For more last-minute Halloween costumes, check out the slideshow below!
