Costume inspiration for that last minute frustration.
Written by Evan Peters
It’s mid-October and a student walks through the halls of Cleveland State University (CSU), overhearing other students talk about the Halloween gatherings they plan to attend.
While going through their closet, the student realizes they do not have a costume for the festivities happening in just a few weeks. They lack the funds to buy an entirely new costume and do not have clothes to create something – a true horror story.
Suddenly, they remember that there is a thrift store nearby where they can find pieces of clothing for less, not only to make a costume, but to keep for later outfits. Like many, this student created a cheap, last minute costume for the Halloween season.
If you can relate to this scenario, then this article might be the guide for you. Northeast Ohio has plenty of thrift stores to look for costumes and bring to life the ideas that we have provided!
One thrift store in the area with multiple locations is Value World. All of its locations have clothing racks categorized for women, men and children, along with a decor and shoe section.
Most articles of clothing are priced from $4 to $18, the priciest being large articles of clothing, such as long coats. Value World has several locations in Lakewood, North Olmsted and North Randall.
Another thrift store I recommend is Goodwill. While many people already go to Goodwill, here are some specific locations that I find to be excellent, as both locations have sales on different colored tags and great thrift finds.
The first Goodwill is located at 825 Center Road, Avon, Ohio 44011. The second Goodwill is at 23100 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070. Both of these locations are west of Cleveland.
The last thrift store I recommend is the Salvation Army in downtown Cleveland. This thrift store is the closest to the CSU’s campus, consistently has great deals and has provided me with many thrift finds my first year here. The Salvation Army is located at 5005 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44103.
Now that you have a thrift store picked out, it might be hard to decide on a costume. Don’t worry, we have you covered.
Argh Matey, Pirates:
Men: Black dress pants, black dress shoe or boots, white collared shirt (preferably oversized) and some sort of bandana.
Women: Black skirt, a heeled boot, bandana and a corset.
Bonus: Black eye makeup, winged eye-liner and some sort of plastic sword.
Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable:
Kim: Green cargo pants, black boots, cropped long-sleeve black top and fingerless black gloves.
Ron: Gray/brown cargo pants, black boots, black t-shirt and black gloves.
Bonus: Stuffed weasel and plastic toy gun.
Minions:
Plain yellow t-shirt and overalls.
Bonus: Banana and eye goggles
Biker:
Leather pants, any kind of motorcycle shirt (Harley Davidson is ideal), bandana, chained jewelry and boots.
Alvin and the Chipmunks:
Alvin: Plain red colored t-shirt and jeans.
Simon: Plain blue colored t-shirt and jeans.
Theodore: Plain green colored t-shirt and jeans.
Bonus: Plain hats that match each character’s shirt!
To draw the letters, I recommend finding yellow duct tape because paint might not show up.
Have a safe Halloween and enjoy those costume parties! Tag us on Instagram @Vindi_CSU if you use any of these pictures as inspiration!