The best Halloween costume is the one you build from a thrift store rack the week of. No shipping, no waiting, and no sad bag of polyester you will wear exactly once. Each of these ten costumes comes with a shopping list you can find secondhand, so you can walk in, pull the pieces, and walk out dressed.
Three rules before you shop
- Start with the dress or the jacket. One strong anchor piece does most of the work. Build the rest around it.
- Shop the whole store. The formalwear rack, the men’s section and the accessory wall all hide costume pieces.
- Try it all on together. Costumes live or die on the full look, so bring your shoes and hat.
1. Flapper
Thrift list: fringe shift dress, beaded headband, long pearl strand, T-strap heels.
2. Showgirl
Thrift list: sequin mini dress, feather boa, fishnet tights, rhinestone earrings.
3. Fawn
Thrift list: brown sweater dress, faux-fur collar, headband plus felt ears, brown eyeliner for freckles.
4. ’80s Aerobics (“Totally Glamoratti”)
Thrift list: leotard or bodysuit, shiny leggings, leg warmers, terry headband.
5. Modern Witch
Thrift list: black velvet maxi, long coat or cape, wide-brim hat, silver rings and boots.
6. Holly Golightly
Thrift list: little black dress, pearl necklace, long gloves, big sunglasses.
7. ’70s Disco
Thrift list: metallic or wrap dress, platform shoes, big gold hoops, shimmer and big hair. Tip: check the formalwear rack for metallics.
8. Cowgirl
Thrift list: denim shirt or skirt, fringe or suede jacket, cowboy boots, bandana and hat. Tip: the men’s section has the best denim shirts.
9. ’80s Rock Star
Thrift list: leather moto jacket, vintage band tee, ripped jeans, studded belt and boots.
10. Ghost Bride
Thrift list: white or ivory dress, old veil or lace, pale skin and dark eyes, dried-flower bouquet.
Pieces from our shop that fit
Short on time or can’t find the anchor piece? A few things we have right now:
- LNA cropped moto jacket in brown faux leather, size S. New with tags, with an asymmetrical snap front. A good base for the ’80s Rock Star. (eBay)
- Browse our sequin, metallic and sparkle pieces. For the Flapper, Showgirl and Disco looks. (eBay)
- Browse our outerwear and jackets. For the Witch cape, the Cowgirl jacket and the Rock Star. (eBay)
Whatever you build, build it from what’s already out there. Find all our shops here, and happy haunting.
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