DIY Halloween Costumes: Why I Will NEVER Buy a Store Made Halloween Costume Again!

I will be straight up and honest from the get-go: I've only been making and creating my own Halloween Costumes for about 3 or 4 years. I'm not an expert or know all the tips and tricks to creating the best costume, but it has become SO fun over the years to get creative and see my vision come to life.

I've come to find that there a ton of reasons that I started making my costumes, rather than buying them. It 100% started out as being a broke ass college kid! My first costume creation was a GI Jane type thing...I was a freshman in college and I kind of just raided my friend's closets and put something together. It was fun and literally took no time. I got super creative the next year and did a Little Red Riding hood costume, and the only thing I had to buy was a hooded cape. My Junior year I was Dorthy from Wizard OZ. That was by far the most extensive costume, but I got everything at a thrift shop and it was PERFECT! Senior year, I had been with Clayton for a bit and I convinced him to do a couples costume! He wasn't super into dressing up and going all out, so it was a bit of a stretch, but we went as Bugs Bunny and Lola from Space Jam! I loved it. That one wasn't much of a DIY, but turned out really cute!

Anyway, after that rant, I can tell you that I've learned some awesome tips and tricks and I've realized how much of a ripoff store-bought costumes can be! Here are some of the biggest reasons why I won't go back to store-bought costumes!

1. They are SO DANG Expensive: Why would I want to pay upwards of $60 for a costume plus accessories, when I know for a fact I can make it cheaper? I know that for most people it's a convenience thing, but I'm obsessed with pinching pennies! Of course, this started as a way to save money in college and get creative and I've continued the tradition! Save some money by going to goodwill! I have found several items for costumes there, including my main outfit. Not to mention, most of the costumes I had as a kid and teen were the absolute worst quality! I would end up freezing with a torn costume by the end of the night! No thanks!

2. You're Forced into Pop-Culture Costumes: I walked into my local Halloween costume pop-up store and it was the saddest and most disappointing thing ever! I saw Emoji costumes and Stranger Things costumes and your typically Disney Princess costumes. I'll admit I thought the Stranger Things costumes were awesome, but if you walk in with an idea and it's not there...you're kind of out of luck unless you're willing to get crafty! There's nothing wrong with wanting to be one of those costumes, but if you're looking for something a bit more original, you might want to think outside of the box.

3. I LOVE Being Creative: Creativity has always been an outlet for me. I've dabbled in a ton of creative hobbies including dance, writing, and even photography! Being able to come up with a creative idea for a costume and then completely create it how I want, is the best feeling for me. I get to pick and choose the best pieces and kind of watch that vision come to life! It's really a great feeling to get a compliment on a costume and know that you put some much effort and time into!

4. My Family Shares a Love of Creative Costumes: My mom is a lover of Halloween just like me. We talk about all the latest scary movies and want to go on haunted tours all over! But Clayton's mom also is a huge Halloween fan and she makes all her costumes too! They are so fun and I definelty will be asking her for DIY advice in the future. I'm kind of obsessed with their Publisher's Clearinghouse costume:

Like C'mon, this is hilarious! They always keep their costumes a secret too so I can't wait to see what she has planned for this year!

I'm really excited about the costume I've cooked up this year! I actually saw it a few years ago on a friend and her boyfriend...so I kind of cheated, but I think it is going to be really fun! I found almost everything we need at goodwill. I ordered a few items on Amazon, but just accessories. To find out what it is, head over to my Instagram

P.S. One of these years we will do a hockey costume...just trying to come up with something a little more creative!