It's Lazy Girl Halloween
Just Put On Some Clothes and Get Out There You Crazy Animals!
Okay, I promise that creative-but-easy Halloween dressing was scheduled as the topic for this week’s newsletter long before SAG-AFTRA issued their Halloween Strike Guidelines. But how apropos! We will add “no IRL movie or TV characters” to the prompt! We support the union using any means they have at their disposal to get back to the negotiating table… even if the costume thing is a bit of a strange tactic. But I love a challenge! I’m not shelling out dollars for Halloween costumes anyway—in this economy!? Let’s hit the closet my babes. I spy a Lazy Girl Halloween.
In my first year of dating the man who would one day become my husband, we were invited to a Halloween dinner—at which I would be meeting a group of his friends for the first time. I was in the middle of producing and rehearsing a show at the time (so, you know, running on two brain cells), and it was a bit of a last minute plan, so we didn’t have costumes. The clock was ticking! This called for some improvisation! Jazz, baby! I sent my hunny out to buy two white t-shirts and some colorful paint, with a plan to go as “Jackson Pollocks” (the art itself, not the man). And then I skipped off to rehearsal, looking forward to our fun evening plans.
MY FRIENDS, can I tell you, my sweet sweet husband came back with no t-shirts, no paint, but a white track jacket with green and yellow piping (for him), and a pair of sneakers with wheels nailed to the bottom, “because they were so fun!” This was, as they say, a learning moment for me. [Editor’s note: Eric would like me to add that he “was sent out with like an hour” to search in “someone else’s neighborhood.”]
I improvised again! And by that, I mean I walked to my closet and started layering. There was some faux fur involved. A red lippy. We added some Venetian masks we brought home from a backpacking trip months earlier. We were dressed as…nothing? But it was kooky crazy in the right way, and no one asked us who we were supposed to be. Because no one really cares! Isn’t the point to let your freak flag fly?! Anything looks intentional with a red lip! We were free.
In general, I am a big fan of Halloween costumes that are mostly improvised, via clothes I already have, with the addition of a very minimal craft moment. To be clear, when I say “Lazy Girl Halloween,” I am not implying zero effort. I mean minimal effort. I want to dress up, but with almost no advance planning required. IMO, the sweet spot lies in costumes that can come together in one day. (Respect, though, to those of you who abstain fully or who, alternatively, achieve movie realness! I am very solidly in the middle camp.)
Some examples:
Meet Chef Boyardee, circa 2015. I got tired of wearing the mustache, so it became frosting for the hat (which I made out of poster board and a white shower curtain).
We love a Tim Burton moment! Believe it or not, I spent less than $15 total on this dress and these gloves in a secondhand store in Chicago. For this particular year the “craft moment” was my face. Lol.
Some blue party curtain and a bag of quilt stuffing glued to a visor made up my easy craft materials for this outdoor Halloween party, where I went as a storm. It also gave me a chance to rewear this very fun and shiny dress as “lightning.” I had previously worn it to a creative black-tie event. Get you a dress that can do both!
And Now: Lazy Girl Halloween 2023
The necessity of some improv in the costume department will be especially true this year, as I am living out of a suitcase, and likely will only be dressing up to watch movies in someone else’s room (honestly, my preferred Halloween social plan). We are taking LGH to new heights! Can I do the least and also the most at the same time?! GRWM for LGH?
Option 1.) Medusa. Lazy Girl Medusa?
Okay there’s always this dress, and an ABUNDANCE of wire hangers in the closet of my short term apartment. Mommie Dearest would hate. I could attempt some creative hair styling? Riff on the old hanger trick? Honestly, that’s pretty fun! But maybe a lot of work just to walk down the hall to watch Hocus Pocus. I think this is a save-for-later, perhaps a year when my All Hallows plans are *slightly* more amped up than movie night.
2.) All The Stripes So Many Stripes!
Big points here for the soft pants. Ideal for putting the L in LGH! I can just spin around really fast every time someone looks at me and be an optical illusion. No SAG rules against going as inanimate objects! Maybe we add some black eyeliner swirls around one eye, and a red lip (the answer to everything). But that’s a real full face for movie watching. Could get annoying—post 10 pm.
3.) Vintage Sailor Beeb
Okay that actually was NOT all the stripes before! And I think this may be the 2023 LGH vibe. These pants are not as soft as the black ones, but they still rank pretty high on the comfort scales. I will just channel this dude. I have added a mustache because I just cannot resist! But obvi the ‘stache is optional. AND/OR, I can add a snack and become a little French boy!:
I hope this inspires you to hit your own closet, and maybe a craft store (or a bakery?!), to do the most with the least. Not to get all weepy, but it feels very pre-Instagram era to me, making a costume just using…whatever. But! If that still sounds exhausting to you, may I suggest, as perhaps the simplest option, the embracing of your inner witch?
Happy tricking and treating, my ghoulies!
Costume Change is a styling newsletter (vs. a shopping newsletter). Many posts will not include clothing “credits”— but I’m happy to share info in the comments about specific items, just HMU.
Any links to clothing/shoes, etc. that do appear in my writing are purely my honest-to-goodness recommendations. If we (ever) enter spon-con territory, those recs will be clearly marked as such. Thanks for reading, and reminder to keep those comments kind!
Love this one. Our baby doesn’t fully grasp the idea of a costume yet, but she loves wearing her apron when she helps in the kitchen. Additionally, the little linen proofing covers that fit over a bread proofing basket make for a great chef’s hat (for a 1.5 year old)! We will be sending her up to the doors with a little bowl and whisk prop to retrieve the candy. Full costume that we had at home and we didn’t have to buy anything.