Boo! DIY last-minute Halloween costumes

Got a last-minute Halloween party invite but you don’t have a costume or anything to wear?

If going to the party as your usual scary self no longer works and if you do not have the guts to come in your birthday suit either, then here are some last-minute Halloween costume ideas — hauled from real people’s experiences. Promise, these suggestions are easy but a little bit more creative than merely wearing a mask or false vampire teeth, or wrapping yourself in rolls of tissue to simulate a mummy!

The Corpse Bride

With no money to buy a costume and nothing to wear at her high school Halloween ball, my sister pulled out our mom’s yellowing ‘80s bridal dress and veil from the baul (storage box) — yes, without washing it, but just dusting it, for full effect — then just swathed lots of baby powder on her face and black eyeliner for makeshift eye bags. And guess what? She won best in costume! (With a bonus batok or tap on the head from our mom after discovering her precious wedding gown was passed on as a Halloween costume).

The gypsy

Similar to my sister, I won best in costume in a circus-themed Halloween party for merely assembling what I already have in my closet. First, I thought of a circus character that nobody would think of (because if I’d go as a clown and many of us would, then I would not likely win). 

So I thought of coming in as an underrated character in a circus. Inspired by Esmeralda in Hunchback of Notre Dame, I assembled a Bohemian ensemble — a colorful top and skirt — filled my wrists with bangles and a sundry of necklaces; wore a headscarf; clipped on dangling and beaded earrings; put on colorful makeup; and for finishing touches: raided my kids’ sticker book for stickers I could stick into my face and barrowed their toy tambourine and foldable tent as props. 

When I presented my costume, I simply popped out the toy tent like magic. In reality, it was simply a bigger version of a foldable fan. Everyone was mesmerized! I took home the top prize without spending on anything — plus the ire of everyone who spent a fortune ordering for their costumes online.

Frida Kahlo

Last year, I attended Tim Yap’s “Freaks” Halloween ball as Frida Kahlo — Bohemian top and skirt, headband strewn with fake and preserved flowers from our flower vase, and just connecting my eyebrows with an eyeliner for a unibrow!

Cereal killer

For Halloween this year, my daughter told me she would like to go minimalist and make her own costume by simply recycling cereal boxes; putting them together to fit her head; and cutting holes on one side for her eyes, so the combined boxes would fit her head like a mask. Then, she would just bring her sister’s toy knife, from her kitchen set, as a prop.

A neighbor once won best in costume at our compound simply by coming in a makeshift giant popcorn costume made of patched-up cartolinas drawn with popcorn packaging lines and logos. But what made the kid win was wearing a hat filled with real popcorn — other kids ran after her to get some!

Minion

Got a denim jumper, yellow shirt and eyeglasses? You got yourself an instant minion! But throw in a banana for extra effort!

‘Samurai X’

Heeding to a last-minute Halloween party invitation at Tessa Prieto’s Forbes mansion from way back, I simply wore a kimono over oversized pants, platform shoes that look like Japanese clogs and drew an X mark on a cheek. Good thing I had an umbrella that looked like a samurai sword. My improvised Batusai costume won over a sea of other “icons,” including a high society figure who simply wore sunglasses and black long gloves over an LBD (little black dress) to become Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

‘K-pop Demon Hunters’

If you want to go trendy, you can easily transform into a Huntrix member by wearing a black leather jacket with golden bling, chains or epaulets; white shorts, white crop top and boots. As for the purple braided hair, of course, you could wear a wig, or simply style your hair with a Rumi braid then spray-paint it with temporary purple hair color.

Saja Boy

Can’t work out to have abs to flex at the party? Good thing, you could already buy shirts with instant abs online! Or you could draw or have abs drawn on a shirt for you. Don’t forget to bring along your little soda pop!

Victoria’s Secret Angel

Like T-shirts with abs, there are also long shirts and aprons printed with sexy bodies that can be bought online! That is only if you do not like to wear an actual bikini yourself. Just throw in some heels and wings and presto, you’re already a runway angel! Slay it with flying kisses a la Adriana Lima. 

Jedi knight

A Star Wars fan like I am? With no days to spare to order for a costume online, and with no costume in stores that fits me, I decided to just improvise as my favorite Skywalker, Rey. What I did was first, scour the ukay-ukay (thrift shop) for a knitted sweater in off white or similar earth tone. I got one for only P50, but I suggest that if you have one like that at home, which looks a bit tattered, just use that.

I paired that ukay haul with matching loose pants. Then, I wrapped a scarf in similar color over my body, making sure the edges of the scarf would hang loose. Then, I took out my boots and toy lightsaber as finishing touches. Presto! You could do the same, too! The trick is in suman-wrapping yourself — let’s call it “the elevated mummy” look — something you could also do if you’d like to cosplay in Disneyland. May the force be with you!

Tokhang victim

That year before the pandemic when I attended the company Halloween party as Rey Skywalker was the only year I didn’t win best in costume because somebody else did. The theme was newsmakers, and the prize went to a colleague who came out with a last-minute costume — as a tokhang victim. 

What he did was simply make a papier-mâché mold of his head, cover it with lots of tape, cut it on the back as a mask so he could breathe, then draw torture markings on his body and wear tattered shorts. When he presented his costume, he drew an outline of a dead body first on the floor using white chalk. Then, with his mask on, he lay down on the marking face-down.

Flood control projects characters

This year, I heard many would like to dress up as a corrupt congressman or senator by simply wearing a barong, shades and with hair brushed up; or as a flood control contractor, which could be the easiest to cosplay nowadays – just bring a fake contract printed with billions of kickbacks. 

If you are feeling extra lazy — like those corrupt politicians and contractors — just pull out the classic kumot (quilt), cut out holes for your eyes and mouth — and voila, you’re now a ghost project!