Halloween: Miley Cyrus, Walter White, and pop culture costumes for under $50
Still haven't decided what to be this year for Halloween? There's some time left to put together a costume that's clever, culturally relevant, and on the cheap. Check out some of our creative Halloween costumes 鈥� from听Breaking Bad听to popular memes 鈥� that won't break the bank.
VMA Miley: Because You Can't Escape It
It's sad but true that more people are going to be dressed up as Miley Cyrus this year than at the height of her Hannah Montana fame, despite听impassioned pleas from pop-culture columnists. This costume is inevitable, and if you can't beat 'em, join 'em by re-creating her infamous MTV Video Music Awards look with those听. For an authentic look, pair this听听($24.30 with $5.99 s&h, a low by $3) with existing shorts or a bathing suit. You can also make your own Miley outfit with a听gray tank听($3.99 with free shipping via Shop Your Way Max, a low by $5),听glue-on Googly eyes听($3.43 with free shipping, a low by $2), and听fabric markers听($5.45 with free shipping, a low by $1). Complete your look with a听听($11.97 with $6.99 s&h, a low by $1). Winking and sticking out your tongue is free, as is twerking... if you don't think about the costs to your dignity.
Miley Companion Costumes
Miley's Halloween companions come in many shapes and sizes, including her VMA partner in crime Robin Thicke. To mimic his Beetlejuice-like getup opt for a听repurposed Beetlejuice听($45.43 with free shipping via Shop Your Way Max, a low by $3), paired with听aviator sunglasses听($3.26 with free shipping, a low by $2), and you're done. Alternatively, pink bear ears/hats are hard to come by for adults, so a costume that depicts one of Miley's fuzzy backup dancers might require a bit more work. You can take this听polar bear听($29.99 with $6.99 s&h) and use听pink fabric dye听($4.25 with free shipping, a low by $2). Or get crafty and create your own bear outfit with a听pink hooded sweatshirt听(from $15.99 with free shipping via Shop Your Way Max), pink felt for ears, and two of the aforementioned glue-on eyes.
Alternatively, you could play the part of one of Miley's cat-fight foes. In case you haven't heard, Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor have been engaged in a听war of words, so you could opt to the be the Irish singer and don a听bald cap听($9.21 with $2.99 s&h, a low by $1) and a听black turtleneck听($11.99 with free shipping via Shop Your Way Max, a low by $5) for her "C" look. Cyrus has also received an听open letter from Sufjan Stevens听about her lyrical use of "laying" instead of "lying." This is an easy costume if you already look like the indie singer/songwriter type; just put on your everyday clothes and wear a听Grammar Police"听($3 with $1.25 s&h, a low by $1).
Breaking Bad Costumes: Are You a Walter White or a Heisenberg?
While "Mad Men"听has long dominated Halloween, this year is all about another AMC show: "Breaking Bad," which had its series finale a few weeks ago. And speaking of pink bears 鈥� no spoilers here 鈥� you can easily make your backup dancer costume into the mysterious听half-charred pink bear听with the missing eye that's a teaser through Season Two of the show. If you're going the DIY route, simply leave off the one eye on your bear hoodie and use some听black paint听($8 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $5) to make your face and arm look charred. This听faux fur animal hat听($19.99 with free shipping) or听听($22.99 with free shipping) could also work to achieve the sad "Breaking Bad"听bear look. Plus, they're cute enough to wear all winter.
In order to pass as lead character Walter White, you may need the bald cap mentioned above and White's beard, which you can cultivate yourself, draw on with face paint, or听glue on听($4.99 with $3.99 s&h, a low by $3). Once you have the hair (or lack thereof) right, you'll also need听glasses听($9.85 with $5.11 s&h, a low by $4) befitting a high school chemistry teacher. But who wouldn't want to be Walt's alter-ego, Heisenberg? To go the bad-boy route opt for these听听($14.24 with free shipping, a low by $1) and, of course, his听($24.99 with free shipping, a low by $5). Wear with a button-up shirt and khaki pants, with a black or tan jacket. Complete the look with听blue rock candy听($12.55 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $1), just like the prop department used on the show.
Should you decide to be twitchy sidekick Jesse Pinkman, make sure to don a hoodie 鈥� like this听听($26.24 with free shipping via Shop Your Way Max, a low by $9) 鈥� and a听striped beanie听($16.14 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $4). Accessorize with Funyons.
Government Shutdown Costumes
A Halloween costume that references the shutdown will surely amuse your friends this year. For a quick and easy option, pair this听Sorry, We're Closed sign听($2.20 with $3.25 s&h, a low by $4) with this听($3.99 with $4.99 s&h, a low by $3), and revel in the delight on your fellow partygoers' faces as they figure out the joke. You can also go the groanworthy play-on-words route and take the old听ceiling fan costume听concept and make it into a听debt听ceiling fan costume. You'll need听cheerleader pom poms听($6.99 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $3), a plain tee, and a fabric marker to write "Debt Ceiling" across the chest.
Meme Costumes: Digital Jokes听IRL
Tired of those ubiquitous memes, like听condescending Willy Wonka? At least everyone will know who you are when you show up in a听purple Wonka hat听($7.95 with $4.33 s&h, a low by $18) and make irritating comments. Or wear your witticisms with a听dry erase board听($13.10 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $1). The board can be used with another meme costume, such as the听turn-of-the-century woman.听Aside from getting the hair pinned up right, you'll need a听cocktail glass听($3.95 with free shipping, a low by $1) and an exasperated look. You can find Victorian-style blouses on eBay, or opt for this听听($15 with $5.95 s&h, a low by $15).
For a slightly more surreal take on a meme, consider becoming one of the听with Steve Buscemi eyes. Simply print out some Buscemi eyes and paste them over听肠辞蝉迟耻尘别 glasses听($2.90 with free shipping, a low by $1). Just be sure to cut two slits in the paper to see through! Alternatively, follow these instructions to create your own听costume. You'll need听chair cushion foam听($11.99 with $5.95 s&h, a low by $11), tan felt, and black face paint or听eyeliner听($1.99 with free shipping via Shop Your Way Max, a low by $3).
Put a twist on a听听($9.60 with free shipping via Prime) and be a shamed dog. Just make a cardboard sign or use a dry erase board to write an admission, like "I love cats." Or get crafty and听make your own puppy ears听with felt and a fabric-covered headband.
Gravity听Costumes: Because Even Your Parents Saw It
奥颈迟丑听Gravity听at the top of the box office, there will surely be a lot of astronauts this Halloween. Channel Sandra Bullock or George Clooney with this听听($31.98 with free shipping, a low by $8), or spring for this听听($39.30 with free shipping, a low by $6) and score an astronaut helmet.
Prefer the DIY approach? Take instructions听for a child's astronaut costume and adapt them for an adult. Among the things you'll need that you may not have on hand are: a听white plastic bucket听($3.97 with free in-store pickup),听white foam board听($3.25 with $5.95 s&h), a听a blind sport mirror听($1.98 with in-store pickup, a low by $2),white duct tape听($6.51 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $6),听sticky-back Velcro听($5.16 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $5),听American flag stickers听($2.49 with free shipping, a low by $2),听plastic tubing听($8.41 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $4), and a听utensil tray听($13.99 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $9).
You'll also need听women's听or听men's white sweatpants听($8.99 with $5.99 s&h, a low by $2), as well as a woman's white turtleneck (see Sinead costume entry) or a听man's white turtleneck听($17.99 with free shipping a low by $1). Just keep an eye out for the Miley Cyrus crowd, who may mistake you for an MTV Moonman award. And now we've come full circle.
Need more inspiration? Check out more听听on costumes, d茅cor, and more!
Josie Rubio is a contributing writer to Dealnews.com, where this article first appeared:听
