Cheaper Alternatives to Spirit Halloween

Gabrielle Gunter | Fashion Editor

Spirit Halloween offers a wide variety of Halloween costumes from angels to devils and mermaids to pirates. According to Spirit Halloween, it is the world’s number one Halloween costume store. However, the average costume from Spirit Halloween can cost anywhere from $30 to $60, and some of the costumes do not even consist of the full outfit, requiring even more purchases. Instead of spending a large sum of money on a Halloween costume that is only worn once or twice, consider what other options are available.

Thrifting
According to Waste Managed, “over 5.4 million kilograms of textile waste is produced by businesses and consumers throwing away Halloween costumes” in the United States. An outfit that is only worn once clearly does not lend itself to sustainability, so why not buy a costume secondhand? By thrifting a Halloween costume instead of buying a brand new one, it is possible to take a step back from the wasteful cycle that is Halloween costumes. If on the search for a secondhand costume, check out the local America’s Thrift Stores, located on Skyland Boulevard, which has an entire section dedicated to Halloween.

DIY
Crafting can be intimidating to those whose crafting skills are on par with that of a small child’s, but it can be a great, cheap alternative to premade Halloween costumes. Do it yourself, or DIY, costumes are a great way to keep your costume in a specific price range by overseeing the materials used and allow for a great amount of customization that is not found in premade Halloween costumes. Tutorials for DIY costumes can be found anywhere from TikTok and YouTube to Pinterest and wikiHow. DIY costumes do not have to be highly complicated; the materials for DIY costumes can be found in-home. For example, a sheet with two holes cut out for eyes can be used for a ghost costume and old outfits from former date parties and swaps hidden in the depths of the closet can absolutely pass as Halloween costumes. Halloween costumes do not have to come from Spirit Halloween to look great.

Shop Outside of the Halloween Section
With some creativity, clothing outside of the Halloween section can be used to make costumes that are just as unique. Halloween clothing is often marked up in price due to the seller’s assumption that consumers are willing to pay more for specialty clothing. A skirt, t-shirt or any other article of clothing from the women’s or men’s section and not the Halloween section is almost guaranteed to be cheaper. In addition to being cheaper, non-Halloween clothing can be integrated into one’s pre-existing closet. The fact that elements of the costumes can be worn multiple times helps cut down on the textile waste that is caused by typical Halloween costumes.

Borrowing from Friends
What better way to find a costume than by borrowing one from friends? Sharing clothes among friends can be a great way to strengthen bonds. Imagine a fun night of going through friends’ closets trying to find the perfect Halloween costume. Trading and combining costumes are great ways to find unique, sustainable costumes on a budget. While outfit repeating can seem intimidating, is it really outfit repeating if it belonged to a friend first?

Serving as the current Fashion Editor, Gabrielle Gunter is a junior studying English and women’s studies. Hailing from Jasper, Tennessee, Gabrielle hopes to use her time with Alice to grow as an editor and to write works that push her out of her comfort zone.