I love Halloween. For me, it’s the one day a year where it is socially acceptable to cosplay out and about with minimal judgement.
It’s something I take very seriously and start debating my costume ideas sometimes months in advance. But despite the weeks-long internal debates, I sometimes find myself within days of Halloween and not completely set on a costume.
Take this year for example, I think I know what I’m wearing but I’m not 100% sold on the idea and it may change at the last minute.
Finding costume pieces can be hard at the last minute. So how can you come up with something creative with minimal time?
- Examine your closet
This is my number one suggestion for a solid last-minute cosplay. From my years of going to various conventions, I’ve accumulated some costume pieces that can be repurposed.
For example, this Elphaba outfit, I bought the paint but I had the dress itself. I did this five years ago to celebrate the 15th annviersary of Wicked. The paint took about 90 minutes for me to apply.
Another fun example is Abby Sciuto from NCIS. In this case, the only thing I bought was the tattoo.
My favorite example is the time I dressed as Captain Jack Harkness. This was a surprise convention stop while on vacation and I managed to throw this together out of the contents of my suitcase (and a coat from the cousin I was visiting).
2. Visit Thrift Shops
I cannot stress how many costume pieces I’ve found at Goodwill. If you have a free afternoon and can hop between several thrift stores, you may find inspiration for a unique cosplay.
3. Check Out Clearance Sales
This one requires a bit of planning ahead. But I’ll often wander the clearance sections after Halloween for costume pieces I can use later. This one is a bit of a gamble, but it can help you in unexpected ways down the road.
4. Use Everyday Supplies
Back when Doctor Who was filming the 20th anniversary special, “The Five Doctors,” Wendy Padbury who played Zoe (a companion of the Second Doctor) was pregnant. By the time they came to film her scene, she was already showing.
The problem was that Zoe wore tight body suits which in this occasion would not work.
Doctor Who’s solution was to wrap Wendy in a bubble wrap dress. A few years ago with the help of some friends, I recreated the dress and have used it on numerous occasions.
The dress itself is made out of bubble wrap and packing tape.
That being said, sometimes really creative cosplays require little more than supplies you have sitting around your house. Don’t discount items immediately, especially when the clock is ticking and you’re on the hunt.
These are just a few of my tips for creating last minute cosplays/costumes. I hope it helps you as you decided what you’re going to wear for Halloween this year.
But I want to hear from you? What are your tricks to assembling last-minute cosplays? What outfits have you pulled together in the eleventh hour? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord!
Featured Image: Vinícius Vieira
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The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, Stephanie, LeRon, and their friends from around the internet come together with other creators, developers, and industry veterans to talk about games they’ve been playing, discuss video game and entertainment based topics, and answer questions solicited on social media and the community Discord.
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