Halloween is the time of year where you can let loose, dress up, get a little crazy and have something to talk about in the office the following day. Dressing up in costume these days can be very expensive. Spending fifty dollars on an outfit you are going to only wear once seems ridiculous. Penta wants to give you some tips on how to have a killer costume on a low budget.

So…you want be Lady Gaga: Lady Gaga is probably one of the top costumes this year. I know I have seen a Lady Gaga costume in every Halloween store I have been to, but the costume alone is fifty dollars, not to mention the accessories you need to purchase. Why not piece together your own Lady Gaga costume.

1. Sunglasses are a must.  Purchase a pair of sunglasses and crazy jewelry from a street vendor.  I have some great ‘knock off’ Ray-Bans I purchased for $5.
2. Next, go to a craft store for some glitter, gems, rhinestones and other flashy items to dress up those street sunglasses so that even Gaga would want them for herself (Pearl Art & Craft Supply has great discount art supplies: http://www.pearlpaint.com/)
3. Onto the outfit.  If you are going for Gaga, the outfit must be colorful, loud, and original. Get out those old prom dresses and shoes we all know you will never wear again and combine them together. You may even inspire Gaga’s next red carpet outfit.
4. Hair.  If you hair is short, go for the curly bob look.  If you have long hair, get out that straighter to get the Pokerface look!
5. Now, on to the makeup.  Loud colors, a star or a lighting bolt on your face, and a dark red lipstick should bring out the Lady Gaga in you.

You are officially ready to have a bad romance this Halloween.

So…you want to be on the Jersey Shore: Although they are selling Jersey Shore costumes this season (I do believe Snookie’s costume is the number one seller) there is no reason to buy the costume.

1. Ladies:  Visit multiple stores in NYC and find a tight, short, barely there dress for an inexpensive price (Exstaza Limited is a good place to check out:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/exstaza-limited-new-york)
2. Buy some inexpensive bronzer for the perfect fake tan and cheap hair spray to make sure the ‘Snookie/Pauly D poof’ will stay intact for the night.
3. For the fellas, buy a v-neck (Uniqlo has some great v-necks for $5:  http://www.uniqlo.com/us/), wear a pair of jeans, and draw a tribal tattoo on your arms.  Buy lots and lots of hair gel and you are the new MVP.

So…you want to be in the 80’s: 80s costumes is one of my personal favorite. It is so easy yet so affordable!

1. First, a pair of colorful leggings is a must.
2. For the top for your 80s outfit, check out any Goodwill or thrift store (I have purchased a great leopard long sleeve shirt that made me believe I was back in the 80s).
3. The make up should be loud colors and put it on thick.   Blue eye shadow is a must!
4. As for the hair, the bigger the better.  If you don’t want to spend the next three days trying to get the hairspray out of your hair, a side ponytail would also do.
5. Top off the 80s look with a pair of ‘knock off’ Ray-Bans.

So… you want to be Don Draper: Mad Men is cool, sexy, and daring. Choosing to be Mad Men’s leading man, Don Draper, is an excellent choice. The best way to do this costume on a low budget would be…

1. Wear a suit you already own.
2. Buy an inexpensive fedora.  They sell these at street vendors or, if you want more of a selection, check out Gallerie H.: www.facebook.com/pages/gallerie–H/334852768441
3. Buy a pack of cigarettes (the cheaper, and healthier alterative, would be candy cigarettes).
4. Drink lots and lots of brandy.
5. Want a special touch?  Add a couple of red lipstick stains on your collar. 

So…you want to be a vampire: Between Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood, vampires are the new “it” thing. Instead of doing the old school vampire, do the new aged vampire.

1. Put on your everyday clothes.
2. Buy some vampire teeth.
3. Make fake blood (check out http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Fake-Blood for recipes).
4. Put on some makeup that makes you like pale.

Instantly, you are the new sexy vampire of NYC.

Penta wishes everyone a Happy and Haunted Halloween!

Question or comments? Email Casey Gallagher at cgallagher@pentaevents.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 28th, 2010 at 10:48 am and is filed under Penta Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.