Costume Party Fun

I love costume parties. Even more, I love coming up with an idea and creatively putting my costume together. Thrift stores are my best friends when it comes to costume parties. You can find almost anything at a thrift store-I surprisingly have never had a problem finding exactly what I have in mind for a costume! Plus, I don't like to spend a ton of money creating my costume, so thrift stores are great for saving money too.

I am on staff with a college ministry and every year, we have a costume dance party at our fall retreat. Each year, there is a different theme according to which we dress. I will take you back the past three fall retreats (including the one this past weekend) and show you my costumes.

2007
Dance Theme: Favorite Movie Character
My Costume: Penny Pingleton from "Hairspray"

Materials:

• Plaid jumper I already owned-$0 (fortunately this look came back)
• White blouse I already owned-$0
• Curling Iron-$5
• Can of hairspray-$3
• Fine tooth comb-$1
• Bag of Tootsie Roll Pops-$3 (I only used the red ones)

Total Cost -$12

2008
This one was a bit more expensive, but I had so much fun making it!

Dance Theme: Dance Through the Decades
My Costume: 1920s Flapper

Materials:

• Really ugly 80s dress with altering potential-$10
• Fringe-$8
• feather boa and fake pearls-$5
• satin gloves from thrift store-$5
• feathers and sequins for headband-$2

Total Cost: $30

What I did: This costume took more time and creativity as I had to alter the really ugly 80s dress. The dress looked like it was snagged right off the set of "The Golden Girls," but the cut of the dress had potential since the seam was low on the waist, like flapper dresses.

First, I cut of the horrible faux-lace overlay on the skirt of the dress and made it into a low-waist belt. Then I cut the skirt shorter and glues on the fringe with fabric glue (I can't sew...YET).

I then cut out the obnoxious shoulder pads and cut off the tacky lacy sleeves and sewed the seam in to make it sleeveless.
To make the headband, I glued sequin ribbon to a cloth headband. I then cut it in half and sewed ribbon on the back to tie (because the elasticity goes away after gluing on the sequins). Then, I glued three feathers on the front.

2009

Dance Theme:Superheroes and Villains

My Costume: Buffy the Vampire Slayer-from the early 90s movie (NOT the TV show)

Materials:

• Yellow skirt and yellow tank top from thrift store-$6
• White keds from thrift store-$3
• Blue leggings and blue cami I already owned-$0
• Pom-poms-$1
• wooden stake I ripped off a yard sign-$2

Total: $12

Happy Creative Costuming!