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Between parties and trunk-or-treating, October is full of occasions to dress up.
But the cost of a new costume year after year can add up—for your wallet and the planet. In the U.S., Halloween costumes produce nearly 12 million pounds of extra textile waste, according to a study from Hubbub, an environmental advocacy group.
To help mitigate the environmental impact, consider heading to your local Salvation Army Thrift Store before ordering a new costume online. Not only do thrift stores stock hidden treasures that can easily be transformed into one-of-a-kind costumes, but they support community members in recovery at Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARCs).
And if you don’t have hours to comb the racks for a perfect second-hand gem, you can (almost) always find these 15 simple costumes at your local thrift store.
1. Athlete
Practically every thrift store will have a jersey and a baseball cap. Just grab some sports gear and some athletic shoes for maybe the easiest costume ever.
2. Minion
Look for a long-sleeve, yellow T-shirt, black shoes and some denim overalls. If you want to go above and beyond, you can create these DIY goggles:
- Thrift two glass jars and remove the lids
- Trace the lid on white paper, then cut out the circle for an eye; repeat
- Use a black marker to draw pupils
- Using a hot glue gun, attach your paper eyes to the jar lids
- Use hot glue gun to attach the eyes to a wide black headband
Now you’re prepared to help steal the moon!
3. Waldo
It only takes two items to become Waldo—a red and white striped t-shirt and a red beanie—both of which probably won’t be elusive at your local thrift store.
4. Rosie the Riveter
All you need are jeans, a denim top and a red bandana to recreate this iconic look.
5. Tourist
Grab a tropical button-down, a visor and khaki shorts for this incredibly simple costume. Keep an eye out for sunglasses or a camera to complete the look!
6. Charlie Brown
If you can find the classic yellow shirt with a black zig-zag at the thrift store, good for you! If not, you can still be Charlie Brown by thrifting a white bed sheet and simply cutting out way too many holes for a ghost costume. Just don’t be surprised if you receive lots of rocks and no candy.
7. Bachelor Contestant
Head to the formal section of the store and grab a floor-length cocktail dress. Finish the look with a single red rose from your garden or local grocery store.
8. Scarecrow
A flannel, ripped jeans and a straw hat are all you need for a simple—possibly last-minute– costume.
9. Anyone from the Scooby Doo gang
All the solid colors in this quartet make their outfits super easy to thrift. Here is what you’d need:
- Shaggy = green T-shirt + brown pants
- Velma = red skirt + orange sweater
- Fred = blue jeans + blue button-up + white sweater + red bandana or ascot
- Daphne = purple skirt + purple shirt + green bandana or ascot
10. Jake from State Farm
This might be the easiest costume to buy second-hand—you’ll only need khakis (obviously) and a red collared shirt.
11. A rockstar
The racks at your local thrift store are full of old band tees. Find one you like and pair it with some black jeans for a rockstar costume. If you want extra accessories, browse the aisles for a guitar, leather jacket or fun boots.
12. The Rock
No look is more iconic than the Rock’s 1990s ensemble featuring a black turtle neck, faded blue jeans, a gold chain and a fanny pack—all of which are pretty simple thrift store finds.
13. Scientist
Find an oversized white button-up to serve as a labcoat and a brightly colored T-shirt. Then, for accessories, head to the homeware section to look for funky-shaped glassware.
14. Spy
An all-black ensemble and dark sunglasses are all it takes to be a spy. Or, if you’d rather be 007, head to the formal section and pick up a suit.
15. Alien
Search for neon green or metallic fabrics to put together a basic alien costume. If you have time, you can spruce it up with a space-themed hairstyle or antennae created with pipe cleaners and a headband.
Do Good:
- Find a Salvation Army thrift store near you.
- Want more content from Caring Magazine? Follow us on Instagram! Get caught up with the latest stories, podcasts and more to inspire goodness in your life.
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