Happy Halloween! Great DIY Costumes for the Eternal Procrastinator on a Budget

Always an eternal procrastinator on finding a costume for Halloween, I always expect myself to create a great costume on a small budget. To assist the optimistic procrastinators like me, here are some ideas that I thought I could share that you can create last minute without breaking the bank.

The Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is a fun and colorful option and you can create pretty inexpensively. Find a floral embellished or embroidered top, brightly colored wrap or scarf to use as wrap on your hair and accent with faux flowers. Pair with a full colorful full skirt. Accent the ensemble with lots of colorful beads. To complete the looks, braid your hair up into buns, take eyeliner and create her signature unibrow and finish with bright lipstick.

Orange is the New Black is a super-hit phenom in our pop culture and the ease of putting this costume together is for the best of procrastinators. Find an orange jumpsuit or two piece uniform pantsuit. Wear a long sleeve white t-shirt underneath and pair with black tie up canvas shoes. Get iron on letters and numbers to create an inmate number on the back.

Be inspired by the garden by having a garden gnome get-up. Buy a blue shirt, a red santa hat and go to your nearest fabric store and find shaggy white, piece of fabric big enough to create a beard. Cut the fabric into a shape of a beard.

Create an opening for the mouth, then fasten a string or band to both sides to hold in place like a mask. Take the left over fabric and paste onto the front of the hat to make shaggy eyebrows.

I had a friend came up with a long time ago with a very clever last minute DIY costume and definitely for someone who is budget conscious. Be a deviled egg. Find a white t-shirt paint a large yellow oval on it. Add devil horns to your head and costume is complete.

Everyone loves the American icon Rosie the Riveter from World War II. For all those vintage girls, a super easy, inexpensive costume. Just add retro red scarf and tie over the hair. Wear a cropped fitted denim shirt and tie in front and dark jeans.

Do you want to be comfortable and not cold during Halloween? Try being a kid in footie pajamas with pick tails and teddy bear. An easy costume you can pass-out in if you have had too much to drink after a night of partying.

For those conversations that you want to avoid at a party try being a mime. This budget buster costume is a simple black and white striped shirt, black pants and beret. Paint on white face with black details. Wear black gloves and let your hands do the talking.

If you are a Breakfast at Tiffany's fan, try being Holy Golightly aka Audrey Hepburn. Wear a black, long, vintage dress. Accent with a sparkly necklace, tiara, fake cigarette holder and black long gloves. Whip up wicked cat eye and add long gloves. All you need is a strong martini in hand and you complete her look.

Want to drink like a goddess all night? Try being a Greek Goddess! Make a head

wreath out of faux flowers, leaves and grapes that you can purchase from the Dollar Store. Wear a white bodysuit or white tank and skirt. Create your gown by taking a white sheet or curtain and tie it around your body (DIY tutorial here). Cinch the center with a gold belt and finish with gold sandals.

For the minimalist, try being a stick figure. Dress all in white, take black duct tape, stick to front of outfit as stick figure. Draw a smiley face on paper plate in thick black marker. Cut out eyes. Take rope or band and tape it to back of plate so it becomes a mask.

In love with furry critters, those of the feline variety? Try being a crazy cat lady.

All you need is your slippers and a big fluffy robe. Attach stuffed animal cats staples all over your robe. Add large hair rollers to your hair and glasses to your costumer for full effect.

So my friends, there is no excuse to get out there and have some fun this Halloween no matter how much you are a procrastinator or have a tight budget. Besides, the DIY costumes I see are always the best.

What is your favorite DIY costume? Please share with are fashion loving procrastinators like me.

Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone!

XXOO,
Christine Sanderson
- Le Thrift Consignment

$10 Sale: This Weekend Only!

Looking for some super thirfty deals?  Or just want to add some fun pieces to your wardrobe?  Stop by Le Thrift this weekend for our $10 sale!  We have a large selection of clothing, shoes, and handbags on sale for only $10.  That's right- designer pieces for only 10 bucks!  Just because it's freezing outside, doesn't mean you can't look HOT on a budget.  Hurry up to our Wicker Park location (1754 West Division) because these items will only be deeply discounted this weekend.

-Lauren Berger

Le Thrift Falls for Fashion

Looking for the perfect fall look?  Le Thrift has plenty to offer your fall wardrobe including designer boots, comfy sweaters, perfect jackets, and accessories galore.  I styled this look using a mix of modern and vintage pieces to create a versatile ensemble.  Pair this look with tights and it's suitable for work.  Or swap the sweater for a black sleeveless top for a night out.  Tired of wearing the same old necklaces?  A helpful styling tip: wrap a sequined scarf around your neck and secure it with an interesting brooch (we're digging our vintage gold owl!).  

-Lauren Berger

SHOP THE LOOK:

(Sequined Black Scarf, $18.99)

(Vintage Owl Pin $19.99)

(Linda Loudermilk Top, $42.99)

(St. John Skirt $49.99)

(Cole Haan Leather Booties, $84.99)

Photography by Teen Vini.

Model is Lindsey Gonzalez.

Look Styled By Lauren Berger.

A Basic Wardrobe

A lot of people ask me about resale stores. They share their feelings about feeling overwhelmed when shopping at one. The experience can be quite daunting as there is mountains of cheap, synthetic man made fabrics of stained and torn dismay crammed into one aisle at a time.

I answer... it takes patience. A lot of it. And also a basic understanding of what you need in your wardrobe before entering a place like this. Otherwise, you might end up looking like a misfit garbed in something that might be from your great Aunt Erma's closet.

When starting out "thrifting", it is always important to get the essentials down first. Do you have a great pair of black pants, a pair of jeans that fit you well, a crisp white blouse, a go-to cover up sweater in a neutral color, a functional purse, a classic blazer, sweaters made out of natural fibers in classic silhouettes, a pair of everyday shoes comfortable for your feet, a basic little black dress? These are all things that can make your wardrobe great and can mix effortlessly.

These items CAN BE FOUND IN A RESALE shop. It just takes a little patience. Look for well known brand names that have a good reputation for quality. Fortunately, this is a time when a lot of estates are looking to lighten their personal belongings, including large scale retailers! Which in this case, you might have the chance of finding clothes that still have tags on that have never been worn. This I would categorize as the ultimate score!

If you are into designer brands, you would be surprised about how much is actually out there that people actually give away. I have run across gorgeous, to die for, vintage Yves Saint Laurent leather heels, Jbrand Jeans, Chanel earrings, Gaultier dress and dozens of Coach purses.

The best part of shopping for items like this is the enormous amount of money that you save and also the earth conscious benefit of taking something and reusing it instead of discarding it into another landfill. All is takes is a good dry cleaner, tailor, and a washing machine and you will have clothes resulting in as good as new.

Coming from a personal experience, where I left a messy marriage and even a messier divorce, I have saved a ton of money to accelerate myself ahead financially in a shorter amount of time. There is something to be said with having the ability to put money away at the end of every month.

The best way to get started in your neighborhood is to check out www.Yelp.com. Type in "resale store, vintage shop, thrift store" and you will get a ton of information from reviews of people who have shopped there before. That way you can get a good idea of where the best stores are.

In the end, with a little patience you can end up with a wardrobe of an empress. I have seen my wardrobe slowly evolve from Gap and Old Navy mass produced items to gorgeous Chloe, Diane Von Furstenberg, UGG, Alice and Olivia, Coach,Gucci and much more.

I wish you luck with your next thrift adventure!

Christine Sanderson

http://www.lethrift.com