# Instant Halloween costume **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535 "2010-10-27T15:50:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/1 "2010-10-27T15:50:35Z")
My fourteen year old son has decided to do some trick-or-treating this year. It’s fine by me, but I’ve apparently run out of the inspiration and energy I had for costumes when he was younger. I’d like to put together something quick and easy, hopefully using stuff I already have laying around, that’s recognizable as a costume. (He says he’ll just go as a bum, but he’s hazy on how that would differ from his everyday appearance). Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/2 "2010-10-27T16:08:48Z")
Hmmm… Dollar stores are popular here for putting together costumes on a tight budget. Got any of those in your neck of the woods? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/3 "2010-10-27T16:13:50Z")
My plan is to make a bullethole out of latex and stick it on my forehead with spirit gum. They only take like a few hours to make. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/4 "2010-10-27T16:18:22Z")
Shred some old clothes, add dirt and something that will look like blood, a little make-up, and instant zombie. After that it’s all in the attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/5 "2010-10-27T16:25:19Z")
Put a cooking pot on your head like a hat and go out as a pot head. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/6 "2010-10-27T16:32:22Z")
Go to a 7-11 and buy a bunch of snacks, a Weekly World News, some Twinkies, a Slurpee, etc. and CrazyGlue it all to a sweatshirt. Go as a convenience store. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/7 "2010-10-27T17:28:28Z")
I’ve decided to be the ultimate in laziness this year and go as [the black hat guy](http://xkcd.com/433/) from xkcd. All you need is a hat and maybe a [journal](http://xkcd.com/374/). ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/8 "2010-10-27T17:31:12Z")
What I wanted to be this year… Items Required: glasses, striped gray/blue shirt, khakis, golf ball retriever, brown mop hair wig, maybe a little exta padding in the shirt. Star Wars Kid ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/9 "2010-10-27T17:54:36Z")
Couple of years ago I used one I stole from another Doper’s post – wear a black turtleneck, and sling a blank white signboard like one can buy at a craft store over your back (I punched holes in it a ran a strap through it and put the strap around my neck). When people asked me “what are you supposed to be?” I’d strike a pose and ask “What do _you_ think I am?” and then reveal that I was a [Rorschach inkblot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test). ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/10 "2010-10-27T18:02:24Z")
I still like the MST3K idea of wearing black, gluing popcorn, empty soda cups, candy wrappers, etc. to yourself and going as the floor of a movie theater. There were pics from Dragoncon of two guys in Stormtrooper helmets and boxer shorts, with cardboard signs saying “TK-421[/2] - have you seen my uniform?” Pretty cute. ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/11 "2010-10-27T18:35:31Z")
I took an empty cereal box and put a bunch of plastic knives half-sticking out of it. I hung it around my neck with a string. I was a cereal killer. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/12 "2010-10-27T18:38:48Z")
Oh, now \*I \*want to dress up as an inkblot! I like some of these other ideas too, but I’ll just show the thread to the boy and see what he thinks. Please keep ‘em coming! ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/13 "2010-10-27T18:39:31Z")
Just add water? My husband once covered his palms in hair. It was cheap and, uh, meaningful. Though I might not recommend it to a younger teen. I like the cereal killer idea. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/14 "2010-10-27T18:48:10Z")
Wrap entire head and neck in gauze, leaving small holes for eyes, nostrils, mouth. Wear gloves, sunglasses and fedora. Invisible Man. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/15 "2010-10-27T19:14:11Z")
If he’s going with a group of people, have them all dress in their winter clothes. They can go as Christmas Carolers. When people answer the door, start singing. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/16 "2010-10-27T19:19:38Z")
[I’m Crazy Newspaper Face! I want some candy!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjM1GWB61Y) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/17 "2010-10-27T20:11:38Z")
A naked guy on roller skates = pull toy! 😃 OK, maybe not the best idea for a teenager… A sheet with a bunch of holes cut in it - a Charlie Brown ghost. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/18 "2010-10-27T20:42:38Z")
White shirt, white pants, white gloves, wearing a Hefty bag filled with wadded newspaper = “White Trash”. ---
**Author:** ![limegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@limegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/limegreen)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/19 "2010-10-27T21:45:40Z")
I got some cheap iron-on letters and put “Go Ceilings!” on the front of a t-shirt for my son. He was a ceiling fan. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535/20 "2010-10-27T21:49:11Z")
14 years old is too old to be trick or treating. This holiday tradition is for little kids. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instant-halloween-costume/558535.md?page=2)