Being such an iconic villain, Cruella De Vil makes for an easy Halloween costume inspiration. Photo: Handout
Halloween is creeping closer. But a few days are more than enough for those with little time, energy or funds to pull together a costume of quality with panache.
Think of the last-minute scramble as an opportunity to reimagine the items already stashed in your closet.
That’s the approach taken by many grown-up Disney fans, also known as Disney adults, who are restricted from dressing up at the company’s resorts (guests age 14 or older are not allowed to wear costumes).
Instead, they “Disney-bound”, a term people like Carlye Wisel, a theme-park journalist and host of the Very Amusing podcast, use to describe the process of assembling outfits inspired by their favourite characters with regular clothes and clever accessories.
“You’re not selecting something that’s packaged in a plastic bag hanging on the wall in Spirit Halloween,” said Wisel, 37, who lives in Los Angeles, “You’re pulling from items that already inspire you on a daily basis.”
Leslie Kay, 34, who coined the term Disney-bound, said it had been conceived to describe “a very creative form of self-expression” that uses a personal wardrobe.
Kay’s said her style is “punkier and grungier”, so she likes dressing as a villain.
“For me, an easy go-to is Cruella De Vil,” Kay said.
She achieves the look with black base layers, red shoes and a white cardigan or blazer to evoke the character’s voluminous fur coat.
Kay has also used her own clothing to dress as Hades from Hercules and Billy Butcherson from Hocus Pocus.
Rummaging through a closet to concoct a costume, of course, is not unique to Disney fans, and it’s a tactic that can be used to embody far more personas than just Disney characters – a caped crusader, a stripe-clad poltergeist or even a number one hit album.
Having a few costume ideas to narrow down is crucial, said Em Seely-Katz, 26, a writer, editor and stylist in New York City, who has three rules for coming up with a costume.
First, pick a niche that is unique, yet relevant to those you’ll be around. Second, be funny, adorable or both. Third, commit.
Sam Kerns, 24, an artist and the lead stylist at Chloe’s store on the Upper East Side, had another tip: Start with a core colour.
“If I’m going to be a flamingo – which is on my list – pink tights, pink trunks, some kind of glitter top, a feather boa, some structural hat and, what completes the look, but false eyelashes,” Kerns said.
For those joining us in their most desperate hour, here are ideas both current and classic that can be assembled without too much effort.
Read more: The appeal of dressing like a villain: Bold colours, edgy fashion designs
If you’re looking for a current costume
Khaki pants, a button-up shirt, rubber boots and a printed photo of the pygmy hippo who stole our hearts? You’re Moo Deng’s zookeeper.
Embrace your inner Cowboy Carter, Beyonce’s alter ego, by decking yourself in red, white and blue and topping it off with a sash and a 10-gallon hat.
Going as Ariana Grande this year is as simple as pulling long hair into a high pony, donning a cute dress and holding a chicken wing with a teeny-tiny bite taken out, a reference to her appearance on Hot Ones, the YouTube interview show.
A white blazer can become a chef’s coat if you pair it with an apron, black pants and comfortable shoes. Add a bandanna and a whisk, a spatula or a pair of tweezers, and you’ve become Sydney, Ayo Edebiri’s character on The Bear.
Anna Delvey’s brief run on Dancing With The Stars was eclipsed by her bedazzled ankle monitor. A few rhinestones covering a box on a strap make her look possible.
Logan Moffitt became a social media sensation as the “eat an entire cucumber guy”.
By matching his signature blond hair and deli container full of the watery vegetable, you, too, can become a cucumber connoisseur.
Step out with a friend and channel your inner Noel and Liam Gallagher of the British band Oasis with fitted zipped up jackets and square-frame sunglasses (as if you needed an excuse to get that fresh 1960s mod haircut).
With a ribbed tank top, a pair of cargo pants, a single silver dangle earring and headphones around your neck, you can be the scariest thing of all: a DJ from Bushwick.
Read more: Glamour of goth: All-black everything is the fashion trend of the moment
If you’re looking for a classic costume
A pair of bold sunglasses paired with gloves, colored tights and hot pants over them et voila: You’re a bug.
A floor-length dress, a DIY sash, a teased-up hairdo, some winged eyeliner, and you’re a 1960s beauty queen.
Slip on your favourite leopard print piece, add a party hat, and you’re a party animal.
Clown around – literally – with face paint, a polka-dot top and striped pants (your choice, as long as they are mismatched) and contrasting socks.
If bold patterns or colored tights aren’t quite your style, transform yourself into a silent film director by tucking a pair of khaki pants into black socks, adding a button-down cardigan over the shoulders and topping it all with a beret.
A high-waist trunk, a tight shirt, opaque tights and a scarf worn as a cape? That’s a superhero.
Solve crimes and capers as a detective with a classic trench coat and a fedora worn low over your brow line. Carry a notebook and a pen, just for good measure.
If all else fails, dressing as a creature of the night can be accomplished with just one cheap accessory.
“A great pair of vampire fangs is an excellent investment,” said Ruby Redstone, 29, a fashion historian based in Manhattan. “They look good with everything.” – ©2024 The New York Times Company
