As Halloween approaches, you may find yourself scrambling for a costume. If you’re anything like me, around July you start talking about your grand ambition of homemade costume extravagance. By August, you’re telling yourself, “I should really start on my costume.” By September you’re caught up with other things, but assuring yourself there is plenty of time to build 5 feet tall wings that will secure to a body suit you haven’t bought yet. Now it’s October, and you risk pulling the hokey maneuver of years past where you slapped on some devil’s horns and tried to hold your head up as people around you cavorted in far superior costumes.
I’m here to help. Not only will I give you some ideas for quick and easy movie-themed costumes, I’ll tell you how to set yours apart from the rest!
10 Last Minute Costumes for 2010
Na’vi (Avatar)
The biggest movie of 2010 is guaranteed to garner loads of love this Halloween season. While you may not have the time or cash to compile a Comic Con level of cosplay, you can be a random Na’vi native easy.
What you’ll need:
- Bucket o’ Blue Body Paint (in a pinch real paint could work – but do NOT use house paint)
- A Loincloth – to cover your not so PG parts
- To Set Yourself Apart: Speak in stilted dialogue.
Degree of Difficulty: Medium-Hard. Yeah, body painting is a bit of a time suck.
Ken (Toy Story 3)
Every lady I know shrieked like the little girl she once was when Ken did his catwalk in Toy Story 3. Based on real Mattel designs, Michael Keaton’s Ken was strutting it in clothes we all adored. Want to score some top-notch bf points? Volunteer to be your special lady’s Ken Doll.
What you’ll need:
- An Outfit with All Kinds of Old School Flair. (Try your dad’s closet, or a thrift shop.)
- Shelac – to make your hair as stiff as humanly possible. (Gel will work as well.)
- To Set Yourself Apart: Keep your arms at a 90 degree angle. Classic Ken.
Degree of Difficulty: Medium. It’s all in the duds.
Mel Gibson (The Beaver)
If you want to be something a little bit scary and a little bit crass, go with this year’s biggest celebrity train wreck: Mel Gibson. This costume doubles as a excuse/cover if you’re a belligerent drunk.
What you’ll need:
- Intense Bed Head
- Wrinkled Shirt
- To Set Yourself Apart: Bring along a beaver puppet -for extra shock value – give it a black eye.
Degree of Difficulty: Medium. Finding a last minute beaver may be tricky.
Aang (M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender)
While I firmly believe we should all sign a pact to never again speak of this atrocious adaptation of the all-kinds-of-awesome animated series, Aang is an easy costume in a pinch and could be a good conversation starter.
What you’ll need:
- “Monk” Robes (bath robe could work in a fix)
- Bald Cap with Drawn-On Arrow
- To Set Yourself Apart: Use thick white pancake makeup. Fans of the show will get it. And in-jokes are the best kind anyway.
Degree of Difficulty: Easier than stomaching The Last Airbender.
Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)
Between the BP Gulf Spill, the anti-Google “Don’t Be Evil” campaign, and the muckraking Facebook movie, big business has been full of big bad guys this year. So, personify corporate greed by being the punk billionaire himself!
What you’ll need:
- This Mask Courtesy of Gawker
- Long Sleeve T
- To Set Yourself Apart: Add a “like” button to your shirt.
Degree of Difficulty: Easier than figuring out Facebook’s privacy settings.
Nina (Black Swan)
All of you ballerinas-gone-goth can have an edgy costume as easy as 1,2,3.
What you’ll need:
- Tutu
- Black Eye-liner for Signature Eye Makeup
- To Set Yourself Apart: Smash some red lipstick under your nails, then scratch your back.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy as First Position.
Edward Cullen (Twilight)
Are old school vampires too scary for you? Want something undead and brooding but not so dour? Add glitter!
What you’ll need:
- Vampire Teeth
- Tub of Body Glitter – Twilight vamps sparkle, you know!
- To Set Yourself Apart: Hit on girls that are way too young for you. It’s very Edward.
Degree of Difficulty: Easier if there’s a Claire’s Accessories near you.
Olive Penderghast (Easy A)
With this high school Hester Prynne you get to go the traditional scantily clad costume route while condemning slut shaming!
What you’ll need:
- Black Bodice
- Big Red “A” to Attach to Bodice
- To Set Yourself Apart: Healthy Dose of Sass!
Degree of Difficulty: Easier than Olive!
Scott Pilgrim (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World)
My bet is this Michael Cera character will garner more costume homages than Paulie Bleeker – and that’s saying something!
What you’ll need:
- Vintage / Ironic / Band Tee
- Wrist Bands
- To Set Yourself Apart: Carry a flaming purple katana! Failing that, carry pocket full of change – the remnants of your defeated foes!
Degree of Difficulty: Easy enough for a slacker to manage.
Dom Cobb (Inception)
So it’s the day of Halloween and you’ve hemmed and hawed and still failed to come up with a costume. Well, this one’s for you!
What you’ll need:
- Suit
- Spinning Top
- To Set Yourself Apart: Wear your best DiCaprio scowl.
Lady version: Wear a Sexy Dress and Suffer Violent Mood Swings Throughout the Night.
Degree of Difficulty: It’s the easiest thing about Inception to figure out.
Hope this helps.
Happy Halloween!
Leave your last minute costume ideas in comments.