Halloween is only a few days away and you might have a brilliant idea for the perfect costume. However, you might also realize what you need is not a perfect costume, but a costume you can make as soon as possible.
Using basic items from your wardrobe and a few things from the store, here are last minute Halloween costume ideas that do not cost a fortune.
An oldie but a goodie is an animal costume. While dressing as a cat may be considered basic, it is still a look that can easily be worn by anyone at the last minute. But why be a cat when your options are endless? Whether you want to be a dog, bunny, mouse or any other furry creature, all it takes is a pair of ears from the dollar store. Then, draw on a nose and whiskers with a black eyeliner stick or face paint. 
If you do not have clothes that perfectly tie in with your animal, wearing a solid brown, black or white outfit helps create the perfect aesthetic for this look. If you have a furry coat or shawl, you can add this to your outfit as well. If you choose to be a house pet like a cat or a dog, you can add your favorite choker to look like a collar.
Another easy costume is a character in a black and white movie. Wear black, white and grey clothes and paint your face, neck and arms with grey body paint. Black dresses, pearls, suits and white button-ups are a few options when putting together this ensemble. If you want to go the silent movie effect, you could create a dialogue box on a piece of poster board to go with your costume.
Another option with a similar aesthetic is to dress as a mime. All you need is white face paint, black eyeliner, black pants and a black and white striped shirt. Black and white striped shirts can easily be found at Walmart and are relatively inexpensive. Additions like a bowler hat, a rose, suspenders or red lipstick can make you stand out even more with this ensemble. People will instantly recognize what that you are, and, as a bonus, it will give you an excuse to ignore strangers at parties. 
One easy way to create an effortlessly suave costume is to wear a suit. With a black suit, you could be a spy, a butler, a body guard, a groom, a groomsman or even an agent from “Men in Black.” With a black suit, the possibilities are truly endless. If you have a navy suit, consider adding a pair of aviators and calling yourself a pilot.
If you have a white suit, you could pretend to be Gatsby from “The Great Gatsby,” Forest Gump, Michael Jackson or even Scarface. Suits provide a classy, stylish look with minimal effort. If you do not own a suit, you can go to a local thrift store and pick up a cheap suit you can use for more than just your costume.
Another easy costume option is to go as an iconic movie character. Wear all black, a leather jacket, tease your hair and go as Sandy from “Grease.” Dress like Aubrey Hepburn from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” All you need is a black dress, heels and pearls.
If Hollywood glamour is not your style, dress as Tom Cruise from “Risky Business” by wearing a loose white button up with socks and shades. You could wear all pink and say you are a part of the “Mean Girls” squad. You could also copy Regina George’s iconic white tank top, purple bra and black skirt outfit.
With a little creativity and a search in your closet, you can create a costume that says, “Yes, I waited until the last minute, but I make procrastination look good.”