Secondhand Halloween
Happy Friday the 13th! Perfect time to talk about Halloween costume ideas, don't you think? I've always been a bit shocked at the high prices of costumes sold in stores, especially considering that they're only worn once and are often poorly constructed and/or of cheap material. I know I'm not the only one trying to find a more affordable (not to mention ethical & sustainable) option, and many people turn to secondhand/consignment/vintage stores for a solution. 17th Ave in particular is a goldmine of great stores like these, and their owners and staff have plenty of great suggestions for getting inspired and putting together your look! See what they have to say below:
Myra & Michelle at Velour Clothing Exchange recommend:
- Check your favourite vintage/consignment store's Instagram for ideas. We've been posting some of our favourite vintage-inspired costume ideas and we will continue to until Halloween!
- Choose your favorite famous person or fashion icon. Vintage stores like ours are treasure troves of pieces that you can use to dress like Frida Kahlo, Audrey Hepburn, etc.
- Watch old movies! Most of our favourite costume ideas come from throwback films, and it's always fun to cozy up and watch a scary movie during October.
- Book a private shopping night with your friends at Velour or other stores that offer this option. We have the option to book private shopping parties on our website. We can host themed parties based on your favorite era, and will curate a selection of items/costumes according to the theme and sizes of your guests.
- Talk to friends & go shopping with them. Nothing is worse than having the same costume as someone else! Going on a shopping trip together will be fun and help ensure that your costume is unique and memorable!
- Choose outfits that you can wear for other occasions. A cute 20s flapper style embellished LBD can do double duty at an upcoming Christmas party. Boho 70s style bell bottoms and floral shirt are extremely trendy right now, so you will be right on trend wearing these items through the 2017 season.
- Go shopping in your closet! Take a look through your closet and see if anything sparks any ideas. Usually, an awesome costume can be put together with the help of some of your staple, everyday items. This way, if you need to go shopping for a few more items you won't be overwhelmed looking for them!
- And don't forget to consign anything in November that you don't think you'll wear again to make sure your closet doesn't get too congested with unworn clothing!
Costume ideas and clothes from Salvedge Boutique Consignment
Krista at Salvedge Boutique Consignment suggests:
For an earth friendly, sustainable, creative costume for this Halloween, or any costume party!
- Pick a character you've admired for style and personality, whether it be from film, music, theatre, TV, etc.
- Capture some images of this character to get an idea of what to shop for.
- Come up with a budget for this outfit and see what you already have that you can work with, and what you need to buy for the rest. Lots of eras of fashion make the rounds and you can often find 20s to 70s inspired styles in current trends, or go full-on vintage if you've chosen an older character and have access to vintage collections.
Hair and make up will also make the costume come to life. We have staff and an in-house make up artist for anyone that needs a little extra help, or just some inspiration.
Other easy suggestions we can help with:
- A sci-fi or comic book character where you can make anything leather work - a leather dress / leather top and pants / leather shorts, tights and over the knee boots; then accessorize accordingly.
- A cowgirl where anything plaid, denim and cowgirl boots will do the trick - traditional "Stampede" attire.
- A short, strapless cocktail dress could easily be a trashy bridesmaid, 90s prom date, zombie bride, etc.
We are an on-trend, contemporary consignment boutique, but have the goods to make any character from different eras come to life!
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