In a costume quandary? Pop some cash at the thrift shop down the road.
Most people probably didn’t know there was an official day for it, but National Costume Swap Day is the second Saturday of October. Something many parents have already become proficient at, Costume Swap Day offers up the idea of a money-smart and eco-friendly way to celebrate Halloween.
“Halloween has been Goodwill’s biggest shopping season of the year for decades,” says Eric Smissen, Goodwill of Orange County’s director of Employee & Brand Engagement. “Especially with a look you’re going to wear only a handful of times at best, reusing or buying second-hand pieces is a great way to make Halloween affordable every year.”
And a little creativity can be used to great effect.
“Every clothing item can have a second and third life, especially during Halloween,” Smissen says. “A classic white button-up can be a pirate costume one year and used for Mary Poppins or a zombie doctor costume the next. By mixing and reusing pieces you already have, families only need to purchase a few key pieces each year.”
Smissen says Goodwill stores even collect store-bought kids costumes every November to generate trendy costume selections for families the following year.
“This Halloween, we are seeing a resurgence of the classic spooky characters,” he says. “Think skeleton, witch, zombie, mummy, ghost and pirates. We are also seeing a lot of festival and hippie costumes. Think flower crowns, peace sign glasses, bell bottoms. Another costume trend for kids is DIY-ing movie and TV characters. We’re seeing families build their own costume for superhero or animated characters and adding their own spin. It’s less store-bought, packaged costumes and more one-of-a-kind costumes. For example, bring a ‘Paw Patrol’ character to life using thrifted pieces and DIY-ed baseball cap with glued-on felt ears and a homemade collar.”
by Shawn Price
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