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Fast and Cheap DIY Costumes

Who doesn’t love a costume party or theme party ANY TIME OF THE YEAR? Except you, when you have somewhere to go and nothing to wear. Never fear, I am here with ideas for Fast and Cheap DIY Costumes featuring things you probably have in your closet.

Note: this post contains affiliate links and I could earn a small amount of any qualifying purchase. Thanks for your support!

Ready? Let’s do this!

Fast and Cheap DIY Costumes

Costumes you can make with a pair of sunglasses:

(If you don’t have a pair, order them for $6 here!)

Fast and Cheap DIY Costumes you can make:

Breakfast at Tiffany – if you have a black dress and some pearls, you’re good to go. Add a to-go coffee cup!

Risky Business – you can do the jacket and t-shirt version, or grab an oversized men’s shirt and a pair of socks and do the riskier version.

Men In Black – black suit jacket, white shirt. Done.

Blues Brothers – same as MIB, but add a fedora.


Costumes You Can Make With a Red Cardigan:

If you don’t have one, order one here for $19.

Fast and Cheap DIY Costumes you can make:

Ah, the ladies of the CW do love their red sweaters!

Sabrina of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – Add a headband. If you want, add this lace collar for only $3!

Cheryl Blossom from Riverdale – you can add her signature spider pin for only $5!

Veronica Lodge from Riverdale – add a string of pearls, or you can do the same $3 lace collar!

Mr. Rogers! He’s having a moment! Throw on the cardigan over jeans and sneakers. Add a tie!


Costumes You Can Make With a Bomber Jacket:

Most of us have one: leather, pleather, even fabric. If you don’t, you can get one here for $22.

Fast and Cheap DIY Costumes You Can Make:

Top Gun: throw on some aviator sunglasses. If you want you can use double-stick tape to add a $7 Maverick patch or a $6 Top Gun patch.

Sexy Sandy from Grease: black tee and leggings, heels, and you’re good to go!

Southside Serpents from Riverdale: Add a $10 sew or iron on Serpent patch, or make your own!


Need more costume ideas? Check out my post on fun Halloween costumes based on characters from your favorite Netflix shows!

Make Your Own Beauty Masks!

11.14.2019 by Jen Ryland // 3 Comments

Welcome to my stop on the Make Your Own Beauty Masks Blog Tour! Maybe you don’t remember my crazy Christmas bookish crafts from last year (don’t worry, you’ll be seeing it again), but I love DIY!

Make Your Own Beauty Masks
[Read more…]

Categories // DIY, Reviews Tags // DIY

All Things Halloween!

10.23.2019 by Jen Ryland // 5 Comments

My master 2025 Halloween post has all the Halloween reading and fun you could want, from Halloween Books to Read to the best books about Ghosts, Witches, Zombies and Vampires to tips on DIY Halloween Costume. Let’s get Spooky!

[Read more…]

Categories // DIY, Lists Tags // Halloween

Cheap Halloween Costumes Inspired by Netflix Shows

10.09.2019 by Jen Ryland // 8 Comments

So you need a Halloween costume that’s fast, easy and cheap? Who doesn’t?! Raid your closet, order a few of these key pieces that I’ve scouted online, and you’re good to go. (SPOILER: there’s one $5 item that can be used to create at least 4 different character costumes!) Here are my picks for Cheap Halloween Costumes Inspired by Netflix Shows and Series! Updated in 2023!

Cheap Halloween Costumes Inspired by Netflix Shows
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Categories // DIY, Fandoms Tags // costumes, DIY, Halloween

Cheap and Easy YA Halloween Costumes!

10.29.2018 by Jen Ryland // 14 Comments

Happy (almost) Halloween 2018! Do you need help with cheap and easy YA Halloween costumes that can use stuff you might have in your closet? Read on!

Cheap and Easy Costumes 2018

Looking for a great, cheap and easy YA Book Character costume? I’ve got you covered!

Cheap and Easy To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before Halloween Costume!

Did you love the show on Netflix? Coming up with a Lara Jean Covey costume (or a Kitty Covey!) could be a snap depending on what you have in your closet!

Lara Jean loves plaid. And pink!

Shop your closet: look for preppy/girly, items like pastel plaid, pink or pastel sweaters sweaters, and lacy shirts. Button your shirt up all the way and add a ribbon bow!  

If you want to buy something for your Lara Jean costume, try these: 

Check out this lace collar for only $10.

Why buy a white collar? Because you can make many costumes out of it. Check out these ideas!

This pastel skirt comes in 5 pastel colors and is $16

Kitty has her own unique sense of style – she wears a baseball cap, a “feminist” necklace, and often has her hair in two braided pigtails.

Here’s a sample Kitty Covey costume:

Kitty has a denim jacket, and you probably do too. Add a fun striped shirt, some pink shorts, and patterned socks. Her “feminist” necklace is cool, but you could also wear a slogan tee or put pins on your jacket. Add a pair of glasses. And if you’re dressing as Lara Jean or Kitty, why not carry around a box of letters?

If you want to buy some Kitty costume elements, try this:

$10 and comes in S-XXL

Cheap and Easy Cruel Prince Halloween Costumes

Here’s another great YA Book Character Costume! Love fairy wings and the fae aesthetic? Cruel Prince hasn’t come to the big screen, but I checked out Holly Black’s Pinterest and have some inspiration!

Sample Cruel Prince(ss)/Dark Fairy:

For a Cruel Prince costume, rifle through your jewelry collection and look for things that have floral, leaf or bug motifs. That floral headdress you wore to a music festival? Yes! Something with feathers? Yes! Gold brocade? Yes! Think fanciful + nature motifs + shiny and glittery.

So clearly from Holly’s Instagram photos you could go colorful. But I had to work with the items I had and hey, I’m a New Yorker who is afraid of bright colors. I dug up a black tulle skirt, black velvet long sleeved shirt, black wings, and gold bracelets and a flower necklace. Since I’m going with a more monochromatic theme, I’d  spray paint the flower headdress gold, and probably buy some plastic bugs that I’d spray paint gold and hot glue gun onto the headdress.

Buy Cruel Fey costume elements. You can get black feather wings for $11 and this beautiful black flower crown for $11.

This sparkly tutu comes in many colors, is only $14 and fits waists 21″-50″

Cheap and Easy Riverdale Halloween Costumes!

Okay, it’s not a YA book, but the audience has a lot of crossover. You definitely have stuff in your closet to dress as a Riverdale character. And you can get a group of friends together and do a group costume!

Are you all about the pastel and preppy?  Put your hair in a ponytail and go as Betty Cooper. If a black body con dress is more your jam, add pearls and red lipstick and be Veronica. Put on some cat ears and go as a Pussycat. If you love leather, print out a Southside Serpents logo and stick on your own black jacket!

Sample Veronica Lodge costume:

Easiest costume ever and you probably have everything you need!


Need more ideas? Check out my post on Quick and Easy Costumes Made From Stuff From Your Closet! With just three items (a pair of sunglasses OR a cardigan OR a bomber jacket) you can make at least TEN different fun costumes!

Categories // DIY Tags // costumes, DIY, Halloween

Happy Bookish Holidays!

12.22.2017 by Jen Ryland // 17 Comments

I hope you are having a great holiday season! If you are looking for craft projects featuring books, or a bookish ornament you can make for the holidays, I’ve got you covered! Happy Bookish Holidays to you!

Happy Bookish Holidays!
[Read more…]

Categories // DIY Tags // bookish crafts, holiday crafts, holidays

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Since 2011, I have been guiding avid readers toward books they will love and offering a friendly place to discuss them. I publish honest reviews that will help you decide if a book is right for you! Let's talk books! See my full bio!

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