Thrifty Subversion

The Shining: Wendy Torrance

This is another one of those classic horror movies that has a personal connection to my life. I spent an entire summer when I was in college where I read exclusively Stephen King novels while I worked at a gas station. I didn’t read The Shining until after I had seen the movie which (at the time) was unusual for me. This story is one that I appreciate within both the book and film worlds, even if they don’t align with each other.

Also, multiple people have told me that my d** reminds them of Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining. #CanConfirm It might seem strange that I would choose to dress as Wendy Torrance, but dressing as the Grady twins only works in a pair. What’s my other option, going naked as the woman in room 237? Maybe next year!

This outfit is comprised of a mock turtleneck cropped short sleeve shirt that was part of a set with matching joggers and a matching face mask. It is the only outfit I own that has a matching face mask and a pandemic splurge during lockdown. I’m thinking about cutting off the “mock neck” part to turn it into a scrunchie and remove the turtleneck part of the shirt.

Layered on top is an Authentic 44mm Legendary Workwear the Original Legendary Goods 100% Cotton Flannel that I got at a second hand store. On top of that is an unbranded Ladies Casual Plain Dungarees Dress Overalls that I obtained via ebay for $16 including shipping. I wasn’t gonna buy it, but the pockets won me over.

I also wore a pair of white tights and these unbranded, wanna-be Uggs that I inherited from a friend. I never thought I would ever wear boots like this, but now that I know how warm they keep my feet, you can pry them from my cold, dead extremities.

I gave myself Fairuza Balk in American History X Vibes with my hair in this photo. #unsettling

For my hair, I am using a clip-in bangs piece that cost around $5. I initially planned to use it in tandem with the long dark hair wig I used previously, but that ended up being too long for Wendy Torrance. As such, this outfit is not my best work and should only be viewed from the front.

I didn’t put on any makeup for Wendy Torrance, but you could do something fun making your nose and cheeks all rosy. Here is a tutorial to help!

For my accessory, I put on a simple silver band to stand in as a wedding ring. I also had an outfit change where I removed the skirtall and added a robe. (The robe is my spouse’s and was a gift.)

For my first prop, you know I was bringing back my reliable butcher knife. At the end of this project, I’ll have to tally up how many times I used it.

For my second prop, I used this wooden tee-ball bat that I found in a field more than two decades ago when I was setting off fireworks with my cousin and his friend. It has resided next to my bed through every place I’ve lived since. It fits me perfectly and feels great when I swing it.

Oh Jack, this looks like a swell place to spend the winter.

Danny, you & Tony need to wrap it up, and quit messing with those girls.

Totally get why my kid & husband are into this room. The design and decor are phenomenal.

You better stop playing with my lipstick and give me back my favorite knife.

This might not be what your bartender buddy was talking about, but this is what I mean when I say double fisting, Jack.

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out The Shining: Wendy Torrance Vibes board on Pinterest.

Carrie: Carrie White

Around 20 years ago, I dressed up as Carrie White for Halloween. Let me tell you that the corn syrup & food coloring recipe that I used for fake blood worked very well, made me sticky af, and destroyed my entire outfit. Oh, and if I remember correctly, it also stained my bath tub too! I had to wipe off a bunch around my eyes and mouth just to tolerate it.

You can tell this was ages ago as we are smoking cigarettes indoors out in public. I think it was a coffee shop where we made a stop to see a dude my friend was crushing on during their open mic night.

I had my friend pour a bucket of the corn syrup fake blood concoction over me when I was standing in my costume. It was so sticky that I brought a towel with me to sit on so I wouldn’t get fake blood all over everything wherever I was going. This Halloween outfit might just be the reason I stopped really messing with fake blood and destroying clothes too. It was not an ideal situation to be party hopping with a towel and sticking to everyone and everything.

This outfit consists of a vintage Behind Every Olga There Really Is an Olga pink slip that I got from my grandmother, a fuzzy pink scarf I inherited from my friend, and a pair of Nina Mahala Peep Toe Sparkly Glitter Wedges that I bought on clearance at DSW with a gift card one of my friend’s gave me for Christmas one year. I’ll probably be selling them soon as I’ve never worn them, and beyond this photo shoot, I probably never will.

For my hair, I’m wearing a wig. You’ll see this one again before we’re through. I went very minimal with my makeup only wearing Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Lipstick in Valentine on my lips.

For my accessories, I have a few different items. Instead of a corsage, I wore a bracelet with a large flower made of stones that I acquired at a clothing exchange. I love this bracelet so much, so s/o to whoever it was that donated it. I then took part of a feather earring and tucked it behind a flower brooch to wear on my chest like Chloe Moretz did in her version of Carrie.

I also wore a tiara that I got from my grandmother after she obtained it at one of her birthday shindigs. It has red lettering on it that says Queen, and it actually lights up with red lights when you flip a switch. The Queen part fell off and some of the photos are with it, while others are without it. I can’t decide if I want to superglue it back on or not.

For my prop, I used a bunch of ageratina altissima, commonly referred to as white snakeroot that I pulled from my yard to dry for another project. I took a pink ribbon that I had in my ribbon stash and loosely tied a bow around it to stand in for my bouquet.

Momma, this really nice boy asked me to the prom. I’m gonna go, and you can’t stop me!

I thought tonight was going to be magical, but just like the rest of high school, my peers had to go and ruin everything.

“A child that is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out the Carrie: Carrie White Vibes board on Pinterest.

The Ring: Samara Morgan

The thing about dressing up as Samara Morgan from The Ring is that most people choose to portray the dirty, wet version of her. Since my current focus is on wearing clothes you might already have in your closet and being able to wear them again afterwards, I have not been distressing or adding blood or damaging the garments. However, with this character you can do as little or as much as you like. That goes for both your outfit and your makeup. I’m choosing to portray a low key, low budget, low effort Halloween costume, cosplay outfit as Samara this time around.

This outfit is a Zanzea dress I bought on ebay for $20. The Unlisted Mary Jane heels I’ve had for so long that I have zero recollection as to how they came into my life. The straps cross at an interesting angle instead of straight across, and I always thought it gave them a little something extra in terms of style. I also borrowed a pair of my spouse’s white crew socks. (not pictured above)

My hair is the same wig that I used for Jennifer’s Body: Jennifer Check. Samara is a trapped child. She doesn’t wear makeup so neither did I. However, if I hadn’t put all my old hospital bracelets into my scrapbooks, I would have put one on my wrist for an accessory. I do still have my wish bracelets tied on, so they somewhat resemble her bracelet in the pics.

For my props, I used a couple of horse figurines that I’ve had since I was a small child. Since I’m focusing on Samara while she’s alive, it seemed fitting to bring horses into it. Plus, it isn’t very convenient to try to drag a well around.

For such a simple outfit, I think it is very effective.

I just wanted to play with the horses, Mommy.

Am I the only long haired hippie here that thinks it might be nice to spend eternity with this tree?

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out The Ring: Samara Morgan Vibes board on Pinterest.

Halloween: Laurie Strode

I’m really happy that I was able to pull something together to be Laurie Strode from Halloween (1978). She is one of the original Final Girl™️ characters. There are a number of them on my list for this project. Maybe at the end, I’ll count them up to see how many I did?

This outfit is comprised of a tagless, vintage shirt with pearlescent snaps that was passed down to me from someone in my family, a pair of DKNY Castro flare leg jeans I got via a clothing exchange, and a pair of Chunky Funk brand platforms that I picked up during a $5 bag sale at a secondhand store (where everything you can fit into a paper bag costs you $5). Those are my favorite because you can get so much cool shit for $20.

For my hair, I put in two barrettes, one on each side of my head. Throughout the movie Halloween Laurie Strode is wearing barrettes like this and then also not wearing barrettes too. My hair is not as big as hers (and it probably never will be) so I just kept my barrettes in for the entire photo shoot. For makeup, I just have on some lip balm.

For my accessories, I put on a couple silver band rings, one on each hand.

For my first prop, I have this “Jumbo” pumpkin. I was ordering groceries online and searched for a pumpkin. It was either a Jumbo or a Mini available, so I went the Jumbo route thinking that’s just what they called a standard pumpkin. I did not realize it was going to be SO huge. s/o to our grocery delivery person for hauling this giant pumpkin to my house for me! Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to lift it up for some pics.

For my second prop, I have my banged up, old butcher knife. Please ignore the fact that the tip is snapped off. I have faith in myself that if I were ever in a do-or-die scenario, this trusty knife would still stab someone just fine with enough force. Gonna go work on my arm strength. Brb. (Oh fuck, you’re not supposed to say that!)

Tonight’s gonna be the best Halloween ever, right girls?

Just casually hauling my Jumbo pumpkin over to where I’m babysitting tonight.

Dude, if you wanted to join our Halloween party, you could have just asked.

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out the Halloween: Laurie Strode Vibes board on Pinterest.

The Exorcist: Chris MacNeil

Besides the fact that The Exorcist is a classic horror film, this movie had a major impact on me personally. Growing up Catholic, possession movies really freaked me out before I became an atheist and gave up on the church. On top of that, I watched The Exorcist (and The Amityville Horror) for the first time at an impressionable age with older people (my cousin and her friend) and they scared the shit out of me.

Now usually when someone thinks about dressing up as a character from The Exorcist they jump straight to dressing as Regan and specifically when she is possessed. Since I’m trying to use items of clothing that I already have in my possession (haha) and avoid altering them so I can use them again, I instead chose to dress as Regan’s mom, Chris MacNeil. No split pea soup for me, thank you.

This outfit is a London Fog trench coat that was a hand-me-down, Style & Co dark brown wide leg trousers that I got secondhand when I worked an office job, and these Kenneth Cole Reaction Pete Cheeks Mary Jane suede wedges that I bought at a thrift store. I love them, but rarely wear them because the color palette doesn’t jibe with my standard attire (black on black). Also, I wore my not quite a turtleneck shirt discussed in the Annie Wilkes post since Ellen Burstyn’s portrayal of Chris MacNeil includes a variety of turtlenecks.

Because I didn’t want to buy yet another wig, I chose an outfit where most of Chris MacNeil’s hair is covered up by a scarf, and you can only see her bangs. That way I could reuse the same wig I used for Sidney Prescott, Rose Armitage, Dr. Abigail Tyler, and others.

I chose not to wear any makeup since most of my face was going to be covered anyway. Technically, in this scene, Chris has a black eye, but I don’t particularly like to see my face with a black eye–fake or not. You could choose to do up your face, but please realize it might be triggering for survivors of violence.

For my first accessory, I have a pair of Ralph Lauren sunglasses that cost $2.99 at a thrift store. I’m not really a brand whore, but sometimes the things I buy secondhand end up being name brands. I’m not gonna go out of my way to avoid them, if the item is something I was already interested in obtaining.

For my second accessory, I have a pair of Fownes Brothers blue leather driving gloves that were giving to me by my grandmother. Please don’t get on me for mixing black, brown, and blue. We’re working with what we’ve got on hand to avoid buying a black or brown pair of gloves.

For my prop, I have a lit cigarette. After all, it was the the 1970s. (No mom, I’m not smoking nicotine cigarettes again.) This is a Redwood Reserves Pure Hemp Flower CBD cigarette. I smoked nicotine cigarettes for 18 years of my life. (I could’ve raised a child into an adult in that time!) Quitting was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, and it took me multiple attempts before it stuck. I am not advocating for anyone to smoke any type of cigarette here, but if you already do and have some on hand, it will definitely help elevate your Chris MacNeil outfit.

If you don’t want to use a cigarette as a prop, you could have a buddy go in costume with you. Having a Regan in a blue nightgown (with or without vomit) or a pal dressed up as Catholic priest would help ensure people connect your outfit with The Exorcist.

You better stop telling my friends they’re gonna die and get back to bed.

Captain Howdy, you’re being a really bad influence on my daughter, and we’re gonna have to set up some boundaries.

I think my daughter’s trying to kill me, so I’ll just be out here smoking a butt. Godspeed Padre.

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out The Exorcist: Chris MacNeil Vibes board on Pinterest.

The Blair Witch Project: Heather Donahue

When this movie came out, someone told me the very last shot before I had seen it. Talk about a spoiler! However, if you remember the buzz (& backlash) around this movie, it was a strange time when movies intentionally tried to mislead the viewer with their promotional campaign. Good thing we’ve moved past that now and can absolutely trust everything. /s

Dressing as Heather Donahue from The Blair Witch Project is another option for when your costume party will be held outdoors or you want an outfit that will help keep you warm on Halloween.

The Blair Witch Project: Heather Donahue Outfit

This outfit has an item I actually spent a little bit of time seeking out specifically for this project. I found a few dark red paisley shirts for sale on ebay, and ultimately, I purchased the BonHomme New York Vintage Paisley Red Button Down Shirt you see here for $10 including shipping! (s/o to guardianantiqueandthrift on ebay.) I paired it with a gray scoop neck tee from Target, Mossimo bootcut jeans. and a pair of Hi-tec hiking boots.

My hair was hidden underneath a hat for this character. I used a gray beanie that my partner got in college for being on a sports team. It is old and stained, but does that really matter when you’re dressing as a person who is cold, dirty, hungry, and lost in the woods?

There might be a little lipstick still on my lips because I was photographing multiple character outfits in the same day. Heather Donahue is a film student camping in the middle of the woods with two of her peers. She didn’t really get all dolled up. However, if you are the kind of person who would wear makeup on a camping trip, don’t let me stop you.

For my accessory, I used a basic long sleeve purple tee (has no tag and thumbholes I manually added) and tied it around my neck just like Heather does in the movie.

For my first prop, I used this video camera. It was a gift from my d** one year for Christmas after everyone already had video cameras as part of their cell phones. As with most gifts received sporadically from him, I just assume it was something he had in his house and wanted to get rid of but didn’t want to just throw away.

For my other prop, I used a stickman figure made of branches from my yard and either hemp or twine. My friend thinks I’m bringing bad vibes into my house with them, but I made them so they don’t scare me.

I might put them up for sale on the internet or just take them apart and reuse the pieces for something else. Hit me up if you’re interested in one.

This looks like a good place to make a movie.

Wait is this just another example where the woman gets gaslit by men and deemed hysterical while expressing valid concerns?

Look at this strange thing I found outside the tent. Very curious and almost as cool as the rock piles that just appeared too.

To be fair, I’d probably go into a creepy ass house to find my missing friend too.

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out The Blair Witch Project: Heather Donahue Vibes board on Pinterest.

The Fourth Kind: Dr. Abigail Tyler

This post is kind of a two-for-one. Since The Fourth Kind is a movie with reenactments, I couldn’t decide which version of Dr. Abigail Tyler to do. As such, you’re getting two outfit ideas for the same character.

I’ve only ever talked to people who were scared by (or totally ambivalent to) The Fourth Kind, so I don’t really understand all the negativity I saw about this movie on the internet. Especially with all the recent news where the military has confirmed UAPs, suspending your disbelief should be even easier now than when the movie originally was released.

This first outfit option is only seen briefly in the film, was not in the promotional shots (like the other one), and is basically a deep cut. I include it though because a lot of people might have similar items in their closets already and could dress as this character.

The Fourth Kind: Dr. Abigail Tyler Outfit #1

This outfit is comprised of an H&M basic tank, Universal Thread Goods Co cardigan, and the same pants and boots that I used for the Get Out: Rose Armitage look.

I don’t usually use this huge barrette like this.

My hair was done in two braids and then held up with a barrette. This is a similar style to what I use before I put on a wig cap. Any hairstyle where your hair is loosely pulled back would work though. For makeup, I did a little black mascara and on my lips is a lipstick called Romance by Honeybee Gardens. For this version of Abbey Tyler, I didn’t use any accessories or props.

The second outfit option for Dr. Abigail Tyler from The Fourth Kind was seen at the beginning of the film, in promotional footage, and also might be things you already have in your closet.

The Fourth Kind: Dr. Abigail Tyler Outfit #2

I went to Catholic school for a lot of my life and grew to loathe collared button up shirts with a fiery passion in my soul. I’ve gone out of my way to create a life that does not require their use. However, I still have some (that I’ve acquired throughout the years) hanging out in my closet, just in case. This particular shirt is a Converse One-Star button down that I got at a clothing swap. (I’ll probably seam rip off the pockets after seeing how they look on my body in these pics.) The pants are black stretch slacks from Rue 21 that I got secondhand. The shoes are George black closed toe wedges that I picked up last minute for a job interview years and years ago. Back when I worked a corporate culture office gig, I probably wore outfits very similar to this on a regular basis.

I forgot to take a selfie in this outfit, but why does this look like a mug shot?

My hair is a wig. I have on the same makeup as listed above for the other outfit, and my accessory is a basic thin gold chain.

I actually wish these pants had a higher waist.

For my prop, I used a small tape recorder. I can’t remember exactly how this came into my life. I think I had to buy it for school. It has been in my attic in an electronics tub. I hesitate to get rid of it and the tapes I still have because of how much regret I had after donating all my cassette tapes including the ones my friends and I made in high school. (I didn’t realize they were all together until after I got rid of them.) I have a tape for this recorder of my younger brother singing Sublime songs as a small child. #memories

This looks like a nice place to live; I bet nothing weird ever happens here.

You can trust me and go under hypnosis. I mean, look how professional I am in my collared shirt.

Sorry I can’t help you right now. I’m busy listening to my dead husband.

Note to self: Figure out why everyone is terrified of Hedwig looking through their window.

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out The Fourth Kind: Dr. Abigail Tyler Vibes board on Pinterest.

Hocus Pocus: Allison

We’re rolling a little differently today. Instead of a character from a scary movie, we’re doing a more festive, family-friendly one. (I’m not gonna go off about how this movie is Anti-Witch Propaganda, but please note that.) Today’s outfit is from the movie Hocus Pocus. Now if I were going all out on this, I’d probably dress as Sarah Sanderson. Or maybe Dani Dennison. But since I’m trying to just use what I already have on hand instead of buying an entirely new outfit, we’re leaning into Allison’s vibe.

This outfit is comprised of a pair of Mossimo bootcut jeans that I got secondhand, an R.Q.T. shirt worn backwards to hide the beading on the front, some Diba brown booties, and an asos oversized sweater that I borrowed from my brother. I had a different beige cardigan I was going to use, but once I saw that his sweater had outside pockets, I thought it would be better.

This lip color is as close as it gets to my natural lip prior to aging and losing color in them.

My hair is my own. Even though it is partially blue, I decided for any characters that have straight brownish/blondish hair I wasn’t going to buy a wig. All I did was part it to the side. For makeup, I only put on some Avon Ultra Color Rich Renewable Inspirational Life lipstick in color Inspiration that I bought when I was an Avon rep under my grandmother many, many moons ago.

For my accessories, I took a pearl necklace I had and added a small circular locket. I also chose a pair of pearl drop earrings that I originally inherited from my partner’s grandmother. They were clip-ons that I changed to have pierced findings.

For my prop, I have a salt container. Mine happens to be empty because we conveniently finished it as I was planning for these blog posts. It might’ve been cooler to actually be pouring out salt as I was spinning around for the photos, but I’m sure everyone is happy to avoid the mess that would have made.

This party is all rich, old, white people. Let’s blow this popsicle stand.

Maybe Binx & I will run away and live out our cottagecore dreams in the woods together.

This salt is supposed to protect me from zombies, witches, and old boyfriends.
(But seriously is no one gonna notice that Allison is doing witchcraft?)

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out the Hocus Pocus: Allison Vibes board on Pinterest.

Jennifer’s Body: Jennifer Check

Ok, so everyone can agree that Megan Fox as Jennifer Check in Jennifer’s Body is smoking hot. There are also quite a few fun outfits you could choose to dress up as her. Since I’m rolling with clothes that don’t require distressing or blood so they can be used again, I decided to go this route. We’re just pulling stuff out of our closets to dress up and then wearing these pieces over again. #ReduceReuseReWearRepurpose

This outfit is completely comprised of clothing I got in a swap with some of my previous coworkers. s/o to the customer service grrrls. Both the shirt and the pants are SO brand from Kohl’s. The shoes are Nike Air Force 1s in pink and white that my mom bought for me more than a decade ago. My mother would be proud (but true sneakerheads would be appalled) at how many times I have worn them.

My hair is a wig I purchased specifically for this project and will be used multiple times for a variety of characters. This wig is probably longer than her hair in the movie, but it is just long, dark hair for the outfit I’ve chosen.

For makeup, I put on a couple of coats of black mascara. I initially started with NYX liquid suede in Kitten Heels on my lips, but it was too red. I added a layer of Rimmel Stay Satin 430 For Sure to pink it up a little bit. For my accessory, I used a necklace I made a few years ago from a silver chain and silver heart charm.

No tongues were harmed in the making of this blog post.

For my props, I used a black bic lighter and two old cell phones. I couldn’t find my old pink cell, so I took some shots of both my old light blue alltel LG and my rhinestone kitty case Verizon Droid 4 cell. I think only my rhinestone kitty cell made the final cut. If you have an old pink flip phone, that would be perfect!

I’m not killing people; I’m killing boys.

How could I ever be insecure? I go both ways.

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out the Jennifer’s Body: Jennifer Check Vibes board on Pinterest.

Get Out: Rose Armitage

This is a another very lowkey Halloween outfit you can wear while still being a character. Wearing this shirt might have people questioning if you’re Waldo from Where’s Waldo? or his girlfriend Wenda. Just remind people that those characters wore hats, and Wenda wore striped tights too! Dressing like Rose Armitage from Get Out might have you blending in with the people in the crowd not in costume, but once you tell people who you are, they’re bound to remember there’s nothing more terrifying than a white woman weaponizing her tears & privilege.

This outfit is a Monki long sleeve stripe t-shirt in red that I bought final sale for around $8 via asos. I couldn’t find the dark wash skinny jeans I thought I owned. (They’re probably in my mending pile.) Instead I used this pair of SimplyVera Vera Wang cropped jeans that my mother probably bought for me during one of our roughly every other year shopping visits. The boots are Ralph Lauren Chaps that I got secondhand. While Rose Armitage is probably wearing loafers in this particular outfit in the film, I don’t currently own any. I decided to use these boots because in another scene she is wearing a riding outfit.

My hair is the same wig I used to be Sidney Prescott. Rose Armitage has darker and longer hair, but I just wanted to have the bangs. If I were choosing the white turtleneck outfit she wears or the white collared shirt & riding pants outfit, her hair is in a low ponytail with no bangs. Work with what you’ve got, or get yourself a wig. For makeup, just a coat of black mascara and on my lips is a lipstick called Romance by Honeybee Gardens. It is a natural lipstick and can be kind of drying, so I used a layer of moisturizing lip balm underneath.

For my accessory, I chose this crossbody bag to stand in for the travel bag Rose uses.

For my prop, I grabbed a pair of old car keys, but you could probably use your real ones. If I had chosen a different outfit, I would’ve gone with either a hunting rifle or a tall glass of milk with a straw and a bowl of dry Froot Loops.

My boyfriend shouldn’t have to show I.D. because I was the one driving, officer.

Hope you’re ready to meet the fam! My dad is gonna tell you about how he’d vote for Obama a 3rd time, if he could!

Catch me back here tomorrow for another “work with what you’ve got!” Halloween costume, cosplay outfit idea.

In the meantime, check out the Get Out: Rose Armitage Vibes board on Pinterest.

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