Sometimes finding the right Halloween costume can seem more difficult than finding a magical prom dress or the perfect wedding gown of your dreams. It usually goes something like this: dig through costume after costume in your local store (find nothing); browse e-shops for hours on end (find nothing); become increasingly more frustrated at the abundance of Marvel character jumpsuits and sheer lack of everything else (still find nothing). But guess what? Your favorite place to buy $1.80 tank tops, Forever 21, is also a wonderful place to find Halloween costumes.
Fret not, for part of the wonder of Halloween is the creativity it inspires. I know we all love to be lazy sometimes (or all the time) and go for the nicely pre-packaged ensemble from Spirit Halloween (I have been guilty of this on more than one occasion). But using your creative energy and hard-core determination to end up with a costume that is so perfectly you that you never want to take it off, like not even to shower, can kind of result in some beautiful things. Think DIY Black Swan makeup or DIY Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, for instance. And that's where Forever21 comes in.
Are you under the impression that Forever21 is all about staying a teeny-bopper well into your 20s (or 30s) and buying an absurd amount of clothing for one low price (like super, duper low)? Well, yeah. Obviously it's about those things. This Halloween, though, F21 can also be about inspiring DIY-ish costumery. No, you won't have to sew or knit or turn to the drawing board. You'll just have to shuffle through the items, keeping in mind your favorite people or fictional characters whilst doing it. In the end, you may be able to come up with some pretty cool costumes — like these seven here.
Mean Girls
Because Regina George, Karen Smith, Gretchen Wieners, and let's not forget Cady Haron, are still the raddest mean girls the world has ever seen. And seriously, how could a film starring Tina Fey AND Amy Poehler not be perfect? Grool.
You Can't Sit With Us Top, $13, forever21.com; Pleated Faux Leather Skirt, $15, forever21.com; Strappy Pointed Pumps, $30, forever21.com; Etched Hoop Earrings, $3, forever21.com
A Little Princess
Frances Hodgson Burnett has been one of the most beloved children's authors of the last century, and there is no denying that A Little Princess is a masterpiece. Be it for nostalgia, or because Sara Crewe is still one of your favorite literary characters of all time, dressing like her this Halloween seems like a marvelous plan.
Pleated Lace Colorblock Dress, $28, forever21.com; Shaggy Layered Jacket, $38, forever21.com; Buckled Pointed Flats, $23, forever21.com; Beaded Crochet Headband, $4, forever21.com; Daisy Doll Sheer Tights, $8, forever21.com
Jessa Johansson
If Jessa is your absolute favorite character from Girls , you might want to replicate her look this Halloween. Her easy, bohemian style, willingness to accept imperfection and failure and her live-in-the-moment spirit make her incredibly lovable, after all.
Buttoned Lace Maxi Dress, $40, forever21.com; Faux Suede Lace-Up Shoes, $33, forever21.com; Iconic Straw Panama Hat, $15, forever21.com; Faux Stone Fringe Necklace, $9, forever21.com
Western Babe
If you dream of the wild west and love lazy afternoons of watching old cowboy flicks, a basic tartan top, some Texas-style booties and a studded leather belt will make you feel like an extra in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Tartan Plaid Shirt, $23, forever21.com; High-Rise Skinny Jeans, $25, forever21.com; Rock N Roll Belt, $8, forever21.com; Western Ways Booties, $28, forever21.com
Dorothy Vallens
Blue Velvet will forever be one of the greatest thrillers cinema has ever seen. You may not be able to find Dorothy Vallens's blue velvet dress, but in combination with the sultry red lip, the bold blue eyeshadow and the drop earrings, this green one will totally suffice.
Velveteen Fit and Flare Dress, $15, forever21.com; Clear Cut Stiletto Sandals, $33, forever21.com; Sleek Rhinestone Drop Earrings, $4, forever21.com; Day-To-Night Eye Shadow Palette, $7, forever21.com; Creamy Lipstick in Hollywood Red, $9, forever21.com
Audrey Hepburn
Breakfast at Tiffany's was too perfect to handle in 1961, and it's still too perfect. Truman Capote; Audrey Hepburn; New York's elite society way before Gossip Girl was ever a thing. Oh, the wonder of that novel and film.
Floral Lace Bodycon Dress, $15, forever21.com; Stacked Faux Pearl Bracelet, $7, forever21.com; Crocheted Faux Pearl Barrette, $3, forever21.com; Faux Pearl and Rhinestone Earrings, $4, forever21.com; Faux Pearl Pointed Bib Necklace, $9, forever21.com; Large Donut Bun, $2, forever21.com; Faux Suede Stiletto Pumps, $23, forever21.com
Samantha Jones
Would it be wrong to say Samantha Jones is one of my heroines? I mean, she's ambitious, passionate (insert winky face here), dedicated, loyal. And she can rock a suit — any color suit, at that. Biggest flaw? Practical shoes weren't her forte.
Open-Front Collarless Blazer, $33, forever21.com; Pleated Chevron-Textured Trousers, $25, forever21.com; Tonal Plaid-Patterned Shirt, $18, forever21.com; Structured Textured Tote, $33, forever21.com; Sleek Faux Suede Sandals, $33, forever21.com
Images: Paramount Pictures; Forever 21
