Rather, items that are borrowed or handed down, found at a thrift store or in the back of a closet can be easily transformed into fun or spooky costumes with a dose of creativity and ingenuity, said Shelley Russell, professor of theater arts at Northern Michigan University and costume designer at NMU’s Forest Roberts Theatre.

“We have junk in our houses that gets tossed — and all of it can be turned into a Halloween costume,” Russell said.

With Halloween approaching fast, Russell emphasizes that eco-friendly costumes can be made quickly, easily and affordably, sharing a few of her tips for putting together a green Halloween ensemble on the fly.

“My first rule is check the back of the cupboard: what hasn’t been used in a while and what does it look like, what could it be?” she said.

Alaina Maki made her Cheshire Cat costume with face paint and materials she already owned instead of buying a costume for trick or treating. (Journal photo by Trinity Carey)

For those who don’t already have a costume idea, finding one unique item to serve as an inspiration can be helpful, Russell said.

“Look for one funny or unusual piece. A hat can do all kinds of things, big safety pins are magical, big safety pins can take a beat up old woman’s hat from out of the closet and turn it into a revolutionary war hat or anything,” Russell said. “I think the trick is to find one amazing piece — whether that’s a hat, a pair of boots, big silly boots, crazy socks, that’s the kind of thing that always inspires me, something that’s unusual.”

Looking for opposites in the closet can also be helpful, Russell said. For example, if ski hats and scuba gear are available, she recommends pairing them together and seeing what comes to mind.

For those who already have an idea in mind, making a recycled version can allow a person to put their own distinctive spin on popular and traditional costume ideas, Russell said, noting that the back of the closet may hold the perfect dress, wig or hat, and the ideal accessories might be found at a thrift store or borrowed from a friend.

Eco-friendly costumes can help the planet while offering a great way to celebrate Halloween, Russell said, as it allows people of all ages to collectively engage in fun and creative ways to recycle, Russell said.

Laura Markey crafted her cactus costume by hand. (Journal photo by Trinity Carey)

“It’s about a community being creative and looking at issues and playing pretend,” Russell said.

Russell has a lot of experience with creative ways to approach sustainable costuming — at the Forest Roberts Theater’s costume shop, the first rule is “recycle and repurpose,” she said.

With each show, they ask: “How are we doing this show responsibly? How are we going to recycle and create a look for this show?” Russell said.

While it can be a challenge to create the intricate, beautiful and often highly-specific costumes and sets in an eco-friendly way, she said it’s all part of the fun.

It’s also a valuable creative process and learning tool to teach students sustainable costuming and theatre practices, she said.

Justine Aili dressed up as Beetlejuice this year to pass out candy at HOTPlate. Aili made her costume out of items she previously owned. (Journal photo by Trinity Carey)

“We’re determined to do as much as we can with each show, partly because we have to. As a species, we have to be smarter than we’ve been, we have to be more practical, we have to be more responsible with our resources,” Russell said. “And I think it teaches our students a necessary skill for the future to look at what they’re doing and find more creative ways of doing it.”