Time is running out to piece your Halloween costume together, and a Savers national survey of consumer attitudes toward the holiday reveals 57 percent of people think it’s more stressful to choose a Halloween costume than to choose the president.
The casual Halloweenie cannot hope to beat the die-hards who live for All Hallow’s Eve and start planning and stitching their costumes months to a full year ahead.
Even so, a few props and mood setters can put you in the proper spirit of the occasion.
Dress to kill at Goodwill
If you have no clue as to what you want to be, the GLAM! Squad at Goodwill can get you started. During the "Goodwill GLAM! and Ghouls" styling and makeover event 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at six Oahu Goodwill stores, stylists will scour the racks to help shoppers dress up to channel their inner pirates, princesses and ghouls.
Walk-ins are welcome, but to guarantee a one-on-one session with a stylist, register at www.higoodwill.org by clicking on the Goodwill GLAM! & Ghouls costume styling button.
In addition to individual styling, patrons can enter that day to win a year’s worth of shopping at Goodwill.
The participating stores: 1075 S. Beretania St.; Kaimuki, 3638 Waialae Ave.; Aiea, 98-019 Kamehameha Highway; Waipahu, 94-144 Farrington Highway; Kapolei, 2140 Lauwiliwili St.; Wahiawa, 823 California Ave.
Visit www.higoodwill.org to find a coupon for a 20 percent discount on purchases of $25 or more through Halloween, which is Wednesday.
For more information, call 836-0313.
Find online help
Savers, the retail thrift store, has been a purveyor of new and used Halloween costumes for years, and the company’s national consumer survey has revealed that top costumes this year will be influenced by TV and film, most notably "The Walking Dead" (31 percent of those polled planned to roam the streets as zombies), "Once Upon a Time," "Dark Shadows," "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "The Hunger Games."
The thrift shop is one place where you can find affordable threads to tear and cut apart, and behind-the-scenes footage of "The Walking Dead" costumers shows a lot of dirt goes into giving their walkers the appropriate soiled, rotten and tattered look.
To make planning easier, go to www.savers.com for costume ideas for men, women, kids and pets. For the "Hungry Rebel Girl," Savers’ take on "Hunger Games" character Katniss Everdeen, simply pair black pants and shirt with a brown leather jacket and boots, pick up a bow-and-arrow set and wear your hair in a single thick braid or find a wig.
Raid the teen shops
Claire’s is not the place for serious accessories, but the affordable jewelry and baubles for girls, tweens and teens makes it the perfect place to find Halloween costume finishers without breaking the bank.
This is the place for those who prefer pretty to scary, where you can pick up tiaras or headbands worthy of princesses or bumblebees.
Other styling items for those playing diva for a night include opera gloves, Belle Epoque-style necklaces, rhinestone jewelry reminiscent of a girl’s best friend, leggings, gloves and tutus.
Claire’s stores are at Ala Moana Center, Pearlridge Center and Kahala Mall.
Lather up with LUSH
Set the mood for Halloween festivities by turning your tub into a cauldron of fall scents. LUSH is offering a handful of products ranging from green Calacas ("skeleton" in Spanish) Shower Jelly ($4.95) to citrus-scented Enchanter Bath Bomb ($6.95), which adds bursts of orange and pink to your bath.
There’s also pumpkin soap ($6.95) with the pielike scent of clove, cinnamon and cardamom in addition to fresh pumpkin, and Twilight Shower Gel ($9.95) in deep purple with the scents of lavender oil and ylang-ylang.
Make a fashion statement
For those who care more about fashion than costume, Neiman Marcus carries Alexander McQueen skull jewelry in its CUSP department.
Brass-and-enamel skull bangles range from $215 to $295, and Mohawk skull pendant necklaces with crystals dotting eyes and mouth are $475.
