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Stores Offer Cheap Costume Treats For Halloween

Tribune photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ

Tampa Tribune reporter Cloe Cabrera dresses as a "Trashy Trophy Wife" for Halloween with an outfit she put together herself.

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By CLOE CABRERA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2008

Wonder Woman. Xena: Warrior Princess. Cleopatra.

My Halloween costumes may not always be original, but they're usually plenty pricey.

Problem is, I'm terrible about putting together a costume in a timely fashion, so I'm usually hanging out with the masses at Party City, frantically searching for something to wear the day before Halloween.

I'm really not a DIY gal or a crafty chica. It's all about prepackaging for me.

But this year, I needed inexpensive inspiration, so I called on Chris Ward, marketing manager for Goodwill Industries-Suncoast and super-savvy thrift store shopper. Georgia Dittmer, a marketing specialist for Goodwill, served as our stylist

I met the ladies at the Goodwill store on Hillsborough Avenue. It's one of three Tampa Bay area stores.

Halloween is always a busy time for thrift stores, but this year, shoppers are especially eager to find secondhand bargains. Plus, Ward said, "You can put together original costumes, not somebody else's idea of what a costume should be. And you're not going to see people that look like you."

Halloween items welcome visitors at the front of the store, but Ward took me past those racks and started pulling random pieces of clothing.

"Look at this," she gasped, holding up a short, baby-blue button-up jumper with a glittery emblem on the back ($10). "This could be a carhop; just add roller skates and a tray."

Uh, no thanks. With my height, the outfit would barely work as underwear.

She grabbed a green leotard with netting across the shoulder. "A sexy Mother Nature? Just vamp it up with some twigs and flowers."

Twigs? Flowers? I'm not messing with Mother Nature.

We stumbled upon crazy "I Dream of Jeannie" pants ($8.07), MC Hammer pants ($6) and shiny gold leggings ($7). A pair of black, sequined bell-bottoms with thigh-high slits up the side screamed "Dreamgirls" diva. I was starting to get into it.

Ward pulled out a slinky lime-green evening gown ($12.07). "Beauty queen? We have tiaras."

So do I; been there, done that (in real life).

Sandwiched between a Bill Blass blouse and a pink poodle skirt, Ward snatched a hanger draped with a silk leopard-print robe.

Feelin' that. "Rrrrrrrrgh."

Dittmer heard my growl and sprinted off to the accessories department to finish the look.

Then it was off to the real costumes: a cat lady, military fatigues, bumblebees, geisha robes, fairies, witches, pirates, Spider-Man and more.

There are stacks of hats, some with braids, curls or dreadlocks peeking out from underneath; and accessories include makeup, vampire fangs, fake blood, capes, wings, hippie wigs and pimp canes, as well as an assortment of Halloween home decor.

Ward said Goodwill usually starts putting out its Halloween items in September, but the store adds to the display as it gets new things. The typical customer spends anywhere from $10 to $25 for a costume and accessories, she said.

By the time our thrift store trek ended, I was considering three costume ideas — all very original and pretty cheap. When Dittmer handed me a trophy, red sequin tube top, a boa and wig, I was inspired to become a trashy trophy wife. The cash register totaled $23.31. Not bad. And I'm sure I can get some mileage from a few of the pieces. (Even if it's just around the house.)

Reporter Cloe Cabrera can be reached at (813) 259-7656.

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