With Halloween right around the corner costumes are likely on everyone’s mind. Some may already have their costume figured out, some may be heading to the store the day of to purchase something cute and easy, while others may just cut holes into a sheet and call themselves a ghost.

Whichever type of person you may be on Halloween — even if you take the easiest route by not dressing up at all — you’re likely assessing the costumes you see online or on the street based on creativity. 

It’s undeniable that homemade costumes are more creative. I myself admire them for the time and talent they take, which is why I have always thought homemade costumes are better.

If one thing is true about homemade costumes, it is that they are always unique. Although about 10 people may be dressed up as a pirate, the homemade pirate costume will undoubtedly look different than the others purchased at Spirit Halloween.

Of course, homemade costumes take time, energy and a creative mind, which is why many people opt for a simple store-bought costume that comes with all the pieces you could need.

This is exactly the point Bella Chukwu, a transfer student who is spending her first Halloween at DePaul, makes.

“Homemade costumes are just more creative, but of course buying one from the store is very convenient,” Chukwu said.

Chukwu used to work at a theater in her hometown in Florida, where costumes for Halloween were taken very seriously. She recalls quickly making a costume of Dr. Doofenshmirtz from “Phineas and Ferb” using clothes she had at home.

“Even though nobody knew who I was, I knew what I was dressing up as,” Chukwu said.

Chukwu takes the same stance as I do on the costume debate: homemade costumes are better.

Clearly, there is a case for homemade costumes being better due to the creativity that goes in and the individuality that comes out. But there is an additional benefit to homemade costumes – sustainability.

Store-bought costumes are typically made with cheap fabrics and stitching which are meant to be worn once. These single-use costumes, that often come wrapped in plenty of plastic packaging, are wasteful and will likely end up in the landfill even if they get returned to the original source.

Especially on college campuses, where “Halloweekend” tends to span over multiple days and multiple costumes, the issue of sustainability becomes an important factor when deciding what to wear. 

Homemade costumes can help reduce the waste that comes with store-bought costumes. Perhaps you have some old clothes that you can cut and stitch up into something new, or maybe your costume is made up of pieces you already have and require zero alterations.

The topic of sustainability in homemade Halloween costumes is exactly why Evelyn Ashburner, a student member of DePaul’s President’s Sustainability Committee, takes the side of homemade Halloween costumes.

“I am team homemade,” Ashburner said. “There is a lot of talk about single use fashion, fast fashion and buying for a holiday and how incredibly wasteful it is.”

Although homemade costumes can still have consumption issues — especially if you buy everything new to create them — Ashburner suggests thrifting, whether online or in-store, or even just asking friends for whatever last-minute piece you may need for your costume.

There is obviously a clear convenience to a store-bought costume, but I believe in the case of store-bought versus homemade, homemade is the clear favorite. Whether it’s the creativity that draws in the appeal, or the uniqueness and sustainability that flows through the minds of homemade costume makers, there is an undeniable allure to homemade Halloween costumes.

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