01 October 2011


Easy Costumes for the Budget and Time Deprived
By Marissa Meyer

I love costuming. When I was a teenager, my friends and family and I would spend hours and hours creating elaborate costumes for anime conventions, Renaissance faires, and, of course, Halloween parties! Playing dress-up and make believe remains one of my favorite things to do… when I have the time for it.

But sometimes you just don’t have the time or funds to make a fancy and ornate costume. Sometimes you have to throw a costume together at the last minute, with whatever is already in your closet. Luckily, all it takes to do that is some inspiration and a little imagination.

Here are some quick and easy costume ideas for when that last-minute costume party invitation comes calling.

1. Green shirt + black jacket + any weapon = A Hunger Games Contestant


Tip: Try putting leaves in your hair or using makeup to add some cuts and bruises. If you have it, a silver bird pin or crossbow will elevate you to main protagonist status.

2. Bed sheet + rope + fork = The Little Mermaid


Tip: When in doubt, use more safety pins! And remember, you just gave up your voice to the Sea Witch, so this is a good time to practice your “body language.”

3. Emo clothes + sparkly makeup + red lipstick = A Vampire


Tip: Swing by a costume store to pick up some vampire teeth for the full effect, or you can try carrying around a red apple (but be prepared to be mistaken for Snow White’s evil queen).

4. Simple dress or skirt + apron + a fancy shoe = Cinderella


Tip: To really jazz up the costume, throw in a pumpkin to take the place of your after-midnight carriage. They can be found on most doorsteps this time of year.

5. Lounge clothes + glasses + a pencil + a coffee mug = A Writer


Tip: Bring a flask instead of a coffee mug and spend your time moaning about the unfairness of the publishing industry to instantly upgrade to a drunk and jaded writer. Ta-da!

And if you happen to have costume make-up and fake blood, you can take any costume one step further…

For example: A Zombie Writer!

Happy Costuming!

Marissa Meyer has never cosplayed a zombie, but she has been Sailor Moon, Princess Zelda, and many a pirate wench.



Her debut novel, CINDER, is the first in a four-book series and will be released on January 3rd, 2012 from Feiwel & Friends


Synopsis: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
Pre-order at: Barnes & Noble | Amazon

You can follow Marissa's escapades at:

Website | Twitter





Enter to win an ARC copy of Cinder!


Rules and how to enter:

You MUST be at least 13 years old to enter.
Only entries in the form will count.
Giveaway is open to US residents only. Sorry!
Giveaway ends: October 15th, 2011





REMINDER: *If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry.
Please ready full entry rules HERE.


Marissa, thanks so much for kicking off Haunted Halloween with some amazing costume ideas! It was great to have you here and I can't wait to read Cinder!

A HUGE thank you goes Fiewel & Friends for donating the
copy of Cinder for this giveaway.

*I am not compensated at all for any of the links within this page.

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45 comments:

  1. OOh those are some nice ideas!! Have no idea what I'm doing for Halloween yet, but will keep these ideas in mind!

    jessica(DOT)agreatread(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awesome ideas. I dressed up as Katniss at Comic Con, and will probably do it again for Halloween. Unfortunately, most people had no idea what I was... I guess that will change after the movie comes out.
    ebriggs23 at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. awesome giveaway :D!

    lilyflower999 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  4. The VERY BEST THING about those suggestions above is not a single one of them invovled the sexy version of any costume (see e.g., sexy nurse, sexy Death Eater (what?!), etc.)

    Way to go, Marissa Meyer, for creative, thrifty, and non-slutty suggestions!

    Now I just need a party to go to!

    gillysegal at gmail dot com.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The premise of this book is just so original that I was hooked just by reading the synopsis! I think I came across it by the "if you like this book, you'll like this book" feature on Amazon. I've had this on my wishlist on Amazon for a while now and I love the cover!

    Thanks for the great costume ideas! I don't dress up for Halloween, never have, but if anybody asks me for suggestions, I now have some :)

    efender1(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the cheap and easy costume ideas! Especially the "body language" comment for The Little Mermaid! Hilarious!

    So excited for Haunted Halloween again! Thanks for hosting! :)

    mindfulmusings(at)live(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love this! And Marissa, you look so cute in all of the photos, these costumes are great!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I absolutely adore the Ariel costume. I'll have to remember it for next year. Already have my costume for this year.

    candicerjames [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  9. The costume look-a-likes are cute and adorable but when I saw the last picture it just creeped me out lol **runs and hides**

    GFC Follower: SpadesHighReads
    TValeros18 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm so very eager for this release. Thanks for the spotlight!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can't wait to read this :)

    starmetaloak(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks so much for this giveaway! This books sounds great and I love being introduced to new authors :-)

    Ambercruz1(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I simply love this cover! I know I'm so terrible =P Thanks for the sweet offering!

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a cool idea! I love the hunger games costume :)


    chelle2006 @ aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Though I once _ totally_ convinced a three year old that I was Belle, I have to say the Little Mermaid costume wins! :D
    Aponiwriter(at)yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I really like the vampire idea but would it look odd if I was all sparkly at night, I suppose I could have someone aim a flashlight at me all night.( off to go find volunteers, jk) Thanks for the giveaway.
    spyblue78(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is a great giveaway!! And I just have to say that I adore The Little Mermaid Costume. It looks like it is so easy to do and it wouldn't cost much!

    Amanda
    hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love the Little Mermaid costume - - while you don't need much it really looks perfect. My second choice is the zombie costume - - I wonder what else you could use if you don't have fake blood... ketchup?? paint??

    P.S. Thank you for the giveaway! I've read amazing things about this book.

    PelicanJL@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. The costumes were great! So very creative.

    Findjessyhere at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. This book sounds so intriguing!

    justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love these costume ideas!! And thanks for the giveaway!

    ashleysbookshelf at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. The Ariel one is still my favorite, but I love all of these costumes and wouldn't have thought of them myself.

    Marissa, you = genius!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I like the zombie writer costume and the book sounds great.
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Loved the costuming tips! (Zombie writer is an awesome choice!) And Cinder sounds like a great read. I'm always up to reading a "fairy-tale retelling" but this one has cyborgs in it!?! I must add it to my to-read pile. =)

    rachel.danae226@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Great post. Everyone should have at least one of those laying around for emergency costuming!

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete
  26. It's been so long since I've dressed up for Halloween, this gives me inspiration and hope that maybe this year I can pull it off. Really great ideas and fun pictures!
    chiri_chan29330@yahoo.com

    -Nichole

    ReplyDelete
  27. This post is so creative and fun to read because the outfits are totally matching the pictures..thats the cool thing about halloween being able to dress UP!!

    khyla_808ATyahooDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  28. Marissa looks absolutely amazing (my favorite is Edward, LOL) and I love nerdy costumes on Halloween. I think I'd love to try that Ariel costume actually. Haha, so creative!

    infalliblyyours@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Great costume ideas!!! :)

    AmethystDaydreams at zoho dot com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love the ideas for costumes and the photos to go with them. :D

    mich1980611[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for the giveaway! and love all those outfits, especially Katniss Everdeen. They were all so creative.
    Email: osnapitzAngiex3(AT)aol(DOT) com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Haha, great costume ideas. I have a feeling a lot of people will be Katniss this year.

    sthebold (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wow, Cider sounds like an incredible read. Thank you for sharing about this upcoming release and the Halloween fun.

    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I like the cover of this book! Great post thank you for sharing!
    tishajean@ charter.net

    ReplyDelete
  35. Halloween should be fun! Simple great ideas...without all the fuss. Thanks for the chance
    veltara(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  36. What a super fun and awesome post. I loved all of these fun and simple ideas. Makes this holiday even more fun. :)

    Thank you, for a super giveaway. Following your blog, definitely.

    Suz @ A Soul Unsung
    susanhaugland@att.net

    ReplyDelete
  37. I like that book cover it's so different. Thanks for the contest.

    miss.smileygirlie at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Those are awesome costumes! My family doesn't celebrate Halloween, but I have always wished we did so I could dress up. I would definitely go as someone literary. Maybe Maid Marian or Elizabeth Bennet... :)

    liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Those are actually really nice ideas!

    twilightforever.edward at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  40. Mary DeBorde
    zenrei57 (at) hotmail dot com

    These are such creative costume ideas - my favorite is the Hunger Games lol

    ReplyDelete
  41. These costume ideas are absolutely hilarious! My favorite has to be the writer costume - so funny.

    Nikki(at)wickedawesomebooks(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. The easiest one I always like is the ghost. Any old white sheet will do, just cut out eyes and there you go.

    tdlsfm(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  43. LOVE those costume ideas, especially the writer costume!

    readingfever {@} gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. Fun post! The ariel one was so funny! Can't wait to read the book:)

    bchild5 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete

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Hi, I’m Lisa and I'm a proud bibliophile.

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