Halloween is in just few weeks, and if you’re like me, you wait until the last possible minute to decide on a costume and then end up hating it. If you’re staying in Bushwick for Halloween, we’ve got some great Bushwick-related costumes that are a) cheap and b) easy to put together. Win-win.
1. A Bodega
Hit up your corner bodega for an awesome, low-cost costume that you can eat! Grab some heavy-duty tape and bodega snacks (Honey Buns, Cheez Doodles, Now and Later bubblegum) and have a friend arrange the items all over a black shirt.
Where to buy: Any bodega in Bushwick
2. Stray/Neighborhood Cat
No, this is not your average cat costume. Dress up like your neighborhood cat with dollar-store cat ears, a tail, and a “need to find my owner” sign.
Where to buy: Deals on Wyckoff/Myrtle Aves or Party Fair Bushwick, 390 Knickerbocker Ave.
3. Roberta’s Pizza
It wouldn’t be a Bushwick convo without a Roberta’s mention, so why not make a costume out of our most well-known landmark? (I think it’s fair to say Roberta’s IS a Bushwick landmark.) Grab a few empty pizza boxes, or just buy a whole pizza and have snacks for the rest of the night. You decide.
Where to buy: Roberta’s, duh.
4. Street Art Mural
Go all out with this one. Whether it’s the mash-up Spongebob/Homer Simpson mural on Troutman St. or Owen Dippie’s Ninja Turtles-Renaissance Masters hybrid, there’s no shortage of inspiration from Bushwick’s street artists. Grab an artist friend and recreate a mural on an old t-shirt!
Where to buy: Soho Art Materials for art supplies, any secondhand store for cheap t-shirt
5. Tinder Date
On any given night in Bushwick, you’re likely to bump into a Tinder date in progress. Or maybe you met your current gf/bf on Tinder? Either way, it’s a totally relevant costume and sure to win brownie points with your friends. Simply cut out a cardboard box, make it into frame with your face with Tinder icons around it.
Where to buy: A dumpster. Or recycling bin.
6. L Train
Show your love for the most on-time train with this idiot-proof costume. Grab a grey shirt and a fabric “L” letter and you’re good to go. Go even further with the concept and turn yourself into a delay or a really really long wait for the next train (I have to wait 20 minutes?? The horror!)
Where to buy: Secondhand store for grey shirt, Lester’s Fabrics for lettering, 1269 Broadway.
7. Bushwick Notebook
Yeah okay, we may be tooting our own horn with this one, but this costume will cost you a whopping $o, so you know, that’s great. Pick up a copy (or several) from a local business, and if you’ve got some downtime during the night, at least you have something to read!
Where to buy: All businesses carrying Bushwick Notebook!
8. Open Fire Hydrant
Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t re-imagine one of Bushwick’s beloved summer traditions. Go ham on the red paint and make a big gush of water with cardboard or colored paper. The kiddies will love you forever.
Where to buy: AG Hardware and Paint, 347 Knickerbocker Ave.