I Scream for Green: Eco-Friendly Halloween Costumes in Bethlehem

ECO-friendly Halloween costumes are not as contradictory as you might think. Stop! You don’t need to drive to your local Halloween store and drop top-dollar on a flimsy made-in-China outfit! There’s another way!

My Atlantean costume was really an excuse to wear all of my nautical jewelry at once. 

1. What do you already have?

When you refrain from buying new, you save the resources and energy used in making a new item. You don’t have to tack it on to your eco-guilt.

I happen to have an excessive (near obsessive) collection of sea life jewelry. So last Halloween, I became an Atlantean (person from Atlantis).

I threw together other pieces I already had,

• Boots
• Shrug, and
•  Leggings 

And paired them with some new things.

2. If you have to buy new stuff, buy things you’ll actually use again.

When you refrain from buying crap, you tell manufacturers to stop making crap.

So for my costume, I purchased,

• Cool dress with beaded neckline ($5 at Wet Seal)
• Costume rings (2/$8 at Charolette Russe)
• Headband ($6 at Forever 21)
• Sparkly makeup ($7 at Target)

So that’s $26! And with the exception of the crazy costume rings, I’ve used everything else after halloween.

Another great alternative?

3. Thrift, baby, thrift!.

Like I said in my eco-fashion blog, thrift stores are a great way to skip the resource and energy intensive process of creating brand new items. 

Some thrift stores like the Attic on Main Street in Bethlehem, have costumes already arranged. You can pick up the whole thing or just get some inspiration.

The Attic is event having a costume contest ! If your costume includes at least one item from their store, you can e-mail them with a pic of your costume. Send to contactus@atticclothes.com. First prize is a $100 gift card! 

Costume contest ad from the Attic's website

4. Arrange a costume swap!

This idea came from a post at craftster.org. We’ve all got some kind of costume lying around. Trade among friends to give your old swag new life!

Are you still stuck? The folks at the blog GOOD have made this list of easy, eco-friendly costume ideas. Here are some of my favorites:

• Your favorite TV character. Gina Seier, ECO president and friend of mine, is being Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. (My friends think I should be Penelope Garcia. But I’m most intrigued by the idea of being a nurse with a shark fin. Nurse shark! (I love sea life.)
• Mother Nature. Long flowy dress, sandals, flowers. Too cute. Too easy.
• A hobo. “For those who live in colder climates,” GOOD says, “this is the ultimate in warmth and convenience”.
• Your old costume, but zombified. Any explanation needed?

I'm planning on using my nautical jewelry (again), my old yacht club hat, and a fancy shmancy borrowed watch to be a millionaire/yacht owner. I'm on the lookout for white or salmon colored pants... 


I've been going to my expert in fanciness, ECO member Cody Florindi, for advice, but I could use some more!!

Any other ideas for me? 

Do you have a great eco-friendly costume?