7 Easy, Last-Minute Halloween Costumes on a Budget for 2022 with Nicole Tornabene

Don’t know where to begin with this year's Halloween costume? Look no further! Nicole Tornabene of @littlebirdfinds is here to help you get started.

While Nicole is a full-time property manager by day, she's an avid thrifter and chronicles her finds on Instagram. Her account, @littlebirdfinds is a fun mix of thrifted and found discoveries where you can get inspired for your next trip to thrift stores or online auctions.

Halloween is one of those exciting times of the year that Nicole can’t wait to decorate her home and hunt down some great secondhand pieces for a perfect costume. 

Whether you’re inspired by a legendary actress/fashion icon like Audrey Hepburn or opt for the creepy route with something like a witch or zombie, these 7 Halloween costume ideas will help you put together a perfect costume quickly -- and the best part --  affordably!

 

1. Top Gun Maverick- Rooster

So trendy right now! Pair this super cool bomber jacket with a pair of aviator sunglasses for a very "in right now" costume!

1. Vintage Leather “Wear me out” Air Force Jacket (Mcinnis Auctioneers & Estate Sales)

2. Vintage Ray Ban Mens Sunglasses Outdoorsman Style (Clearing House Estate Sales)

 

2. Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

The AuctionNinja marketplace has tons of amazing jewelry, including lots of beautiful strands of pearls. For a quick and easy Halloween costume, pair this strand of pearls and matching earrings with a sleek black dress and you'll be sipping tea in no time.

1. St. John 3/4 Sleeve Black Dress Women's Size 6 (Fairlight Estate Sales)

2. Stunning Pearl Necklace With Matching Earrings (Estate Inventory Auctions)

 

3. Sports Player

If you're really in a pinch and need a FAST costume, head to your closet and pull out your favorite sports jersey! Don't have one in your closet? Browse AuctionNinja for a great selection of jerseys from a wide variety of teams and sports. Add your favorite hat, and if you're really feeling festive, add some black eyeliner stripes under your eyes for an instant and easy Halloween costume!

1. UNH Wildcats Hockey Jersey XXL University of New Hampshire (44&MORE)

2. A Homerun!! New without Tags Boys Nike for Yankees Derek Jeter #2 Baseball Shirt Jersey Size 7 (LUXESWAP)

 

4. Zombie bride/princess

Wedding dresses and formal gowns are a very "one time use" items of clothing. However, re-purposing them can give them another wear! Take any formal dress or wedding dress (these items can easily be found at any thrift store), add some fake blood, rip it up and get creative! Add some fun makeup and let your zombie brain run wild! 

1. Long White Dress With Floral Lace Ruffles (Estate Inventory Auctions)

2. David's Bridal Bridesmaid Dress - Size 10 (Seattle Magpies)

 

5. Clark Kent

Hey there Superman! I bet you have a suit sitting in your closet you haven't worn in a bit! For an easy Halloween costume, add your Superman t-shirt and some suspenders for a SUPER Halloween costume. Add a pair of glasses and you'll be saving the world in no time! If you don’t have an extra suit laying around, AuctionNinja has lots of options in varying sizes, styles, and colors.

1. Entire Closet of Men's Suit Jackets and Pants (All American Tag Sales)

2. Men's Canali Made in Italy Gravel Grey Textured Wool Chevron Double Breasted 2 Piece Suit 52/42 US (LUXESWAP)

 

6. Witch

Being a witch is everyone’s "default" costume. It’s easy in a pinch and could be put together on the fly. Just because you're putting together a last minute costume, doesn’t mean it has to look last minute. 

This amazing lace skirt would really take your basic witch costume to the next level. Pair the skirt with a cute pair of boots and a black top and you'll be casting spells before you know it!

Exceptional Prada Made in Italy Black Fine Lace Unlined Stretch Top Skirt 46 (EU) (LUXESWAP)

 

7. Scarecrow

Grab that flannel and your favorite pair of jeans or overalls, add some eyeliner stitches on your face and BOOM! Instant scarecrow! A scarecrow theme also makes a great couple or group costume.

3 Men's Grizzly Mountain Flannel Shirts - M (Seattle Magpies)

 

Q&A

 

What got you interested in secondhand, vintage, and antique items?

I truly think what got me so interested in the vintage and antique world was being so exposed to it when I was younger. Some of my favorite memories were going to antique stores with my mom. We would frequent shops on the weekends, and everywhere we went, my mom would give me something specific to look for.

One store she would tell me to look for vintage flower frogs, another stop my task would be to find McCoy vases. It not only kept me entertained while she shopped, but it taught me about specific items I would have no prior knowledge of as a young child.

If you ask my mom about antique shopping with me when I was little, she would definitely tell the stories of when I would be educating the antique store workers on items in their store. I promise you, you wouldn’t find another 6 year old with more California Pottery knowledge than me. 

Fast forward to my adult life, I think my true passion for vintage came when I moved into my current home. When I moved, I was looking for fresh inspiration, and while out shopping or scrolling through social media, I got tired of a lot of mainstream décor all looking the same.

I feel like we all have some pressure to keep things modern and up to date… leaving the old in the past and constantly buying new to keep up with the times. That’s where my love for vintage truly began to flourish.

I wanted something DIFFERENT. I felt the urge to mix my modern décor with antique crocks. Mix my modern white dishes with vintage Pyrex casserole dishes, and Jadeite coffee cups.

Not only did I see a shift in my home décor, but in my fashion sense as well. I fell in absolute love with vintage clothing, with my interest focusing mainly on 60’s and 70’s attire. Something about it just really spoke to me and stuck around. 

 

What are one or two things you always find yourself bidding on/looking for when shopping secondhand?

While out thrifting or antiquing, I absolutely always find myself gravitating towards holiday décor. Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day… I just love it all.

There’s just something special about finding a Christmas piece in the middle of summer, or some spooky Halloween piece in the springtime. It sparks a fire for the upcoming months, and then I look forward to decorating with my new found find. I really enjoy picking up holiday décor year round, and then saving it for its special moment.

I also really enjoy hunting vintage clothing, especially dresses. I have been building quite the collection of vintage clothing and accessories. I love the thrill of the hunt while thrifting through current fast fashion designers, to stumble upon something vintage.

For a collector, finding that piece when you least expect it is so exhilarating. I love auction sites (like AuctionNinja) for the unexpected pieces you never knew you NEEDED in your life. For example, a funky pair of yellow 70’s sunglasses that you never knew you absolutely needed until you saw them!

What’s your favorite item ever purchased at an estate sale or online auction?

While it’s super hard to pick just one, I’ll pick three instead! One garage sale find, one thrift store find, one estate sale find. 

My favorite garage sale find would have to be my Catherine Holm teapot. It was completely unexpected. I saw a listing for a garage sale that listed Pyrex in the description, but no photos. Usually my rule for myself is no photos, no go… but my gut told me otherwise, and I’m glad it did! Not only did I score a lot of really great Pyrex, sitting amongst it all was a green Catherin Holm teapot. 

My favorite estate sale find would have to be my first vintage Halloween paper mache pumpkin. It was one of those estate sales, where you just keep peeling back layer upon layer of good vintage. It was a sale with stiff competition, to the point where someone sat there 24 hours in advance waiting to get in. I had my sights set on that sweet orange pumpkin- and I got it! I was one of the first people in and I scooped it right up. The price was right too which made the find even better.

Out of anything, my favorite thrift find is the hardest to choose. I love all my finds equally! Although it’s extremely hard to choose, I recently found the grooviest vintage suitcase. It’s covered in mushrooms! It had just rolled out on a cart at the thrift store and once I laid eyes on it, I knew it had to be mine! It’s so unique and honestly like no vintage suitcase I've ever seen before. Once I got it home, I realized I have a vintage dress in the same print- just different colors. A match made in heaven!

 

Any tips or advice for online auction or estate sale newbies?

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone starting out, it’s to never get discouraged. Obviously you don’t always get what you want at an estate sale, or your bid isn't the winning bid. It stinks, but don't give up! I'm a firm believer in everything happening for a reason, and just because your bid didn’t win, don’t rule out that you won’t find it sitting on a thrift store shelf!

More About Nicole

Nicole was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, and currently lives in the western suburbs. She is a full time Property Manager, working in her family business. In her spare time (when she’s not out thrifting or antiquing), she enjoys spending time with her dog, family, and her boyfriend. She also enjoys traveling around the US to visit her friends in other states.  She loves going to new places, trying new food, and making new memories.

“I believe style has no limits or boundaries. Mix colors together that aren’t traditionally associated together. Mix modern and clean lines with vintage furniture or art. If you love it, love it. Other people’s opinions don’t matter. Make your space your own! Buy the weird stuff that gets people talking.” Nicole told us.

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