Need a Halloween Costume? Here Are Local Kine, Last-Minute DIY Ideas

Whenever we had Halloween costume contests in our office, the local-inspired get-ups always won, hands down. Whether they were iconic, nostalgic or poking fun at some baboozes, they were all treats. So, check out our list of ideas that conjure up Hawai‘i-culture vibes in a BOO-YA way.

Photos: Courtesy of Kelsey Ige

Hurricane Popcorn
Don a white tee with wind streaks and stick on cutouts of a house, car, trees, etc. Mess up your hair and look as buss up as possible. Glue popcorn puffs to your tee or just carry a bag of it.

Hawaiian Airlines Logo
You’re sure to get nonstop compliments for this quick ’n clever get up. Use red or orange construction paper to make a large hibiscus to tuck behind one ear. Depending on whether you go for the retro or modern version of the logo, use purple construction paper to cut out either a flower silhouette or sun (without rays) and use bobby pins to fasten it to your hair on the opposite side of your head. Add a regal head tilt and warm smile and your look is pure Pualani gold.

Auntie Marialani
To get Rap Reiplinger’s iconic cooking sensation jus’ right, you’ll need the following ingrediments: a lively patterned mu‘umu‘u or dress with a ruffled collar, a white apron or cloth, a beaded necklace, gold bangles and clip-on earrings. Grab a wine bottle (not too sweet, not too rancid, of course), add some baby’s breath to your hair and some hamajang blue eyeshadow. Bonus points if you can track down a rubber chicken—apparently the center stage ABC Store at Ala Moana Center sells a plastic version. Now, go make um, go make um, go!

Aloha Shoyu Bottle
Quick and easy, we’ll show-you! Throw on a solid black T-shirt dress or T-shirt and shorts, print out a large 7-to-8-inch Aloha Shoyu logo on cardstock and either pin it on or attach it with a few loops of tape. Then top it off with a beanie in red for the original flavor, gold for premium, silver for tamari or green for lower salt. Must take a photo with all sushi costumes.

Aloha Spirit
Easy dis’ one. Grab a bedroom sheet, cut pukas for eyes and throw on a lei. Pau.

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Things Found in the Ala Wai
Wear a puke-ish green T-shirt or jumper and tape different printouts of fish with three eyes and missing fins all over your body.

B-52 Bomber and Rubbah Slippah
For the slippah half of this duo costume, take a large piece of cardboard or poster board and cut out the slipper base. Cut out two strips for straps and cut a hole at the top of the slippah for your head. For the roach, throw on a large brown hoodie with pants or tights. Use brown fabric to make the antennae, arms and wings. And for a look that’s extra bomb-er, hit up the costume shop for some aviator goggles.

Mr. Okada
Steal the look of our favorite Rap’s Hawai‘i taste tester, Mr. Okada, with a retro-print button-down shirt paired with shorts, slippers, aviator eye glasses and a crochet or straw hat. Carry around a soda can labeled “A” or “X” and a basket of soda crackahs and shovel the delicious squares into your mouth every chance you get.

Representative Greed
Put on a tie, blazer and slacks. Stuff bundles of fake money and loose bills into your pockets, letting them stick out of the top. Don a name tag labeled “Rep. Greed or Sen. Sleazy” or make up your own name for a politician or person convicted of taking money for influence. Head to Goodwill, Salvation Army or Savers to find all this and more, and help good organizations at the same time. You can find fake money there, too, or make your own by printing out a few sheets that show and padding the stack with scratch paper.

Over-the-Top Pet Parent
Grab a toy or real baby stroller (again, check Goodwill, Salvation Army or Savers) and put cute stuffed animal dogs inside. Then grab a large purse to stick another stuffed pet into and have that cutie peering out. Wear a T-shirt with paw prints or an animal photo. You can make your own by printing out a photo and double-stick taping it to your clothes. Or draw your own paw prints onto a shirt. Extra credit for making a little shirt that matches for one of the pet friends. And, since you’re obviously an animal lover, make a quick necklace of dog biscuits by tying them together with string or yarn or use that lei cellophane from your last grad party.

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