Halloween budgets: UW-Madison students set $100 limit on costumes

The National Retail Federation projects that Americans will spend $13.5 billion on Halloween items this year, an average of $115.14 per person. Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are attempting to keep their individual costs below that figure as the holiday approaches on October 31.

A group of students told The Daily Cardinal that they are capping their costume spending at $100 for the upcoming weekend. This self-imposed limit aims to balance social expectations with financial constraints. The students noted that the campus nightlife scene often drives up the cost of dressing up, with many residents out on State Street throughout the holiday weekend.

Senior Hadley Wendorff said that social pressure frequently leads to higher expenses. She observed that the local culture encourages students to purchase multiple elaborate outfits for a single weekend. "If your friends have a great costume you wanna have a great costume too," Wendorff said.

Junior Lily Myhra reported that she spends between $50 and $100 on costumes, primarily sourcing items from the resale app Depop. Junior Matteo Rovera said that yearly fashion trends influence his choices, even though he prefers to wear only one costume per year. "There's fads for the year," Rovera said. "I would probably only ever wear one Halloween costume a year, but because of what my friends are doing, I have three this year."

The students aim to avoid the fast fashion model, which involves producing clothing quickly from inexpensive materials to follow shifting trends. The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and pollutes water systems, while 85% of textiles end up in landfills each year. A costume worn for one night and then discarded fits this production and disposal pattern.

To stay within their $100 budget and reduce environmental impact, the students recommend several practical strategies. They suggest shopping secondhand at local thrift stores or online platforms like Depop and Vinted. Other options include borrowing pieces from friends, swapping old costumes, or searching personal closets and those of family members for usable items.

The students also advise buying clothing that can be reused for daily wear or future costumes. This approach helps avoid retailers known for fast shipping and low prices, such as Shein, Amazon, and Spirit Halloween. Whether dressing as a character from "Obsession" or Gargamel from "The Smurfs," the goal is to select outfits that are affordable and sustainable.