Halloween, Raisin, Costume Parties, Oh My! How To Dress Up Sustainably

by Maisie Spofford

@mathilda.mai and @liberty.mai dressed as
Daphne and Velma from Scooby Doo

It’s getting to be mid-October which means it’s a busy time for the average St Andrews student. Raisin Weekend is around the corner, and Halloween is just a few weeks away. Maybe you’re rubbing your hands together with a sadistic smile imagining what costume would humiliate your children the most for the Foam Fight. Or maybe you’re already thinking about your Halloween costume (and your second, third, fourth costumes... Halloween’s on a Monday, hello Halloweekend!). So, before you press ‘complete order’ on your Amazon cart, I thought it would be a good time to remind you of how we can all be more sustainable when dressing up for some of the most fun costume events of the year. 

Raisin Weekend 

St Andrews students enjoying the Foam Fight (The Scotsman)

Okay, I know Raisin is only a few days away now, but if you’re a parent like me and swimming in deadlines, it’s possible you haven’t really thought through the logistics of it. For those of you who are uninitiated, the academic parents typically dress their first year 'children' in silly costumes for the Foam Fight on Monday morning. The main thing to consider here is that no matter how elaborate or creative your costume may be, the reality is that it’s going to end up completely covered in foam and possibly destroyed. 

A washable costume is a good idea so that the garment isn’t merely ruined and disposed of after the festivities. Some simple yet effective costumes could be put together from clothing that your children already have. For instance, your children could dress as the colors of the rainbow: one dresses in all red, one in all orange, etc. That way, you don’t even have to spend any money on their looks. I was going suggest using recyclable materials like cardboard if you wanted to give the costume a crafty touch, but be warned that wet cardboard is generally not accepted for recycling. Nor could the cardboard be composted, because synthetic soaps like those in shaving cream are not compostable.  

If you’ve already ordered ten full Barry B. Benson costumes for your kids and you’re feeling really awkward while reading this, don’t fret! As long as you try to clean them, these costumes could be passed down and used for generations of Raisins to come (well, St Andrews generations, maybe not real ones). Tip for academic children: if you like what your parents dress you in, ask to take the costumes off their hands and use them for your future children. 

Bottom line: the simpler the better for Raisin costumes, and if the costume could be made through something your kids already own, great! 

Halloween 

Report from fairylandtrust.org

The spookiest part of spooky season is definitely the immense textile waste that Halloween creates. A survey by the environmental activist organization Hubbub found that in 2016, seven million Halloween costumes were thrown out, and four out of ten costumes were only worn once. Most of these costumes are also made from polyester, which is petroleum-based and very harmful to the environment. Of course, the issue of overconsumption on Halloween goes beyond Uni students, but we can still do our part to limit our waste. 

One obvious choice is to create a costume from what you already have. It can be really tempting to order new costumes, but it’s easy to shop your own closet (or even a friend’s!) for Halloween looks. Is there a character who already is a close match to your style? Maybe you have a cute purple dress and all you need is a green scarf to transform into Daphne from Scooby Doo. Or dress in all black and let your make-up do the job for you. A little eyeliner and you could become a kitten, or even a vampire.  

If you have a look in mind and can’t find the right piece in your closet, check charity shops or shop secondhand. You want to be the Golden Snitch but don’t have a gold top to go with your sequined skirt. Look for it on Depop or Vinted. Sustainable Style also hosts frequent clothing swaps, so look out for one of those in the future to pick up some new pieces and retire old ones. However, before buying something, even secondhand, consider whether you would realistically wear it again. A sparkly top could easily be repurposed for nights out to come, while full scrubs for a Dr. McDreamy costume might have less rewear potential.

Bottom line: try creating a look from your own closet and supplement with pieces you would genuinely rewear. 

Costume Parties 

Finally, I wanted to mention some themed parties you might come across in your University career and suggest ways to host/attend them with a sustainable mindset. Even if you never come across these parties, I found them very entertaining to read about and hopefully you will too. 

White Lies: At a white lies party, you typically wear a white t-shirt with a lie you would often tell others written on the front (mine would be “I’m not drinking coffee anymore”). The problem is that a lot of people buy white T-shirts and then write the lie on them in sharpie, making it likely to never be worn again. Instead, you could easily just wear white and tape a piece of paper with your lie on it on the front. 

ABC (Anything But Clothes): This one is pretty self-explanatory- just show up to the party wearing anything but clothes. This often leads people to experiment with packaging, wrapping themselves in tinfoil or fashioning a trash bag into a dress. While I respect the creative use of materials, I would suggest wearing something from your household that is not disposable, like a towel, apron, or picnic blanket, so you aren't creating excess waste.

Toga Party: The Toga Party idea is great because it’s already a waste-free concept. Everyone has a bed sheet or towel they could fashion into a toga. If your bed sheet is colorful or patterned, I say don’t bother with buying a white one, embrace your unique toga and wear it with pride. 

Bottom line: At risk of sounding like a broken record, I say again, get creative and wear what you already have to a themed party! 

Conclusion 

Dressing up for events is always something to get excited for, and October has multiple opportunities for creating fun looks. Whether you’re dressing up for Raisin, Halloween, or a fun house party, I hope this article encourages you to source your look secondhand or within your own closet.