Scaring up a costume

If you waited until the last minute, here are some ideas that are inexpensive and easy

Devil's Advocate : Wear buttons and carry signs that say, "Devil is No. 1" and "Vote for Satan."

Self-Absorbed: Attach sponges all over your body.

Black-Eyed Susan : Wear a name tag that says "Susan." Use black makeup to give yourself a black eye.

Generic: Wear all white. Draw a large UPC code on your chest and write "COSTUME" above it.

Cute

Bunch of Grapes : All you need is one package of purple balloons, a lot of hot air, and some staples or tape.

Bag of Jelly Beans : Fill a clear trash bag with multicolored small balloons. Cut holes in the bag for arms and legs. Cinch the top to hang around your shoulders.

Q-Tip : Dress all in blue and cover a cap and your shoes with cotton balls.

Dryer Lint : Wear a sweat suit inside out. Attach fabric softener sheets all over yourself.

Bruise: Wear all black and blue.

Snack Bar: Attach open bags of snacks to yourself - chips, pretzels, whatever. You'll be the most popular guest at the party.

Jackson Pollock Painting : Splatter drips of paint on your clothes and hang a picture frame around your neck.

Piece of Gum Stuck to A Shoe : Dress in all pink and attach a shoe to the top of your head.

Got Milk? : Wear a sign that says Got Milk? Paint a milk mustache over your lip with makeup.

Runaway Bride : Wear a bridal gown and sneakers. Or just a veil and sneakers to be more comfortable.

MasterCard Ad : Wear whatever you want. Attach a sign to your back that says: Shirt: $30 ... Jeans: $50 ... Shoes: $70 ... Halloween costume that took minimal effort: Priceless.

Involving a cardboard box

Robot: Take a cardboard box, glue on plastic cups and random doodads, and then make a hat out of a shoe box with some pipe cleaner antennae.

Stick of Gum : Paint a longer box pink, or make a sandwich-board-style stick of gum.

iPod : Paint the box whatever color you want, add a paper plate with the little arrows and such drawn on with marker, draw the screen - even add your favorite band and song in the field.

Head on a Platter: Get a plastic platter from the party store, cut a hole for your head through the box and the platter, add a tablecloth to your "table" and some plastic silverware as a place setting.

Lego: Paint the box a solid color, and use round plastic takeout containers painted the same to be the round nubs. Hot-glue them on, and you're done.

The easiest cardboard box costume: Draw on wide ribbons and be a wrapped present. You can make a big bow with strips of cut paper.