An Ultra-Easy, Last Minute Halloween Costume Idea

DIY Halloween costume: Gentlemen golfers of the 20's by Golf Girl Media on  Polyvore

The end of October will inevitably find some of us scrambling for creative costume ideas. Halloween, after all, has become huge. In fact, according to the National Retail Foundation, 48% of American adults will dress up for the holiday this year this year.  

A trip to the local department store, especially this late in the game, will yield little in the way of distinctive deguisement. For those seeking something with a bit of sophistication, even those specialized Halloween pop-up shops tend to come up short.  

So why not create your own original costume... one that gives a nod to golf history?  With just a few easily found items of clothing, slightly altered, you can create your own Golden Age Golfer costume. 

For guys, the required pieces are: a jacket and trousers, preferably wool and in a traditional pattern such as hounds tooth, tartan, or tweed. Extra points for a matching vest. Plus fours are... a plus... but regular wool trousers can be tucked into your socks, which, if at all possible, should be argyle. A basic oxford shirt completes the clothing requirements. Essential accessories include dark tie-up shoes, a flat cap and a narrow neck tie or bow tie. If you can round out the look with a pocket watch, an antique hickory all the better. 

I created the inspiration board above to give you a few ideas.

As for the ladies, I'll refer you to the piece I wrote last year on the topic. It's quite comprehensive and includes its own inspiration board for ideas.  

DIY Halloween costume: Lady golfers of the 20's by Golf Girl Media on Polyvore

Easy DIY Halloween Costumes For Golf Obsessed Women & Girls

(first published, October 2016)
There was a time, not long ago, when "sexy" seemed to have become a prerequisite on Halloween. 

Young ladies... and not-so-young ones... were choosing costumes consisting of little more than lingerie. The commercial Halloween costume industry had discovered that virtually any outfit could be made sexy by just paring down the clothing, while exaggerating the accessories. They took the concept well beyond it's early iterations; the French maid, the sexy nurse, the sexy pirate wench... to such unlikely subjects as the sexy goldfish and the sexy squirrel. There were even some sexy golfer costumes which we wrote about in detail several years ago. 

This year however, the whole "sexy" costume thing may not be quite so ubiquitous. The Donald Trump "scandal du jour" has focused the nation's attention on the objectification of women. Though this will probably be short-lived, the scrutiny may make sexy costumes awkward for both the wearer and the observer.  There's also the "Take Back Halloween" movement which has been encouraging female to select more "empowering" costumes this year, costumes that represent strong, successful women... figures from history and the world of sports. That brought to my mind the great lady golfers of the early 20th century; Glenna Collett, Alexa Stirling, Edith Cummings, Joyce Wethered. They were strong and their style was distinctive.
  

Channeling Glenna Collett on Halloween

The basic look is super easy look to replicate, requiring only a below the knee skirt, a white blouse with a high neckline and a cardigan or jacket. Finish with a pair of oxford or wingtip shoes and as a hat, a cloche or beret. Extra points if you can round up some old hickory sticks and/or a vintage golf bag. 

I found the pieces for the four looks above at various on-line stores

Pictured at left is my own version of the Golden Age Golfer costume from a couple of years ago, sourced entirely from our local thrift shop.  

It's a fun theme for Halloween, especially if you have a group, like we had that year. And it did feel empowering to dress like a historical golf champion. Unfortunately I didn't manage to channel any golf skills. Maybe this year.