By Melanie Harris
Are you still wracking your brain for a costume idea as that magical, spooky night draws near? Well, grab your Tarot deck and take heart. Here are some fabulous Tarot-inspired costumes you can put together in a flash. They can all be made with items you probably already have in your closet, backyard, or child's toy box, so you can save your costume money for something even more essential for Halloween: candy!
The Magician: For the fellows, this Magician costume is an easy and excellent choice. Cut a hole for your head in the middle of a white sheet, and cinch the sheet at the waist with a rope or nylon cord. Take a large piece of red fabric (If you don't have fed fabric, simply dye it. Fabric dye is pretty cheap) and cut a slit starting from the middle of one end to about halfway down the piece of fabric. Drape this over you so that the uncut part will hang down your back while the two cut halves drape in front of your shoulders. Secure a rubber snake on your belt with safety pins. Tie a thin strip of white fabric around your forehead for a headband. Grab a stick to use for your magic wand, and you're all ready to step out in style.
The Empress: Glue a glow-in-the-dark plastic star on the closed end of each of 12 bobby pins. Slide the bobby pins onto an elastic headband and slip it high up around your forehead. Cover the fabric of the headband with a wreath of flowers or leaves, easily made by tying the plant stems to each other until you get a circle large enough to fit around your head. You can use fake foliage if you prefer, as the wire is easy to twist together. Draw or paint a flower pattern on a loose, plain dress, or do the same to a white sheet, cutting a hole in the middle for your head and securing the sheet loosely around the waist with a cord. Cut a piece of poster board into a heart shape and draw on it Venus's symbol. Carry this with you to complete the look.
The Hermit: A perfect choice for the bearded gentleman, a Hermit's costume can be made in minutes. Wear a gray hooded bathrobe if you have one, or dye a sheet gray and drape it over your head and shoulders like a cloak. Grab a tall stick to use for your staff, an old lantern, and you're off to light the way to Halloween fun.
Strength: Wear a loose white dress and a wreath of real or fake flowers around your head. Carry a small stuffed animal lion, complete with his own leash of flowers. You can simply tuck the flowers into the links of a small dog chain. If the mood strikes, let out a roar now and then. It feels good and it adds some kooky flair to your eclectic costume. Well, it adds some laughter, anyway…
The Three of Cups: A fun and cute group costume for the ladies, all you need is 2 friends, 3 wreaths of flowers, and 3 cups. Wear loose white dresses or wear white sheets toga-style. Wrap a chain of flowers around your head, raise your cup in delight, and get ready to party. You and your fun-loving friends will be the trio to envy this Halloween night.
The Fool: If you're up to mischief and you want a handy excuse for your mayhem this Halloween, dress as The Fool. Wear some leggings or tights if you dare, and over this a pair of shorts. Put on a gaudy, loose, button-up shirt, and tie it around the waist with a cord or rope. Attach a small purse (decorated with symbols, if you like) to the end of a long stick, and carry it over your shoulder like a knapsack. Put a feather in your hat, and go act foolish. You can forget the higher meaning of the card on this night. It's an excuse for fun you're after, not enlightenment.
Kings, Queens, and Pages: With the exception of the Knights, which can be difficult to dress as due to their body armor, most of the court cards of the Minor Arcana readily lend themselves to costume ideas. Use large sticks for wands, painted or aluminum foil-covered wine glasses for cups, plastic play swords, or a plate or a disk of poster board decorated with a pentacle to form your emblem of choice. Bath robes, loose shirts and dresses, or sheets can be used to make the clothing, and crowns can be made with poster board or cardboard covered in foil or painted with metallic paint. All it takes is a bit of imagination and a small dose of craftiness to fashion yourself as a Tarot court card.
The Tarot provides a slew of fantastic costume ideas. Look through your deck for inspiration, and work with what you already have on hand. You'll be able to create a super cool costume in minutes. Now, procrastinator, get dressed up and go have a "Tarot-fying" Halloween!