COSTUMES FOR THE CHEAP/LAZY/STYLISH: MKS

For our last installment of our last-minute costume series, I bring you three very different characters with one thing in common - paper! I had everything I needed clothes and beauty-wise, but I required some very distinct props that I don't usually have lying around the house. For those, I got my Martha Stewart on and got to craftin'.

So hurry up and get reading, the festivities are about to begin!

CAT BURGLAR

1. Cat Ears
2. Beanie
3. Mask
4. Black Sweatshirt
5. Reusable Bag

I bet everyone's been a cat for Halloween at least once, right? And most of us have been cold at one point (or just trendy). So the ears and beanie are both pretty easy - as is this mask! All I did was lightly trace the face of a pair of sunglasses onto a strip of black paper, then cut the nose groove and two eye holes. Tuck it under the hat and use the headband to keep it in place, then fill your bag with stuff to keep it volumized (or just candy so you're super popular all night) and you're ready to rob n' roll. Me-ow!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

1. Black Tank Top
2. Cross Necklace
3. Stake
4. Ponytail
5. Hatred of Undead

I cannot tell a lie - I've been bingeing on Buffy ever since I discovered the entire series is on Netflix right now. And if they remove it after Halloween I will literally slay something with my stake....which is made out of cardboard. But in all seriousness - I'm one of those people that gets wigged out by realistic weapons on Halloween, mostly because I'm sure that one day I will come across a Jason Voorhees and that machete will be real as hell and chop my everything off. So I'll take an obviously non-working version any day. This un-real stake was made from a box I had sitting around, and would be utterly useless against an actual vamp. The rest of the costume is done with the addition of a perky ponytail and cross necklace - killer karate moves and witty comeback lines are bonuses for true fans.

BAD SANDY FROM GREASE

1. Off the Shoulder Top
2. Hairspray
3. Red Lipstick
4. Cigarette
5. Black Jacket

Grease was one of those movies I could watch over and over again as a kid. I loved the songs, the era, but most of all Sandy's effortless transformation from geek to bad gal. Which sounded great to a seriously nerdy kid like me - who doesn't want to turn into a total badass with just a costume change? Luckily all I need now is red lips and an off the shoulder top, plus a piece of white paper rolled up and taped together to look like the classic bad gal accessory, a cigarette. Flip all your hair to the side to fake major volume and spray, baby, spray to hold it all in place. Sling your jacket over your shoulder like you just don't care, and give me your best smize. Tell me about it, stud.