UW-Madison Students Target $100 Limit for Halloween Costumes

Three University of Wisconsin-Madison students agreed on a hard ceiling for their Halloween spending this year: $100. None of them plan to exceed that amount, despite a national trend toward higher holiday costs. The National Retail Federation projects that Americans will spend a total of $13.5 billion on Halloween goods in 2026, with the average per person reaching $115.14.

For many students, the pressure to spend more comes from social expectations rather than necessity. Hadley Wendorff, a senior at the university, noted that campus culture often rewards elaborate outfits. She observed that friends with high-quality costumes create a ripple effect. "If your friends have a great costume you wanna have a great costume too," she said.

Junior Matteo Rovera described a similar dynamic involving annual trends. He admitted that while he typically wears one outfit per year, peer influence led him to purchase three costumes this Halloween. "There's fads for the year," he said. "I would probably only ever wear one Halloween costume a year, but because of what my friends are doing, I have three this year."

The search for affordable options has shifted many students away from major retailers toward secondhand markets. Lily Myhra, a junior, said she looks for pieces on Depop and estimates her total spending will fall between $50 and $100. Other students reported using Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, and thrift stores to find specific items. Some are even borrowing pieces from friends or digging through closets for recognizable elements.

The shift toward secondhand shopping also aligns with growing concerns about the environmental impact of fast fashion. The industry produces clothing quickly using inexpensive materials to follow trends, contributing to 10% of global carbon emissions. Approximately 85% of textiles end up in dumps annually. Buying a single-use costume from a fast-shipping retailer fits this pattern, a fact many students are aware of.

Costume choices on State Street remain diverse, ranging from classic zombies and vampires to characters from the series "Off-Campus" and "Odyssey." Niche internet references, such as the "Punch the monkey" meme, are also popular. Whether dressing as a character from "Obsession" or Gargamel from "The Smurfs," students are advised to prioritize reusable clothing over disposable fast fashion items.

The goal for the weekend is to balance social participation with financial and environmental limits. By sourcing costumes from existing wardrobes or peer-to-peer platforms, students aim to keep their spending under the $100 threshold. This approach avoids the premium prices found at Spirit Halloween and Amazon, while reducing the volume of single-use clothing entering the waste stream.