UW-Madison Students Keep Halloween Costs Under $100

Americans are preparing for the largest costume season of the year. University of Wisconsin-Madison students are setting a personal spending limit of $100 to prepare for the holiday.

The National Retail Federation projects that consumers across the country will spend a total of $13.5 billion on Halloween items in 2026. This figure translates to an average expenditure of $115.14 per person. Many students feel forced to choose between buying expensive complete costumes or assembling outfits from fast fashion retailers.

Social pressure drives much of the spending on campus. Senior Hadley Wendorff noted that the desire to match friends' outfits often leads to higher costs. "If your friends have a great costume you wanna have a great costume too," she said. This dynamic encourages students to purchase multiple elaborate outfits for a single weekend.

Students report spending between $50 and $100 on their attire. Junior Lily Myhra shops on Depop to find reasonable prices. Junior Matteo Rovera admitted that yearly trends push him to buy three costumes instead of one. "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 rise in costume purchases contributes to the fast fashion model. This industry produces clothing quickly using inexpensive materials to follow trends. Fashion production accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. Additionally, 85% of textiles end up in dumps annually. A costume worn for one night and then discarded fits this pattern closely.

To keep costs down and reduce environmental impact, students are adopting different shopping habits. They are turning to secondhand sources such as thrift stores, Depop, Vinted, and Facebook Marketplace. Others are borrowing pieces from friends or digging through their own closets for usable items. Some aim to buy clothing that can be worn again on other days.

These strategies apply regardless of the specific character chosen. Whether dressing as a figure from "Obsession" or Gargamel from "The Smurfs," the goal remains the same. Students aim to keep their outfits affordable and environmentally friendly while participating in the busy State Street events.