It’s shaping up to be a Do-It-Yourself kind of Halloween.

According to a recent Bing Survey, nearly 40 % of people said they are abandoning store-bought outfits in favor of making their own costumes this year. 43% of people believe that purchasing a Halloween costume for one night is too expensive (nearly a four-fold increase over last year.) In fact, many people are ditching store bought outfits altogether and embracing their creative side. When asked which celebrity they will be emulating on the 31st, 47% of women said Kate Middleton and 35 % of men said Edward Cullen of Twilight fame.

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While designing a costume yourself can be a fun and affordable option, it can also be an overwhelming experience without the right tools to help you conceive and create your masterpiece. With that in mind, we have enlisted a team of Hollywood styling experts to spark your creativity and get you started on the path to a hand-made Halloween. Celebrity stylists Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn who have created costumes for a-listers including Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Will and Jada Smith have lent us their tips on to how to easily create a unique look that fits your budget, fashion sense, and skill level.

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From Rob and Mariel:

  • · It’s Reality TV Time! When in doubt, everyone identifies with reality TV stars. Love them or hate them, some reality stars have become just as recognizable as movie and rock stars. Whether it’s Pauly D or Snooki, dressing as your favorite reality star from Jersey shore can be easy and cheap.
  • · Dress like a Rockstar. Some of our favorite costumes are inspired from what stars wear on stage. . One way to really impress everyone at your Halloween party is to find the most classic identifiable look from your favorite artist's performance or music video and break down the look. Everyone wants to party like a rockstar, now you can actually look the part.
  • · Makeup cures all. Makeup and hair styling are a great way to create a fun and easy costume.  If you’re able to master the makeup, the rest of the costume is sure to fall in line. Signature looks of classic rockstars are always fan favorites. For example, full face make up for KISS can be fun and then all you need is black clothing to fill out the look. 

To see all of Rob and Mariel’s tips and tricks visit www.BingHalloween.com.

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Once you have an idea of what you will need, check out Bing Shopping – which offers an all-in-one online shopping experience that will help you make faster shopping decisions so you can spend less, save time and have more fun.

- Karin Muskopf, Bing