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You were planning to spend Halloween at home alone with a mountain of candy and a stash of Netflix's goriest hits, played at high volume so as to drown out the sound of Snickers-stained fingers jabbing at your doorbell.

But with last-minute party e-vites clogging up your in box, the urge to socialize with the other goblins has won out. The only problem? There's no way in hell you're dropping a Benjamin on costume rental, and the local party store's selection has been whittled down to two lame contenders: slutty Smurf and a cow costume built for two. Now that's scary.

The good news is that you can dig up a creative costume using what's lurking right in your closet and makeup bag. Here's how. (If none of these ideas work for you, try Refinery29 -- they've got tons more hilarious ideas for last minute costumes.)

The Ghosts of Crappy Weddings Past
You're no Katherine Heigl, but you do have a bridesmaid (or prom) dress or two still haunting your closet, right? And is there anything more spine-tingling than a floor-length, lacy sea-foam gown with a matching bonnet? We think not. Throw it on, and go as a tortured bridesmaid; add some fake blood and go as a dead bridesmaid; or accessorize with a sash and some specs and go as Sarah Palin, Alaskan beauty pageant contestant.

Click here for more great last-minute costume ideas.

Meet Your Maker -- er, Makeup Artist
Skip the monster mask and visit MACCosmetics.com, where the brand's visionary makeup artists have assembled a bevy of dramatic looks, from amphibian to robotic to alienesque. Either attempt the step-by-step instructions on your own, or take a printed copy to a MAC beauty counter and let the pros have at it.

YouTube Video
The best posterboard-and-marker costume we've seen this year.

EBay Does It
If you still have some time to kill, hit the Web. EBay is a great source for finding costumes -- or costumey old clothes and props -- on the cheap.

Coming Out of the Closet
Click through the gallery below for more easy last-minute costumes. Chances are, you probably have the makings already in your closet. At any rate, it beats poking holes in a white sheet.

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

    American Apparel Ad

    You need:
    >Your favorite American Apparel gear (the skimpier, the better)
    >Hipster hair
    >A large white poster board backdrop that says "Meet [your name]" in black lettering
    >Knee socks
    >A slew of seductive poses

    Ads of the World

    Janet Leigh in Pyscho

    You need:
    >Shower curtain
    >Fake blood
    >Wet hair
    >Optional: Clothing (consider a nude body stocking if your shower curtain is clear)

    Paramount Pictures, Getty Images

    Hockey Mom

    You need:
    >Hockey jersey (via Goodwill or your boyfriends closet, or just put red or blue tape on a long-sleeved V-neck)
    >Jeans
    >Lipstick
    >For extra credit: Hockey stick or puck, Crocs or baby doll

    A.J. Messier, Getty Images

    Margot Tenenbaum

    You need:
    >Blonde hair or wig (tuck back long hair with bobby pins to fake a bob)
    >Hair barrette
    >Fur coat
    >T-shirt dress, preferably with a collar
    >Structured handbag
    >Brown pantyhose or bandaid to slip over left ring finger and mimc Margot's wooden digit
    >Loafers or basic flats
    >Gobs of black eyeliner
    >Serious pout

    ZUMA Press

    Daisy Duke Cowboy

    You need:
    >Button-down shirt, tied at the waist
    >Denim cut-offs
    >Cowboy boots
    >Big ol' drawl

    J L M, Flickr

    The Joker

    You need:
    >Bold purple dress
    >White face makeup
    >Red lipstick smeared liberally
    >Heavy black eye shadow and liner
    >Wet, slicked-back hair (spray with lemon juice for that gritty texture)

    AP

    Angelina Jolie

    You need:
    >Long brunette locks or wig
    >Glamorous gown, preferably black and displaying lots of cleavage
    >Padding for your belly and boobs
    >Lip plumper
    >Assortment of multiracial baby dolls
    >Washable black markers, for drawing tattoos

    Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images

    Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader

    You need:
    >Blue button-down shirt, tied under your boobs
    >Push-up bra
    >White booty shorts
    >Cropped white vest (cut up an old white tee to make your own)
    >Tall white boots or cowboy boots
    >Pom-pons
    >Teased-up hair
    >Lots of makeup
    >Self-tanner

    Ronald Martinez, Getty Images



For more fun costume ideas, check out ELLEgirl's guide to pulling together looks inspired by Rihanna, Agyness Deyn, Katy Perry, and other starlets.

Tell us: What's your best last-minute Halloween costume? Share your own ideas in the comments!