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    Last Minute Halloween Costumes

    Amazing last-minute Halloween costumes: Pants are very optional

    Elizabeth Rhodes
    Oct 25, 2014 | 3:02 pm

    With Halloween only days away, it might finally be time to figure out your costume. If you don't want to spend tons of time or money putting one together, CultureMap has rounded up several unique costumes (ones you can probably assemble from your own closet) for those last-minute party goers.

    Banksy

    Hot on the heels of the most recent hoax claiming the notorious graffiti artist had been arrested, dressing as Banksy makes for a simple but note-worthy last-minute costume. If you've seen the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, you'll know the artist wears an all-black outfit — consisting of a hoodie and pants — as well as a black covering for his face (a black bandana would be perfect).

    With his chosen art form, a backpack full of spray paint would be an appropriate addition.

    Chippendale and Bachelorette

    What goes together better than a male stripper and a bachelorette? Answer: This costume. For the ladies, simply grab a tiara, sash and your best night-on-the-town dress to look the part of a wild and crazy bachelorette.

    As for the guys, all you really need is a bow tie (pants might be optional for this one).

    As for the guys, all you really need is a bow tie (pants might be optional for this one). If you're looking for a hilarious couples costume but don't want to shell out for one, this is the perfect ensemble for partying the night away.

    Twiggy

    Imitating the style of this British icon would make for a fantastic costume, and an easily recognizable one at that. The most important part is to emulate her exaggerated 1960s makeup (false eyelashes are clearly a must), and thanks to a number of online tutorials, it's not as difficult as you might think. As for her mod clothes, I suggest heading to a thrift store (or your closet) to locate a bright or black-and-white striped shift dress. If you don't have blonde hair, you can opt for a short blond wig or use a blonde wash-out spray, and make sure to gel your hair and part it far to one side.

    If you have a companion, dressing as David Bowie would be quite apropos as the two were featured together on the cover of his 1973 album Pin Ups.

    Normcore

    If you aren't familiar with this anti-cool hipster fashion trend, it might be for the best. The trend revolves around the idea that dressing "normal" (think Steve Jobs) is a way of expressing irony as only a hipster could. To imitate the seemingly ridiculous trend, round up your most 'basic' threads and throw them together like you're Jerry Seinfeld.

    Light wash jeans, plain baseball caps, sweatshirts and slip-on sandals — with socks, of course — are staples of the trend, and whether you want to admit it or not, you probably have most of those items in your closet.

    To fully perpetuate the normcore lifestyle, tell anyone asking about your costume that they "just don't get it."

    Rosie the Riveter

    While Rosie the Riveter may not scream "sexy" to you, Queen Bey certainly looked it when she posted a photo of herself dressed as the WWII icon on her Instagram account back in July. While you might not be able to pull off all of Beyoncé's looks (who else really could?), this is one ensemble you can definitely make your own.

    Simply roll up the sleeves of a chambray button-down and tame your locks with a red bandana to rock this awesome, Bey-worthy costume.

    Little Edie

    If you're familiar with "Little Edie" — one of the infamously reclusive stars of the 1970s documentary Grey Gardens (and the eponymous HBO film) — then you'll love this costume idea. Known for her distinctive turbans and eccentric sense of style, one of Little Edie's most recognizable outfits harks from her unforgettable "flag dance."

    To imitate her ensemble, all you'll need is a black long-sleeve top and shorts, a pair of black pantyhose, a red scarf to wrap around your head and a small American flag. The dance is optional, but we bet you'll earn bonus points from those in the know.

    Fashion icon Twiggy is rather simple to emulate with a visit to the thrift store and some help from online makeup tutorials.

    Twiggy mod 60s
    Marie Claire
    Fashion icon Twiggy is rather simple to emulate with a visit to the thrift store and some help from online makeup tutorials.
    unspecified
    news/city-life

    A+ for H-Town

    Houston ranks 3rd among Texas’ best large college towns

    Amber Heckler
    Oct 22, 2026 | 1:00 pm
    University of Houston students at a football game
    University of Houston/Facebook
    Houston knows how to show out.

    Houston has entered the spotlight as the No. 3 best large college town in Texas, and it ranks in the top 25 among the largest college towns in America, a new study has proclaimed.

    To determine the best college towns, WalletHub analyzed 415 cities based on their "wallet-friendliness," social environment, and academic and economic opportunities for college graduates. Cities are ranked overall and are sorted into one of three population categories: large, midsize, and small cities.

    Houston ranked as the 24th best large college town in the U.S., and it ranked 73rd overall regardless of city size.

    Out of the three key dimensions, the Bayou City ranked highest for "wallet friendliness" — landing 89th nationally. This category examined local housing costs, student loan debt per person, the adjusted cost of living for young people, and other financial factors.

    The city stands at No. 127 nationwide for its "social environment," which compared the number of students per capita, the share of single people, crime rates, and the number of cafés, breweries, food trucks, festivals, and shopping centers per capita, among others.

    It may come as a surprise that WalletHub said Houston's academic and economic opportunities leave much to be desired. The city ranked 260th nationally in this category, which analyzed the quality of higher education, the earning potential for college graduates, unemployment rates, job growth rates, the share of part-time jobs and median income of part-time workers, and more.

    "As student living expenses can reach over $39,000 per year, it’s important to find the most bang for your buck," the report's author wrote. "Therefore, it’s best to live in a city with a reasonable cost of living, along with good academic and work opportunities. The ideal city should also provide a fun social environment to help students deal with the stress of college."

    Other top college towns in Texas
    Austin once again topped the list as the No. 1 best college town in America, boosted by the city's wealth of local colleges and universities and the local economy. The Capital City has outshone obvious contenders like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, for five years in a row, and it also tops the large cities list.

    According to the report's findings, Austin has the 15th best academic and economic opportunities for college students and graduates, and the 16th best social environment. WalletHub commends Austin for having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation and the "34th-best annual job growth rate," while also offering students ample ways to "de-stress after class."

    "On top of that, Austin ranks 22nd in the nation for the quality of higher education among more than 400 cities in our study," the report said. "It also has the 112th-cheapest in-state tuition (including room and board), at $34,651 per year."

    Six other cities in the Lone Star State appeared on the overall list of America's best college towns: College Station (No. 37), Plano (No. 54), San Antonio (No. 72), Denton (No. 77), Lubbock (No. 83), and Fort Worth (No. 100).

    In the rankings by city size, San Antonio ranked as the No. 2 best large college town in Texas and 23rd nationwide.

    San Marcos, a college town between Austin and San Antonio, ranked as the No. 2 best small college town in Texas, and 54th best among the small colleges nationally. In the overall list regardless of city size, San Marcos ranked 132nd nationally.

    The top 10 best college towns in America for 2027 are:

    • No. 1 – Austin
    • No. 2 – Ann Arbor, Michigan
    • No. 3 – Charlottesville, Virginia
    • No. 4 – Raleigh, North Carolina
    • No. 5 – Atlanta
    • No. 6 – Tampa, Florida
    • No. 7 – San Diego
    • No. 8 – Scottsdale, Arizona
    • No. 9 – Orlando
    • No. 10 – Charleston, South Carolina
    college townsreportsuniversity of texaswallethubhoustonanderson
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