Help me figure out a costume! What's a costume? I have no idea…

I grew my five o'clock shadow out, put curlers in my hair, smoked a stubby cigar and wore a bathrobe and slippers. I was Your Mom.

I stole this http://ask.metafilter.com/105595/Help-me-find-a-quick-and-simple-costume#1524804 costume idea a few Halloweens ago. Very simple, and topical again. The blonde hair might not be authentic, but I don't know if people will care.

Carry lots of slinkys and wear several watches on both arms. Tell people you're the god of springtime.

Suit + hair gel + briefcase = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Wright_(character) Bonus - you can yell OBJECTION at everyone.

For Haloween last year my son went as a Bad Idea. He wore a cardboard lightbulb on his chest and then devil's horns. I've got to admit that not a lot of people got it. In my opinion the really great costumes are not really elaborate. The great costumes are either immediately recognizeable or just really original and witty. Puns are usually good, maybe this http://somuchpun.com will give you some inspiriation.

No real creative ideas, but once you decide, local Goodwill stores are fantastic for finding items. And they are very inexpensive, too. AskMeFi helped me out immensely when I posted a similar query a few weeks back.

I made a fairly cheap costume for Halloween last year. Black Canvas Pants, black dress low cut boots or shoes that had metal bits on them, white dress shirt, long wide strip of random bright fabric from the thrift store, some dangly clip on earrings, plastic swords, a little eyeliner and black nail polish. I used the strip of cloth to make a waist wrap/belt and a matching bandana and tada I was a pretty awesome $25 pirate. It was Halloween time though and I got a good deal on a cheap Hat and plastic swords. If you cant find a hat, do a bandana/eyepatch combo. OR http://how2dostuff.blogspot.com/2005/11/how-to-make-ninja-mask-out-of-t-shirt.html. You could probably put together a passable ninja outfit.

Abuse the local thrift and craft stores for fun, fast costumes: 1. Buy some white clothes from the local thrift store (painters pants, white button-up, etc.). But large ugly polka-dot or striped bow-tie. Buy an old, cheap, small, and white teacup. If you can find an old green or tan jacket, get that too. 2. Buy yourself some green fabric paint. 3. Paint big checkerboard squares on your newly-bought clothes. Polka dots may also be acceptable. 4. Make large top hat out of cardboard (cereal boxes, whatever) and tape; paint that, too. Stick a paper tag on the side that says "in this style 10/6". Alternately, buy a hat from the thrift store and "extend it" upwards with cloth and a regular old staple gun. 5. go as the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Hatter.

Do you have a black suit? Get a white dress shirt and a black tie from the thrift store and some fake blood. Splash the blood all over the stomach area. Go as Mr. Orange from Reservoir Dogs. Admittedly dated, but hey, it's cheap and easy if you have the suit.