Halloween Costumes-GO BIG or GO CHEAP

You know how people like to say, "Go big or go home"?  Well I'm going to put this out there and just see what you think: Go big or go cheap.
What I mean by this is that you have multiple levels of costuming.  One one end you have the old school costumes I remember as a kid, vinyl jumpsuits with flimsy plastic masks held on by a rubber band.  As a small child that costume was meant to sum up the whole character for you.  On the other end you have near theatrical quality cosplay style costuming with period accurate details and real fabrics.  Very nice, but very expensive and probably only appreciated by a select few.
In the middle you have various levels and some try to look impressive but fail while others clearly don't give a giant rat's arse.
So I am putting out there the concept that if you cannot go big, aim for the lowest possible level.  Don't spend a bit more than you are comfortable with and wind up being disappointed.  Sometimes you just have to buck the system and say, "Screw it, this t-shirt and cardboard mask IS my costume" and take refuge in symbolism and audacity.
Let's take for example a werewolf.  The old Wolfman.  Classic monster, classic costume.  
Let's say you want to go big with it.
What are you in for?
Way back when I was a lad I saw a most excellent werewolf mask at Spencer's Gifts.  I knew that year that I would be a werewolf.  My mother procured some faux fur from the fabric store and with hot glue, safety pins, an old t-shirt, and some brown fabric gloves I had a full werewolf from the belt up.  I loved it.  
As an adult I volunteered to work at a local haunted house for kids and purchased one of the werewolf masks and hands as seen here:

It gets hot.  Masks are unpleasant.  What's more, the kids were not impressed.  Not a bit.
If i were going to a party I'd have that mask off in about 3 minutes so I could eat and drink.  I don't do well with make-up either.  What, if anything, does this have to do with my point?
You can really do a good werewolf costume if you put in the time and/or money.  You can get appliances, masks, faux fur, gloves, get some clothes and strategically shred them and really make a good werewolf.  
Or you can go cheap.

I know, I know, you are looking at that and saying, "Oh, Rook, isn't that the sort of thing you refer to as 'douchy'?"
Normally I'd agree with you, but the point I'm making here today is that sometimes less is more.  Less is definitely more when more is not enough.  Let's say you want to make a prime werewolf costume and you do not have any sewing or costuming skills and you definitely don't have a lot of time.  Now why you wouldn't just junk the whole idea, grab a bedsheet and be a ghost, I don't know, but for the purposes of this mental exercise, you have your heart set on being a werewolf.
Your basic bog standard werewolf costume with mask, gloves, and furry chested shirt will run you about $50.  The range is between $40 and $70, really, but let's just say $50.  Oftentimes when you are looking at the online catalogs you see a number of werewolf costumes that are similar in form, a mask, some gloves, a lumberjack shirt that is torn and has fur coming out.  Those are all good options.  Those same catalogs will sell you any number of parts to complete a werewolf look.  I've cobbled together some components for you:

If we were to take all of those pieces to make a stellar werewolf costume we'd be easily into it for $150 on the low end.  Is there an upper limit really?  Time is also a factor, as well as skill.  You see the professionally done werewolf prosthetic on the top right, which has been professionally photographed and includes fangs which are not part of the prosthetic and you think that would make a great werewolf.  And you'd be right, but do you have the time, money, and skills to make your own face into that?  You are going to need more than an appliance.  You are going to need make up, false hair/wig, adhesives, fangs, and that's just for a face.  I put the faux fur beside the commercially available werewolf chest piece because I think you go one or the other really, not both.  Also I don't like the werewolf chest piece.  Looks sad.  At $10.49 a yard faux fur is not bad, but that's going to require sewing or hot glue gun skills (or safety pins if you don't expect close inspection).  How many yards would you need?  I don't know, I'm not a tailor.  Going big means going expensive, I'm afraid.

Is it any wonder people spend 8 bucks for some plastic fangs and a dribble of blood and just dress up as a vampire?

Which brings us back to go cheap.  Looking back at the "grab n go" wolfman we see a cheap product, but well suited for a specific purpose.  The purpose: last minute panic.  Friday morning get the word that a costume party is going on that night, grab n go.  Knew about a party but kept procrastinating, grab n go.  On your way to a party and just found out it's costume required?  I think you see my point.  Plus it's chinless so you can eat and drink and whatnot.
Go big.
Or
Go cheap.
But don't go mediocre.  

Keep your pumpkins lit.