Easy (and cheap) Halloween costumes, dollar store style

I'm not a huge fan of Halloween's bloody masks, plastic severed limbs or fake knives that simulate the results of having been plunged into flesh, all of which I've seen at my local dollar store.

That being said, there's no denying that it's enormous fun playing dress-up, even for adults and, if you feel the way I do, dollar stores also have a lot less gruesome options available. Please check prices and availability in your area.

Start with a hat. When I was a kid, cowboys were the heroes. Today the big thing seems to be the anti-hero, the pirate.

I was surprised to find well-made cowboy hats in adult sizes at my local dollar store, some with a sheriff''s badge and there are also a variety of pirate hats, including a bandanna style and a pirate captain hat. There were also top hats and fedoras in adult sizes for $2 each. Other hats include kid-sized fedoras, bowler and top hats for a buck each and I also saw a hat that a small Zorro could wear.