Spooky season has arrived, and with that comes the best part: Halloween. Dressing up is for more than just little kids going trick-or-treating — it’s for everyone of all ages.

Take the night to be someone or something you admire, wish to be, or just find hilarious. I’ve been planning my Halloween costume since the first day the temperature dropped below 70 degrees.

Now, with Halloween approaching in less than a week, costumes are getting their final touches ahead of the big weekend. I have chosen a costume that involved a little shopping, some DIY-ing, and a long-time childhood dream.

For Halloween this year I will be the beauty pageant queen Miss America. I first saw this idea on TikTok and immediately knew it was for me; I can’t resist a crown and sparkly dress. The first step was finding the perfect dress. I go to Windsor in the Coral Ridge Mall for all my party dresses. They have a large selection and are for the most part reasonably priced. After trying on a hefty number of options, I left with a radiant, shimmery purple dress. The backless, skintight dress is the perfect option for a Halloween costume version of a pageant gown.

After saying “yes to the dress” I headed to Amazon to purchase a fitting tiara and sash. The sash was an easy pick since I knew I wanted to DIY it. I just ordered a plain white sash; it came in a two-pack which was great because I convinced my friend to be Miss America with me. We were debating back and forth over what size of crown to buy when we saw this shiny, tall silver tiara for $15 and knew we had to have it.

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When the white sash came in, I took a trip to my favorite store: Hobby Lobby. I consulted with pictures of various Miss Americas I found online and decided to add a ribbon lining the edges of the sash.

The lacy white ribbon and thin shimmering silver ribbon will help to make the sash pop and look more realistic. I also purchased black sticker letters to spell out “USA,” letting everyone know what I am for Halloween. Though not complete yet, the sash will be the best touch on the costume.

Shoes and accessories will accentuate the look, adding a bit of sparkle. I like to choose from the collection I already have, and for this costume, I chose from my school dance collection. I paired the dress with short black heels from my senior prom, and a pair of fake diamond earrings from a homecoming. Going back even further, my rhinestone necklace is from Claire’s for my seventh-grade school formal. Keep your old jewelry; it might come in handy one day.

Miss America is a creative and easy costume for any Halloween party, but the best part is that you get to feel like a beauty queen for the night.