Dressed to Thrill

Costumes That Go From Sheet to Street

For procrastinating poltergeists, the white sheet has long served as a fallback for a Halloween costume. Cut some holes, throw it on and you're a ghost. The sheet has its advantages: No frantic trips to the party supply store. The linen closet is seconds away. And it's cheap.

But what other possibilities lurk in a length of bed linen? We asked five Washington area designers, including theater costume professionals, to meet this challenge: Using a white sheet of any size and up to $25 in accessory materials, create a costume that could be made by Weekend readers before the witching hour begins Monday. Here are their colorful -- and creepy -- creations. - Mary K. Feeney