Thinking Outside the Box for Autumn Customizations

     Thankfully, there are more customization options in Neopia than there are grains of candy corn, which means there’s something out there for everyone, no matter the budget. Today, we’re breaking down some of the best ways to dress for the season—without breaking the bank! Forget boring basics like Autumn Shrubbery or Beautiful Autumn Leaves Foreground. Here are four different approaches to finding your affordable seasonal style!

     1. Autumnal Accessories

     Accessories are a cost-effective way to add layers to a simple outfit and really make it shine. The key here is thinking outside the box: rather than searching for keywords like “autumn” or “fall,” search by colour scheme or browse with a specific style in mind. Cozy styles are always appropriate. Brown Winter Scarf might claim to be for winter, but pair it with a Brown Newsboy Hat and a Brown Toadstool and you’ve got a stunning monochromatic look.

     If matching sets are more to your taste, you can’t go wrong with the classic Woollen Cap and Woollen Scarf. For the Neopet who favours a chicer take on the season, layer a Gold Neck Wrap over a Flaming Yooyu Hi-Lo Dress or a Clockwork Dress for a pop of gold. The options are limitless! And of course, no autumn lover would be complete without their latte, so throw in a Bottomless Coffee Mug to round out the look.

     2. Go Pumpkin or Go Home

     Autumn brings with it the month of Gathering, and everyone who’s gathering is gathering pumpkins! Here we have a couple of different options to start things off: Inside a Jack-o-Lantern Background and Nightfall Background, both make for affordable pumpkin-themed backdrops. Throw in a Scary Evil Pumpkin Scarecrow to bring the pumpkin patch home. If that’s a little too spooky for your tastes, Jack-O-Lantern Pail makes a great handheld accessory for those nervous Neopets who need something to do with their hands (or paws, claws, etc.). You can’t go wrong with a Pumpkin Lid Hat to top off the look, but if you really want to commit to the bit, the Jack-O-Lantern Mask is great. I recommend trying it on Jubjubs, as it covers the whole body for an impressively pumpkin-y look.

     3. Location, Location, Location

     Your background can make or break your outfit. If you’re not dressed sensibly for your location, then your outfit simply isn’t going to work. Autumn Country Road Background is a seasonal classic; you can’t go wrong here, but you can get more creative.

     We’ve all gotten lost in our share of corn mazes, so pay homage to the maize maze with the Corn Field Background. Throw on some Gardening Overalls or a Tattered Jumpsuit to ensure you’re geared up for an adventure, and protect your Neopet’s head from the sun—which will inevitably beat down on them for hours when they get lost in the crops—with a Daring Adventurer Hat or an Apple Bobbing Bart Hat.

     Crumbling Ancient Castle Background has all the right tones with just a hint of eerie atmosphere. Embrace the drama of a ruler whose kingdom has fallen like the leaves from the trees with a Regal Warrior Dress, a Crown of Light and Shadow, and some Black Eye Shadow.

     Cornucopia Background offers a lovely background for your fruit- and vegetable- Neopets. This naturally pairs very well with a Cornucopia Foreground, but you can also change up the look by using a Basket of Vegetables for your foreground instead and throwing in some harvest-themed accessories like an Asparagus Scarf, Fingerless Asparagus Gloves, and maybe even a Handful of Asparagus.

     You can even embrace the haunted carnival aesthetic with Robot Chia Clown Carnival Stage Background. Pinstripes scream carnival, so don a Red Striped Vest to ensure you look the part. Accessorize with an Elegant Gear Top Hat and an Apple Bobbing Cane. Add a Slothy Smile for a sinister touch.

     4. Scary Good Taste

     Last but definitely not least, for the bolder Neopians, don a themed costume to scare your way through the season. Go ghostly with a combination of a Ghostly Gift, a Ghostly Torch, and a Spooky Forest Path Background.

     Got a bone to pick with ghosts? Opt for the bare bones instead. Unfortunately, there are no universal skeleton pieces on the market, but Tyrannian Necklace of Bones offers an ominous way to accessorize this particular look. Alternatively, pair your Neopet with a budget-friendly classic: the Bone Vault Background, and throw in a Pile of Bones for good measure. Spooky Skull Mask is also a fun option if those who don’t mind unusual colours—it looks especially striking on Glowing Neopets.

     If neither of those options speak to you, a witchy look is always a classic. Pair a Bewitching Sorcerers Bonnet with Edna’s Shadow Background or Sophies Hut Background. For accessories, the Magic Sparkle Wand, Magic Ball Table, and a Cloud of Dark Magic Foreground all make for interesting options—either together or separately. And you’ve got a couple of options brewing when it comes to cauldrons: the Full Cauldron and the Morguss Green Smokey Cauldron, so take your time and choose the cauldron that’s better suited to your tastes.

     Last but not least, for the especially lazy Neopian, you can always throw on a premade costume like Giant Moach Costume (for size comparison, throw in a Smug Bug Net Trap), an Esophagor Mask (pair it with a Haunted Wood Foreground), a Mutant Tenna Mask (a Slorg Slime Trail Foreground and a Toxic Waste Barrel both make for fun additions here), or a Scary Teeth Mask if you just want to be plain ol’ scary.

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     In short, the season is whatever you make it. Remember to think outside the box—it’s not all pumpkin patches and dead leaves. And, as always, keep an eye on the NC mall for new seasonal items to complete the look!