Wearing your garb for Halloween: practicality or cheating?
Depends, as you say, on whether there's already a costume planned or if I'm pulling something out of my closet at the last minute. At least I know I always have garb as a fallback, but it's never my first choice. It does feel like cheating. Though once I made a garb costume for a masked ball... that was weird. It was a full-length t-tunic style gown, but I cut it so the top was blue and the bottom black, the waistline slightly off-center and a black yoke. If that doesn't tip it off, it was a Star Trek TNG "dress uniform". I was our local MoAS at the time, so Science Officer seemed most appropriate.

Surprisingly, only a few people got it, but those who did thought it was fantastic. I would have thought more of us geeks would cross-geek, but I guess they didn't, or else they just didn't connect the dots. *shrugs* I had fun with it, anyway.

I usually do the "dig through my closet" bit :( I'm so freakin' lazy when it comes to "every cosplayer's favorite holiday" for some reason...probably because there's nobody to show off in front of!

If I'm reduced to using garb, I try to put a spin on it. For example, a few years ago I wore my spiffiest renfaire garb with the tackiest jewelry I could find, floured my hair gray, put on a witch's hat & carried a wand. When asked, I announced I was Professor McGonagal on a hot date with Gilderoy Lockhart.

Cheating! That's just because I adore Halloween and usually volunteer at charity spookhouse each year. Check us out if you like www.scareforacure.org. My period community theater group is doing a 'Halloween' show this year as well, www.thebaronsmen.com. Most favorite time of the year for me!