18 Easy DIY Halloween Costume Ideas
Making a DIY costume doesn't have to mean spending weeks hunched over a sewing machine or blowing your budget on craft supplies. It can actually be a fun and rewarding experience, where you can save money and show off your creativity.
Whether you're a seasoned costume maker or someone who just realized Halloween is next week, the following DIY easy Halloween costumes can help you build a party-ready character in no time.
Classic DIY Halloween Costumes
These timeless Halloween characters are instantly recognizable and frighteningly easy to put together with a few items you likely already have at home (or can quickly find at a thrift store).
1. Witch
Raid your closet for all the black and striped clothing you own. Black dresses, skirts, or a pants and top combo build an excellent base. Striped socks and scarves can add flair.
If you don’t have a witch hat from years past, here’s how to craft one:
Cut a large circle and a triangle from black cardboard
Shape the triangle into a cone and secure it with tape or glue
Attach the cone to the center of the circle for your brim
Add drama with dark makeup (like smoky eyes and deep red or black lipstick), along with costume jewelry and a wooden broomstick to complete the ensemble.
2. Vampire
The vampire is a timeless costume with its elegant silhouette and dark color palette. Select formal wear in black, deep red, or burgundy to suggest old-world aristocracy.
You can also create DIY vampire fangs with a few simple steps:
Buy some white press-on nails and denture adhesive cream
Fit the nails to the width of your canine teeth
Cut the nails to a point and file them down to reduce any rough edges
Add a dab of denture adhesive cream to the back and press to your teeth for 10-15 seconds
These fangs are generally safe to wear, but take them off before you eat or sleep so you don’t accidentally swallow them.
Finally, drape yourself in a dramatic brocade coat or velvet cape to fully embody the centuries-old mystique.
3. Zombie
If you’re willing to put some holes in your clothes for this costume idea, the results will be worth it.
Start by distressing your clothes by tearing holes in the fabric and adding dirt or fake blood. Then, once you have your zombie clothes, tangle your hair and add dark makeup underneath your eyes to create a spooky, fresh-out-the-grave look.
4. Skeleton
Use all black clothing as a canvas for this bony costume. Create the bone structure across your outfit with white fabric paint or tape, or sew on white scrap fabric. Focus on the major bones, like the rib cage, spine, arm bones, and leg bones.
Finally, paint your face white with dark black accents around the eyes and mouth to complete your skeletal transformation.
5. Black Cat
Start with all black fitted clothing to create a sleek, feline foundation. Then, follow these steps:
Make ears with a black headband, cardboard, and some scrap black fabric. Simply cut the cardboard into triangles, wrap the fabric around it, then hot glue your triangles to the headband.
Create a tail from black fabric and any stuffing you can find. Sew the tail together or hot-glue it in a pinch.
Draw on whiskers and cat-eye makeup with black eyeliner.
6. Pirate
The top for this costume is a white poet shirt, partially unbuttoned and tucked halfway into dark pants. You can wear knee-high boots over your pants or hike the cuffs up to your calves to show off a pair of worn-in combat boots.
The accessories are what will truly sell your swashbuckling costume—wrap a scarf around your waist, a bandana over your head, and load up on chunky gold jewelry to suggest plundered treasures.
Pop Culture-Inspired Costumes
These costumes let you live the life of your favorite fictional character for a night while acting as a conversation starter for like-minded friends.
7. TV and Movie Character Costumes
You don’t have to create an exact replica to extract the essence of a character. Study your chosen character’s most recognizable features and focus on a few distinctive pieces.
Here are a few examples to get you started:
Wednesday Addams: Pigtail braids, a black dress, and Mary Jane shoes.
Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction: Black bob wig, white button-down shirt, black pants, and red lipstick.
The Dude from The Big Lebowski: Bathrobe, sunglasses, a white V-neck tee, pajama shorts, and bedhead.
8. Music Icon Costumes
Pick an era-defining look from your favorite artist and focus on recreating their most iconic fashion statements.
Here are some examples of iconic celebrity looks to recreate:
David Bowie’s lightning bolt makeup
Madonna’s cone bra and high ponytail
Elvis’s white, sparkly jumpsuit and pompadour
Funny and Punny Costumes
If spooky costumes and pop culture aren’t your thing, you can put together unique costumes using clever wordplay and recreations of everyday items.
9. Food and Snack-Inspired Costumes
Transform yourself into your favorite treats with creative clothing combinations:
Cereal Killer: Attach cereal boxes to a neutral black base outfit and stick plastic knives through them.
Life Gives You Lemons: Gather an all-yellow ensemble with a basket of lemons and a sign taped to your shirt reading “Life.”
Deviled Eggs: Wear a white tee shirt with a yellow circle on the front. Then, add devil horns and a pitchfork.
10. Wordplay and Punny Outfit Ideas
If you love visual puns and wordplay, try one of these DIY costumes:
Social Butterfly: Grab a pair of cheap fairy or butterfly wings and attach social media logos across the wingspan.
Identity Theft: Wear multiple “Hello My Name Is” name tags with different names on them.
11. Silly Everyday Objects Costumes
Turn mundane objects into one-of-a-kind costumes with these ideas that will make you the talk of the party:
Gumball Machine: Start with red pants or a red skirt, a black tank top, colorful pom-poms, and some grey, white, and black felt. Cut out the pieces for the metal plate from the felt, hot glue your plate together, then hot glue the pom-poms to your top. Finally, safety pin the plate to your bottoms, and you’ve transformed yourself into a walking gumball machine.
Toilet Paper: Pick up two packs of foam sheets, a black sharpie, and a large safety pin. Draw the perforation marks on the foam first to separate the “toilet paper.” Roll the foam up and safety pin it to yourself, and you’re ready to go!
Last Minute Costumes You Can Throw Together
Just remembered you have a costume party to attend tomorrow? Don’t panic! Even if the Halloween stores are emptied out, you can still make an effective costume with items you have at home.
12. Costumes With Just Makeup
There are many fun costume ideas you can create with just a bit of makeup. For example, light foundation or white face paint and black accents with dark eyeliner or lipstick can transform you into a mime.
Alternatively, with a simple red dot nose, red cheeks, and exaggerated lipstick, you can easily be a clown!
13. Closet-Friendly Costume Ideas
Turn your daily wardrobe into instantly recognizable characters with these simple combinations:
Tourist: Hawaiian shirt, camera around neck, fanny pack, sun hat, and map
Nerd: Oversized button-down shirt, high-waisted pants, and loafers
Men in Black: Suit, briefcase, cellphone, and sunglasses
Group and Couple DIY Costumes
Coordinate costumes to create impressive group photos and memories that will last for years.
14. Best Friend and Duo Costumes
Try these classic pairs to coordinate with your other half:
Peanut Butter and Jelly: One person wears brown while the other person wears purple or red.
Salt and Pepper Shakers: Wear all black and white, then create “Salt” and “Pepper” labels to attach to your clothing.
15. Family-Themed Costumes
Dress up the whole family with these group– and family-friendly costume concepts. Use these categories for inspiration:
Films: The Addams Family or The Wizard of Oz.
Foods: Breakfast, vegetables, or desserts.
Classic Stories: Alice in Wonderland or Winnie the Pooh.
16. Creative Group Costumes
If you have a larger group, consider larger-scale ideas like these:
Human chess pieces
Willy Wonka and his Oompah Loompahs
The Avengers
Kid-Friendly DIY Costumes
These children’s costume ideas are safe, easy to move in, and sure to add excitement to your little one’s candy-filled evening.
17. Cute Animal-Inspired Costumes
Animal costumes let kids embody their favorite creatures. Try these easy DIY ideas for adorable results:
Bumblebee: A yellow and black striped shirt, wings, and a black headband with pom-poms attached to springs.
Lion: Tan or brown clothing with a yarn mane hot-glued to a headband or attached to a hood.
Ladybug: Red shirt with black felt circles, wings, and antenna headband.
18. Fairytale and Storybook Characters
Classic characters can be familiar and exciting for young trick-or-treaters, while still being easy to recreate:
Little Red Riding Hood: Red cape or cardigan and a little basket in place of a traditional jack-o-lantern pail.
Three Little Pigs: All pink clothing and pig ears made with a pink headband and felted ears.
Tips for Making DIY Costumes on a Budget
Creating memorable costumes doesn't require a massive budget. If you shop smart, you can keep your wallet full and still make store-quality results. Here’s how.
Repurpose Clothes You Already Own
Your closet often already has pieces that are perfect for your costume. An old formal dress can become a zombie prom dress, while ripped jeans and a leather jacket can turn you into a rock star.
Use Thrift Store Finds
Thrift stores are a goldmine for finding vintage clothing to inspire your costume. You can even peruse the toys and electronics section for the perfect props to tie everything together.
Try Quick Hacks with Everyday Items
Raid your home for costume elements hiding in plain sight. Here are some examples of everyday items you can use to make simple do-it-yourself Halloween costumes:
Aluminum foil for alien or robot accessories
Cardboard boxes for dice, cars, TV screens, or fortune-teller booths
Safety pins to hold everything together and save you hours of sewing
Find Anything You Need to DIY Costumes at ShopGoodwill.com
Whether you need crafting supplies, unique accessories, or the final clothing item to finish your easy homemade Halloween costumes, ShopGoodwill.com brings the thrift store experience online. At our online auction store, you can find and bid on costume jewelry, props, tools, or complete used halloween costumes. Plus, every purchase goes toward job training and sustainability programs nationwide.
Find a thrifted halloween costume and give back to others, with ShopGoodwill.com.
Sources:
WikiHow. 5 Ways to Make Vampire Fangs at Home. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Vampire-Fangs
Lia Griffith. DIY Felt Cat Ears. https://liagriffith.com/diy-felt-cat-ears/
Instructables. Gumball Machine Costume. https://www.instructables.com/gumball-machine-costume/
Instructables. Toilet Paper Costume. https://www.instructables.com/toilet-paper-costume/