76 Best Halloween Costumes to Inspire Your 2024 Look
These unique ideas, inspired by pop culture moments and classic themes, will be hard to top.
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Calling all Halloween lovers! While some may say it’s still a bit early to start thinking about your Halloween costume, we’re here to say that's a lie. True Halloween fans, like us, know you have to start in the summer to find an epic look. And the first place you should start? Right here with our list of the best Halloween costumes of all time.
CHECK OUT ALL OF OUR HALLOWEEN IDEAS FOR 2024
Included here are several options that you can purchase online or try to DIY yourself if you’re more of the creative type. You may want to take inspiration from pop culture by choosing a getup inspired by your favorite television and movie characters or celebrity moments (including Heidi Klum’s iconic Halloween parties). Or you can stick to the classics by opting for scary outfits with tons of blood and gore. Regardless, we've got the best costume ideas for women, easy looks for men and totally epic ideas for families.
Keep scrolling and get ready to make this the year that you officially retire those kitten ears and hang up your vampire cape.
Laundry Machine and Dryer
Okay, how cute is this? Go solo as a laundry machine or pick a willing partner to go with you as a dryer. Once you have white-painted cardboard boxes and cut out holes for the head and arms, the creativity is all on you. Print out control panels and dials (or paint them on) and glue on a few pairs of old socks or empty boxes of dryer sheets to really sell the look.
Lipsmacker
And the most creative costume goes to ... you! Everyone loved Lip Smackers back in the day, so they'll especially love this ensemble, which is basically just a t-shirt dress (with our Lip Smacker template ironed onto it) and a matching plastic beach bucket as the "cap."
Stanley Cups
You have a Quencher in every color, so why not pick your favorite and dress up as it for Halloween? Once you have a monochromatic matching sweat suit picked out, use our Stanley template to make an iron-on patch for the front of your sweatshirt. Then it's just a matter of getting sturdy white paper plates and a white paper towel roll and gluing them together for the lid and straw. Attach the lid and straw to elastic or a headband and you're done! This idea works really well as a group costume too.
Caitlin Clark
You may not be able to sink deep three-pointers like the WNBA star, but you certainly can dress up just like her. A white plain jersey, some black varsity letters and numbers, black basketball shorts and sneakers will do the trick. If you can spin a basketball on your fingertip, even better.
Dolly Parton
Honestly, who doesn't love Dolly? To recreate her iconic look, you can either buy a platinum blonde wig or have some DIY fun constructing her golden locks using a large piece of cardboard, some yellow and brown craft paint, and an X-acto knife. Pair the hair cutout with a country-esque outfit and a toy ukulele. Jolene, you better watch out.
Scrub Daddy
Shark Tank could never. This adorable costume couldn't be easier to put together once you've secured a foam egg carton mattress topper, some cardboard, craft paint and some thick ribbon.
Instructions:
1) Begin with two large cardboard circles and paint both sides a shade darker than the foam topper.
2) Using sharp fabric scissors, cut two circles out of the foam, about two inches wider than the cardboard.
3) Trace and cut a smiley face from one of the foam circles. Attach both pieces of foam to the cardboard with hot glue.
4) Attach thick ribbon straps to both circles with duct or Gaffer's tape. Complete your look with rubber cleaning gloves.
Tennis Players
Who's up for a round of doubles? Grab your girlies for a tenniscore look to show off your love of the sport. Preppy sweaters, white sneakers, athletic skirts, visors, and tennis rackets are all you need to pull off the look. Game, set, match!
Elphaba and Glinda from 'Wicked'
You're sure to be popular this Halloween if you dress up as the most famous witches in Oz. Princess crowns, wands, and a pink dress will do for Glinda. Elphaba is also easy as long as you can use an old black dress and secure a witch hat. As for the green body paint, it's up to you whether you want to go full-on or only apply a few swipes to the cheeks and temples (like our model here!).
Michael CeraVe
This Super Bowl commercial still lives rent-free in our minds. If you're like us, stock up on CeraVe hand cream (which is really moisturizing and great, by the way) and pull out every white garment that you own.
Dunkings
A forever Super Bowl commercial classic, thanks to Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Tom Brady. Once you've downed a box of Boston Creams, use our Dunkings template to create iron-ons for your orange sweat suits. Accessorize with pink hats, shoes or gloves and grab a Dunkin' drink to really drive home the point. Dance moves definitely required.
Charcuterie Board
Cheese please! Yellow and red craft paint and Styrofoam cake rounds are necessary for creating the slices of Gouda, which you can then attach to a headband with hot glue or place on a wooden board as a prop to carry around. As for the grape headband, you'll have a bit of crafting to do once you buy purple tree ornaments and some floral wire. But don't worry, it's easy!
Instructions:
1) Cut several 12-inch lengths of floral wire. Thread an ornament onto the center of each wire and twist the ends together.
2) Gather all of the wired ornaments together and twist the wires together to create a tapered bunch of grapes. Trim any excess wire pieces. Wrap any exposed wire with floral tape.
3) Cut a grape leaf shape from green paper and attach it to the bunch with hot glue.
4) Wire two small hair combs to the bottom of the bunch to secure onto your head. You might need some extra bobby pins to secure as well.
Carmy from 'The Bear'
Yes, chef! A denim apron, an old white tee and black pants are all you really need to transform into the talented chef. You can add to the costume with a plastic container full of drinking water and a towel if you want ... or you can just yell "cousin!" at your friends all night. The choice is yours.
Deviled Egg
Everyone's favorite appetizer is on the menu this Halloween. Once securing a white egg-shaped styrofoam structure, you'll just need to cut it in half and glue on yellow rope, green pipe cleaners, and red sequins to create the yolk. Once that's dry, hot glue the egg onto a white headband and that's it!
David and Victoria Beckham
The Beckhams are back in the spotlight thanks to their adorable antics in the recent Netflix documentary series. Posh Spice is easy to execute so long as you have an LBD and oval-shaped shades. David is a piece of cake, as well — get varsity numbers and iron a "7" on any white jersey or pullover you have. Pair with white athletic shorts, knee-high socks, and sneakers. You can also opt for temporary tattoos if you want to fully commit.
Ladybug and Daddy Long Legs
Two cute bugs make for the perfect couples costume! A red poncho, red rainboots, and black felt are all you need for the ladybug body, while the antennae headband is easily created with pipe cleaners and black fuzzy balls. As for Daddy Long Legs, a black umbrella with pieces of black fuzzy rope attached to it and some googly eyes will do the trick.
Grandmillennials
Over 28? Love faded patterns, wicker furniture, heirlooms and oversized cardigans? Then you are definitely a perfect candidate for the grandmillenial trend. Don all of your favorite vintage looks with your friends for a traditional costume that's creative and definitely unique.
Barbie and Ken
After the massive success of the Barbie movie, it's a no-brainer to grab your Ken and go as the iconic duo.
RELATED: Creative and Easy Halloween Couples Costumes to DIY
Coastal Cowgirl
So long coastal grandma! Instead, opt for the beachy Western-inspired vibe of a coastal cowgirl. Any white outfit will do, so long as you pair it with a hat.
Tetris
A blast from the past that's so easy to create, it makes it hard to think of a reason not to dress up this year. Grab an all-black outfit and some Post-Its to finish the costume.
RELATED: Easy Family Halloween Costumes
Mario and Luigi
It's an easy and comfortable option for kids, but because you can buy the accessories for adults, it's a fun one for grown-ups, too.
RELATED: Best Kids' Halloween Costume Ideas
Yaa Bofah is an editorial fellow at Good Housekeeping. She is a freelance illustrator and created original cover art for The Fashion Bomb Daily’s first e-book series. She enjoys supporting philanthropic endeavors and being an advocate for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
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