129 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes You Can Make
You'd be surprised what scary, trendy and funny looks you can make with things you already own.
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These days, you can get anything, including one heck of a Halloween costume (accessories and all) ordered in a flash and delivered to your door in sometimes less than 24 hours. And while that's great if you've thought to plan ahead or want to go with a very popular Halloween getup, when it comes to showcasing your creativity, homemade Halloween costumes are the way to go. And the best part is, all of them are easy enough to work as last-minute costumes, so you don't have to skip any Halloween fun just because you haven't bought a costume.
Before you think you're not crafty enough to handle these clever ideas, let us tell you, you'll be surprised at what you can create with some tape, construction paper and other miscellaneous items lying around your house.
CHECK OUT ALL OF OUR BEST HALLOWEEN IDEAS
With over 100 DIY ideas, we have plenty of awesome costumes for women, cool looks for guys and even some kid-friendly options. And they run the gamut, from the hilarious to the scary to the trendy to the super-niche.
Scrub Daddy
You're definitely getting the Cutest Costume award at your Halloween party this year. Luckily, this friendly sponge 'fit is super easy to make once you secure an egg crate foam mattress topper. Begin with two large cardboard circles and paint both sides a shade darker than the foam topper. Using sharp fabric scissors, cut two circles out of the foam (about two inches wider than the cardboard). Then, trace and cut a smiley face from one of the foam circles. Attach both pieces of foam to the cardboard with hot glue. Lastly, make thick ribbon straps on both circles with duct tape. Complete your look with rubber cleaning gloves!
Dunkings
Go solo as Dunking leader Ben Affleck or grab your closest buddies to act as Tom Brady and Matt Damon and recreate the iconic Super Bowl commercial. All you need are orange sweatsuits, our Dunkings logo for iron-on patches and pink accessories galore. Oh, and you might want to pick up a box of Dunkin' Boston creams for moral support, of course.
Stanley Cup
If you're *that* friend constantly reminding your besties to stay hydrated (keep up the good work!), this is the costume for you. Find a monochromatic sweatshirt and sweatpants set in a color that you love, use our Stanley logo to print out an iron-on patch for the sweatshirt, and make the straw and lid by gluing together a sturdy white plastic plate and a white paper towel roll.
David and Victoria Beckham
The Beckhams are back! If you're looking for an easy couples costume, this is a good choice — white athletic gear for David and a sleek back dress and oval sunglasses for Posh Spice. Get an iron-on "7" for David's jersey and athletic shorts to really sell it (and really, really sell it with some temporary tattoos).
Lip Smacker
Were you just hit with a wave of nostalgia? We thought so. Turn into your favorite flavor of Lip Smackers in just a few steps. Secure a bright-colored plain nightgown or t-shirt dress, use our Lip Smackers template to create an iron-on patch for the front of your dress and buy a matching plastic beach helmet for the cap. That's it!
Daddy Long Legs
Go as the friendliest spider around using nothing more than whatever black clothing you already own, a black umbrella and a few crafting materials — large googly eyes and long black rope or pipe cleaner will do the trick for the spider legs!
Tennis Pro
Put all the athletic clothing you own on at the same time and what do you get? A tennis player, of course! To best pull off the look, throw on an athletic skirt, a visor, a pullover or sweater with a collar and white sneakers. If you really want to sell the look, also make sure to pull out a tennis racket and balls to carry around.
Dolly Parton
Everybody loves Dolly! Recreate the iconic singer's look with your best country clothes (blue jeans, flannel shirts, or plaid tops will do!) and make her larger-than-life hair using an X-acto knife on cardboard to create a cute cutout. Make her golden strands with gold and brown craft paint, and you're ready to belt out "Jolene." Talk about a great photo opp!
Washer and Dryer
If only doing laundry was always this fun and adorable. Simply find a square cardboard box, dig up an empty box of dryer sheets, some dryer balls, and an old dish rag or two, and follow the DIY costume instructions below:
1) Start with a large square cardboard box, roughly 20 x 20 inches. Fold a top flap in half to create the control panel, and secure with hot glue.
2) Cut neck and arm holes with a box cutter or X-acto knife. Paint the box white and let dry.
3) Add bottle caps and lids for buttons and knobs with hot glue. You can also print out images of control panel elements or draw by hand. For the dryer, cut a square of painted cardboard and attach to make a door. For the washer, use a clear takeout container lid and some fabric scraps glued onto the front of the box.
4) Accessorize your look with detergent bottles, dryer sheets, and extra laundry!
Caitlin Clark
Caitlin might be a WNBA superstar now, but her Iowa basketball legacy will live on forever. With a plain white jersey, iron-on letters and numbers and basketball shorts, you can pay tribute to the beloved athlete come Halloween night.
Carmy from 'The Bear'
Okay, we could all do without the yelling and calling everyone in sight "cousin," but turning into the talented head chef for the spooky holiday is definitely a popular choice. Any white tee and pants will do for the base of the costume. All you really need is a denim apron and perhaps a plastic container and dish towel for emphasis.
Elphaba from 'Wicked'
You're the witch Oz has been waiting for! Elphaba is bound to be a popular choice this year (with the Wicked movie coming out in November), but there are plenty of ways to make the costume your own. After throwing on a black dress and getting a witch hat, you can either go all-in on the green body makeup or apply it to your cheekbones and temples only for a unique look (like we did here). Get ready to defy gravity!
Glinda from 'Wicked'
There's no Elphaba without Glinda, of course. After securing a sparkly princess accessories kit, throw on any bubble gum pink dress you can find and get your vocals ready to belt out "Popular" all night long.
Deviled Egg
If you're all about one-of-a-kind costumes, this potluck classic is calling your name. Any blue jeans and white or yellow-striped shirt will do. As for the headband, you'll just need to cut in half a white foam egg. The yolk is achieved by wrapping yellow rope into a circle and gluing it to the center of the egg, while the chives are made from cut green pipe cleaner and the smoked paprika is just a few red sequins glued on top of the rope. Attach your structure via more glue to a headband, let it dry and you're all set.
Ladybug
This costume is not only adorable, but it's practical too. A red poncho (with circular black felt adhesives for the spots) can protect you from rainy weather while trick-or-treating and can fit over any heavy sweaters or coats beneath. As for the antennae, you just need some black pipe cleaners and black pom pom balls glued together and secured to a black headband. So easy!
Michael CeraVe
You are literally one trip to the closet away from this clever take on the most beloved Super Bowl commercial of the year. Become one with Michael Cera(ve) by wearing whatever white you own and walking around with a tub of CeraVe moisturizing cream all night long. Yes, that's really it — the folks that get it, get it.
Charcuterie Board
An ode to the greatest hor d'oeuvre of all time. Yellow and red craft paint and Styrofoam cake rounds are essential for creating Gouda, which are then attached to a headband with hot glue or placed on a wooden cutting board as a prop.
For the grape headband, you'll want to grab some purple holiday ornaments and follow these 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.
Grandmillennials
If you're older than 28 and enjoy wicker furniture, congratulations! You're likely a grandmillennial! Why not embrace it for Halloween by throwing on your favorite vintage clothes and patterns. You may need to explain your costume to some, but the Gen Z kids? They'll totally get it.
Nepo Baby Costume
All this nepo baby costume requires is a plain white shirt (one that reads Nepo Baby, maybe?), jeans and a trophy. It's cute, simple and gets the point across.
Ash Ketchum Costume
Your little one will catch all the Pokémon with this Ash Ketchum costume. Find a red trucker hat, a blue vest and a pair of lime green gloves (cut the fingers off to really fit the look!). Then, DIY a Pokéball from a baseball, and purchase a Pikachu plush.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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