The Ultimate Guide to the Best Last Minute Halloween Costumes
Last minute Halloween costumes are easier than you think to throw together.
Halloween is creeping up faster than a ghost on a broomstick, and if you’re still staring at your closet wondering how to pull together a costume, don’t panic!
We’ve all been there, scrambling to create something fun, fabulous, and fast.
Whether you want something spooky, funny, or just clever, these last-minute Halloween costume ideas will have you looking like you planned your outfit for months (without the stress!).
Let’s dive into some quick, easy, and totally awesome costume ideas!
From cat burglar to breadwinner, these costumes are perfect for those who procrastinate or don’t want to spend too much time and money.
Last Minute Halloween Costumes – Quick and Easy Costume Ideas
Need a last-minute Halloween costume? Look no further! We’ve got simple and creative ideas using items you already have in your closet or around the house.
Pop Culture & Celebrity-Inspired
1. Taylor Swift (any era) –
Red lipstick, sparkly outfit, and a mic. Or you could channel her Life of a Showgirl motif like I did this year!
2. Barbie –
All pink everything. Bonus points for heart sunglasses.
3. Wednesday Addams –
Black dress, white collar, braided hair.
4. Danny or Sandy from Grease –
Leather jacket or black off-shoulder top + red lips.
5. Cowboy Carter (Beyoncé-inspired) –
Denim, cowboy hat, and bold eyeliner.
6. Tourist –
Loud shirt, camera, fanny pack, and flip-flops.
7. Rosie the Riveter –
Denim shirt, red bandana, red lipstick.
8. Britney Spears (Oops!… I Did It Again) –
Red top and slick ponytail.
Classic but Chic
9. Cat –
Black outfit, eyeliner whiskers, cat ears.
10. Witch –
Black dress, hat, broom (or mop).
11. Vampire –
Red lipstick, dark clothes, a little fake blood.
12. Ghost –
Classic sheet with cut-out eyes (retro and trending again).
13. Skeleton –
Black clothes + white eyeliner bones on your face.
14. Angel or Devil –
White or red outfit, halo or horns.
15. Pumpkin –
Orange shirt, green hat or headband.
Funny & Easy
16. Filter, No Filter
Crazy easy to do with your boyfriend or husband. You only need a wig and a poster board withthe words, “Filter” and “No Filter.” A nod to how the optics on our phones and socials can make us all look better than reality.
17.Error 404 Costume Not Found –
Write it on a white tee.
18. The Brawny Guy
When it comes to TV- consider your favorite commercial characters. Grab a plaid shirt from your closet and a roll of paper towels and tell everyone you decided to become The Brawny Man
18. Cereal Killer –
Tape mini cereal boxes to your shirt and add fake blood.
19. Fire and Smores
Who doesn’t have a plethera of Amazon boxes that you could use to make Smores and a fake fire? Put those boxes to use!
20. Ceiling Fan –
Shirt that says “Go Ceilings!” with pom-poms.
21. Smarty Pants –
Tape Smarties candies to your jeans.
22. Black-eyed P
They don’t make them any easier! Write a “P” on a white t-shirt and color the area around on eye black! Done and done.
22. Identity Thief –
Stick random name tags all over yourself.
23. Sunburned Tourist
Put on a hat, a big printed shirt, white socks with flip flops and sunblock on your nose and you’re now a couple of tacky tourists. Bonus points if you put blush all over your face to make yourself look sunburned.
Simple & Minimalist Costumes
23. French Girl –
Striped shirt, beret, red lipstick.
24. Ballerina –
Leggings, bun, and a flowy top or tutu.
25. Frida-
Put some fake roses in your hair, wear a black dress, red lipstick and make a uni-brow with a brow pencil and you’ve transformed into Frida
26. ’90s Throwback –
Mom jeans, scrunchie, and bright windbreaker.
27. Movie Star –
Sunglasses, trench coat, coffee cup, mysterious attitude.
28. Showgirl Glam –
Sparkly dress, feathered accessories, bold makeup.
29. Sun and Moon
Grab a yellow shirt or a silver one. Hot glue a cardboard cut-out moon shape and sun rays to a store-bought head-band and you’re good to go!
Simple Costumes
- Wear a black dress with a white collared shirt, black tights, black shoes, and hair in braids to become Wednesday Addams.
- Put on a plaid button-down shirt, jeans, construction boots, and work gloves to become Chip from Fixer Upper.
- Wear a thick headband, gold ruffled collared shirt, colorful jacket, tweed skirt, white tights, and bright heels to become Blair Waldorf.
Source: Fridaywereinlove
DIY Costumes
- Create a “googly goggles” costume by sticking on big googly eyes or a bunch of little ones to a pair of safety goggles (difficulty 1/5).
- Make a “trash tutu” by cutting a plastic bag into strips and attaching them to a band of elastic that fits comfortably around your waist (difficulty 2/5).
- Use cardboard to make a customized “cardboard costume” and become almost anything, such as a skateboarder or a secret agent or make cardboard headbands and become the sun and moon – add glitter! (difficulty 2/5).
- Use posterboard to make a last minute costume party outfit – smores and a fire
- Make signs that say “filter” and “no filter” and throw a wig on your boyfriend for a funny take on Instagram filters
- DIY aviator googles out of mason jar lids and ribbon. Throw on a scarf and you’ve made your own Amelia Earhart costume.
Pop Culture Inspired Costumes
- From movie and TV icons to music inspired costumes, we’ve got a range of costume ideas to suit your style.
Source: herlistically
Source: reneeariel
Movie and TV Icons
- Put on a blue or dark dress, blazer, tights, kitten heels, scarf, and pilot hat to become a Flight Attendant.
- Throw on a black dress and add braids to your hair and you’ve made your own Wednesday Addams costumes.
- Wear a red scarf for your hair, blue dress, or button down with jeans and a pop of red lipstick to become Rosie the Riveter.
- Get brightly colored dresses (you likely have something that will work in your closet) and dress as Thelma and Daphne from Scooby Doo!
Music Inspired Costumes
- Wear a disco style dress or pants, tight shirt, pigtails or high buns, 90’s lipstick, platform shoes, and carry spices in a bag to become the Spice Girls.
- Wear black leather pants/leggings, black graphic shirt, black boots, chain jewelry/necklace, fake tattoos, and head scarf to become Joan Jett.
Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas for Couples
- Figuring out Duo Halloween costumes is so much more fun than dressing up solo. Grab your bestie or significant other and get creative.
- Perfect for couples who want to dress up together, these costume ideas are easy to create and require minimal effort.
Movie and TV Inspired
- Wear a black leather jacket and become Danny Zuko or any nameless greaser.
- Wear a black coat over a long blue skirt with a white shirt, a hat with flowers, and a red scarf. Aim the umbrella to the sky and you’ve just made your own Mary Poppins costume.
Source: craftjam.co
Source: mommareview
Group Costume Ideas
- Throw on a yellow dress and make a pointy hat out of paper – to become a pencil. Add a pink outfit and a white one with lines drawn across it with a Sharpie to include the erase and paper.
- Wear high black boots, a black jean skirt, fishnet stockings, green sports bra with a small black jacket to become Powerpuff Girls – this makes for great Trio Halloween costumes.
- Put on a pink dress, red knee socks, red baseball cap, black flats, and carry a bat to become a character from A League of Their Own.
- Blow up different colored balloons and each person in the group can dress as a different type of fruit. Perfect idea for Family Halloween costumes.
Source: posted to Pinterest
Halloween Costume Ideas for Kids
- Perfect for kids, these costume ideas are easy to create and require minimal effort.
Animal Costumes
- Wear a headband with cat ears, a thrift store dress-up cat’s tail, and warm black clothes to become a cat.
- Put on a pair of overalls with fall-themed fabric squares and hot glue, and a burlap hat with patches and hay to become a scarecrow.
- Make a pair of rat ears out of a headband and construction paper. Grab a friend who throws on an apron and you’re now dressed as Ratatouille.
Pregnancy Costume Ideas
- Perfect for pregnant women, these costume ideas are easy to create and require minimal effort.
Funny and Quirky
- Wear a silly way to announce being pregnant, such as a sign that says “Eeny Meeny Miny Mo”.
- Put on a disco ball belly by cutting up shiny silver duct tape and piecing together 70’s style clothing.
Source: hellaleah
Easy and Simple Costumes
If you’re short on time or don’t want to spend a lot of effort on a costume, don’t worry! Here are some easy and simple costume ideas that can be thrown together in no time:
Ghost:
All you need is a white sheet or a white t-shirt and some scissors to cut out eye holes. You can also add some black paint or markers to create a spooky face.
Mummy:
Wrap yourself in toilet paper or gauze to create a simple mummy costume. You can also use a white sheet or a white t-shirt and wrap it around your body.
Vampire:
Put on some fake fangs, a white shirt, and some black pants or a black dress. You can also add some fake blood to create a spooky effect.
Zombie:
Rip up some old clothes and add some fake blood to create a zombie costume. You can also use some makeup to create a spooky face.
Pirate:
Put on an eye patch, a bandana, and some pirate-themed accessories like a hook or a sword. You can also wear some black pants and a white shirt.
Witch:
Put on a black dress and a pointy hat. You can also add some fake warts and a broom to create a spooky effect.
Superhero:
Wear a colorful costume and add some superhero-themed accessories like a cape or a mask. You can also create your own superhero logo and attach it to your shirt.
ET and Elliot:
Put on a red hoodie and print out a picture of ET. Cover the paper in a blanket and put ET in a basket that you hold in front of you.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Remember, the key to a great costume is to have fun and be creative! Happy Halloween!
Source: cvazzana
Source: sewhungryhippie
Costume Ideas for a Last Minute Halloween Party
- Perfect for a last-minute Halloween party, these costume ideas are easy to create and require minimal effort.
Food-Inspired Costumes
- Wear a big yellow dot on any white t-shirt to become an egg costume. Bonus points if you wear devil horns as you’ve now become a “deviled egg.”
- Put on a loaf of bread (even a slice will do) and any old medal to become a breadwinner costume.
Pun-Based Costumes
- Consider a fun pun-based costume like a curiosity killed the cat t-shirt or a party animal.
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Conclusion
And there you have it- easy, and fun Halloween costumes that’ll save you from the last-minute costume crunch!
No need to stress or spend hours crafting the perfect look when you can whip up something creative and still rock the night.
Whether you go for a classic or quirky remember: Halloween is all about having fun and embracing your inner ghoul or superhero.
Now go ahead, get into character, and have a great time! While you’re here, check out my other posts on Halloween Ideas and costumes!
Halloween blog posts
Last-minute Halloween costumes
Alvin and the Chipmunks costumes
Saja Boys Costumes from KPop Demon Hunters
Hi I’m Erica! TV news anchor and mom to 4 littles. I’m obsessed with creating those “wow” moments in life through crafting at home, cool travel adventures and special celebrations with loved ones. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!
