With Halloween just around the corner, most people already have their costumes ready to go; however, if you’re still scrambling for ideas, don’t panic, you can still pull together something fun and recognizable with items you already have. Here are 15 last-minute Halloween costumes that require little effort and almost no spending.
Solo Costumes
A Mime: Mimes are a timeless classic that’s equal parts eerie and cute. Start with a black and white striped shirt, black pants or skirt and white face paint for the signature mime look. Add gloves, a beret or suspenders if you want to go all out.
Mia Thermopolis (from The Princess Diaries): You can channel your inner 2000s princess with Mia’s iconic movie poster look: a white dress, chunky headphones, sunglasses and a tiara. If you want a “before the makeover” twist, wear a school uniform-style outfit and brush for her famously frizzy hair.
A Bug: This costume is definitely the most whimsical of them all. You could be a ladybug, a bee, a butterfly or even the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Each of these just needs a base outfit in your bug of choice’s colors. Add DIY wings made from wire hangers and pantyhose or create spots and stripes with felt and fabric paint. It’s the perfect mix of crafty and colorful.
Pearl (from Pearl): This costume is equal parts glamorous and chilling. Wear a red dress, braid your hair, add a white bow and grab a (fake) axe of pitchfork. Add a touch of fake blood or smear some red lipstick to match Pearl’s eerie, unhinged vibe.
Goob (from Meet the Robinsons): Thanks to TikTok, Goob is more relevant than ever. His disheveled baseball uniform (or just white clothes with a cap) and dark under-eye bags make for a perfect last-minute costume. For bonus points, carry a baseball glove or reference his iconic line, “If I hadn’t fallen asleep…” for instant recognition.
Duo/Couples Costumes
Coraline and Wybie (from Coraline): This pair is both creepy and cute and works for both friends and couples. Coraline’s yellow raincoat and boots are instantly recognizable, or you can try her starry sweater and jeans combo. Wybie’s look is just as easy: a long black jacket, jeans and skeleton-print gloves.
Jim and Pam (from The Office): Jim and Pam are the perfect iconic couples costume. For Pam, you can wear her season two Halloween costume, which is a plain black outfit paired with cat ears and whiskers. For Jim, you can match with his season two Halloween costume, “Three-Hole-Punch Jim”: his everyday button-up shirt and slacks with three black circles taped on to look like a piece of paper.
Mario and Luigi (from The Super Mario Bros.): This costume is a timeless crowd-pleaser. Wear red and green shirts, denim overalls (or jeans) and matching hats. Add white gloves or draw on mustaches for a finishing touch.
Mr. Fox and Mrs. Fox (from Fantastic Mr. Fox): Whimsical, yet sophisticated, these costumes are great for film lovers. Mr. Fox wears a white shirt, tie and brown pants. Mrs. Fox’s signature look is a yellow dress with red polka dots, but any yellow dress will do. Add fox ears and paint on a little nose for the perfect final touch.
Art and Patrick (from Challengers): This is perfect if you want a more casual or comfy costume. For Art: wear a red hat, a white long sleeve with a red shirt on top and black shorts. For Patrick: wear the signature “I Told Ya” shirt, which can be done with just a grey shirt and black marker, and black shorts. Carry a tennis racket or ball to complete the look.
Group Costumes
Monster High: This costume is ideal for groups of any size. Choose your favorite character— Draculaura, Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf, Cleo De Nile, Lagoona Blue, Ghoulia or any other of the various characters. Each has a distinct color scheme (think pink and black for Draculaura or teal and silver for Frankie). Accessorize with hair chalk, ears, jewelry, hair clips or any other accessories for the complete look.
Scooby-Doo Gang: This is a group costume that never goes out of style. For Fred: blue pants, white shirt, red scarf. For Daphne: purple dress and green scarf. For Velma: orange sweater, red skirt, glasses. For Shaggy: green shirt, brown pants. And of course, Scooby can be any dog (or friend in brown clothes with a blue collar).
Mean Girls: Whether you’re The Plastics or the whole North Shore crew, these costumes are always iconic. Go all pink or recreate the talent show’s Santa dance look. Make Regina’s “A little bit dramatic” shirt or wear Damian’s “She doesn’t even go here” blue hoodie and sunglasses combo for fun and easy variations.
Strawberry Shortcake & Friends: These costumes are sweet, colorful and nostalgic. Each fruit-inspired friend can dress in outfits matching their character’s color palette: pink and green for Strawberry, blue and purple for Blueberry Muffin, yellow and orange for Orange Blossom, just to name a few. Add berets or felt fruit accessories for a cute finishing touch.
Minions: Simple, silly and perfect for a group of any size. All you need are yellow shirts, overalls or jeans and goggles (which can be made with jar lids and elastic). Carry bananas, speak gibberish and you’re ready to go with this minimal effort costume.
You don’t need a pricey costume or weeks of planning to look amazing on Halloween. With a little creativity, crafting and a few closet staples, you can transform into something spooky, funny or nostalgic in minutes. Whether you go solo, as a duo or in a group, these easy ideas guarantee a memorable Halloween experience.
