Halloween is this Thursday, but if you don’t have a costume yet, there’s no need to panic. Whether you’re going to Haunted Hallway or a party, Halloween is always more fun if you dress up! You probably already have everything you need to make a great DIY costume. Here are 15 ideas if you don’t know what to dress up as.
1. Fruit
For this delicious costume, get a plain shirt or dress in the color of the fruit you want to be. Make a paper headpiece with the stem and leaves and attach it to a headband. For an apple, wear a red top and a stem with a rounded leaf. For a pineapple, yellow with spiky green leaves.
2. M&M or Skittles
Wear a plain shirt or dress and make your M or S out of white paper. Tape it on and there you go! This makes a fun group costume too.
3. Cactus
Get a plain green shirt, dress or sweater and wear brown pants or a skirt (like the desert sand). Tape on paper “spines” and hold your arms in cactus formation for funny pictures.
4. Animal (Cat, Dog, Etc.)
Use eyeliner to draw on a nose and whiskers or other facial features. Wear a plain outfit in the color of your animal (brown, black, tan, etc) and make paper ears.
5. Hogwarts Student
If you own a striped scarf in any of the Hogwarts house colors, just wear that with a black sweater or jacket. You’ll look ready to learn some magic spells, and you’ll stay warm all night long.
6. Raining Cats and Dogs
If you want a punny costume, this is a great option. Print out a bunch of pictures of cute cats and dogs and tape them onto pieces of string. Tape the strings onto the prongs of your umbrella and don your rain jacket and boots.
7. Casual Disney Princess
Even princesses need a day off from ball gowns. Dress up as them on a casual day by wearing a top in their signature color and jeans. For Rapunzel, wear a purple blouse and braid your hair. Belle can have a yellow or blue top and carry around a good book. For inspiration, look up “Disneybounding.”
8. TV or Movie Character
Many characters are easy to dress up as because they wear regular clothes that are still easily recognizable. Check out your closet or a thrift store for the staples of your favorite TV or movie star. Examples: Anyone from Bob’s Burgers, Han Solo, Veronica Mars, Alan Grant from Jurassic Park, and Kim Possible.
9. Sims Character
This is kind of cheating, because you can wear any outfit you want. Just cut out a green diamond from construction paper and tape it to a headband or hair clips. Now that you’re a Sims character, watch out for pools.
10. Marathon Runner
Gather together a tank top, shorts or jogging pants, sneakers, a fabric headband, and a medal (you can print a picture of one out).
11. Farmer
Get out your favorite flannel, comfiest jeans and some boots. Carry around a stuffed animal. Bonus points for a straw hat!
12. Conspiracy Theorist
This is another costume where you can wear whatever clothes you want. Just make yourself a tin-foil hat. If you want to go the extra mile, hand out flyers warning people about lizard men or alien abductions.
13. Favorite Book
Print out the cover of your favorite book and tape it onto a matching t-shirt. Go around saying prolific lines from the story. Example: The Great Gatsby on a royal blue t-shirt.
14. Zombie
Dig up some old clothes and rip more holes into them. If you want, get face paint and draw open wounds on your arms and face, or paint yourself grey or green. Stumble around and ask people if you can eat their brains.
15. Superhero
A low-budget superhero costume can be fun, especially compared to high-dollar cosplays. Make yourself a mask or headpiece out of construction paper and tape an insignia onto the chest of a t-shirt. Example: put a white paper A on a blue shirt and suddenly you’re Captain America!
Costumes don’t need to be expensive or well planned. With some regular clothes, construction paper and tape, anyone can make a fun DIY costume for even the most last-minute events. Have a wonderful Halloween!