Starting at the same time as classes, fall brings so many festivities that it can be hard to keep up. While trying to grab pumpkin coffees between classes, Halloween can sneak up on you, and it’s easy to miss out due to the inconvenience of planning a costume. But with a little over a week to place orders (on anything linked throughout the article) and/or shop in-store, there are still many attainable costume options for everyone, even from a dorm or apartment.
concepts
These classic costumes will always age well and be found in Halloween stores, on top of being able to be reused in upcoming years. Whether you plan to dress up individually or in a group, you can customize them to your style and make these costumes as casual or dramatic as you’d like, and people will always know what you’re dressed as.
Angel
You can attain the angel look fast with white clothing and a halo, but you can further play around with textures like feathers, and accessories like wings and white eyeliner, to make it your own.
Similarly, you can swap out all the white aspects of the same look for black to be a dark angel.
Devil
The devil look can also be quickly accomplished, with just red clothing and horns, whether they be clips or a headband. You can make this costume your own by experimenting with makeup and finding cute pitchfork props, even just earrings.
Vampire
The vampire look is debatably the best to look back on, as it never ages. Easily accomplished with fangs and fake blood, this look can be elevated immensely with the incorporation of red and black pieces like corsets, lace, tights, and other materials.
Mummy
One costume I find underdone is a mummy. By wrapping a white/nude dress or shapewear with gauze bandage, this can be pulled together when it’s even too late for Spirit Halloween and amazon. (Pro tip: dust brown eyeshadow over the gauze to give it a more “ancient” look).
Pirate
A pirate look can be achieved by coordinating pieces that are probably already in your closet. Starting with a white draping top, specifically one with puffy shoulders, you can just add a corset over top, a bandana, eyepatch, and/or hat, and hoop earrings to transform into a pirate for the night.
Boxer
If you want to stay comfortable while cute this Halloween, this is the way to go. By placing a silk robe atop your favorite sports bra and shorts workout set, you can be a boxer, even without boxing gloves. (Pro tip: pre-wrap or regular fingerless gloves also work).
Victoria’s secret angel
Halloween is the day to prove that anyone can be a model. To pull off the Victoria’s Secret model look, pair your favorite lingerie or slip dress with the classic pink robe or wings.
Flapper
Now that we’re in the 2020s, Halloween can pay homage to all the aesthetics and culture of the roaring 20s. By finding a mini-dress with fringe or silk and adding gloves, a headpiece, and a cigarette holder, you can create a look that’s not just relevant, but peak fashion. To add your own touch, you can be creative with hairstyles and makeup.
Masquerade
If you’ve always wanted to go to a masquerade ball, now’s the time. By simply adding a masquerade mask to your favorite dress, you have the opportunity to live out a luxurious look longed for since Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl.
Characters
Solo
If you’re planning on dressing up alone but want to step away from the classic concepts, there are many iconic female characters to pay homage to this Halloween.
Elle Woods
Of course, for Elle Woods the dress code is anything pink. However, if you want to be a little more specific, you could look for a pink blazer, glasses, a big bag or briefcase, or book covers for your textbooks.
Mia Thermopolis
Mia Thermopolis from The Princess DIaries will always be an amazing reference and can be channeled easily. You can channel the movie cover look with a white minidress, gloves, tiara, and a high bun, paired with black oval sunglasses and headphones.
Jennifer’s Body
There are various outfits from Jennifer’s Body that you can replicate, but just following Megan Fox’s iconic looks (and/or adding fake blood) will express your point. If you want to go more specific, you can opt for her pink heart zip-up with jeans, a white short dress with a ribbon tied around and gloves, or a jean skirt with a blue top and white jacket.
Casey Becker
Besides the blood stain, Scream‘s Casey Becker’s tan sweater and jeans make a perfect fall outfit, so the look could probably be recreated from pieces already in your closet. If possible, adding a telephone would complete this look perfectly.
Fembot
Due to the rising popularity of the Fembot look, the dress that comprises most of the look can be found easily. Once that’s down, you just need an updo for everyone to know exactly what you’re going for.
Violet Beauregarde
If you want to stay warm this Halloween, you can channel Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from the comfort of your own sweatsuit. By pairing a blue tracksuit with purple nose makeup, this costume can be both cute and comfortable.
Max Mayfield
Another comfortable outfit that you can channel a character in is Max Mayfield’s zip-up/brown leather jacket with jeans and headphones. Especially if you have red hair, the popularity of Stranger Things this year is bound to make Max easily recognizable.
Medusa
A character so classic she almost feels like a concept is Medusa. By pairing green and gold clothing, accessories, and makeup with a snake headpiece, you can pull together a powerful look that you can customize to be as dainty or dramatic as you want.
Carrie White
If you want an excuse to repurpose a prom or homecoming dress, you can add fake blood and a tiara to channel Carrie White. Though her dress was originally long, recent adaptations show this costume can still be recognized when made your own.
Group
If you’re planning on dressing up in a group but don’t want to all portray the same concept, there are many coordinated groups that’ll allow you all to have your own contribution to the whole.
Disney princesses
With about 13 options with diversity, Disney princesses are an easy costume to coordinate and make sure everyone’s on the same level. This group costume can be pulled off with just clothing of the right colors (especially skirt sets or dresses), tiaras, and matching or black/white gloves.
Monster High
With 9+ characters all wearing trendy and distinct outfits, any friend group can replicate the monster high looks with the right attention to colors and hairstyles.
Fairies
With endless options from movies and literature, any friend group is set by just buying a pack of wings and finding cute clothing from their closets or favorite stores. Referring to Pixie Hollow, Winx, Rainbow Magic, and endless more for outfit, hair, and makeup inspiration, you’re bound to find a set of looks you can coordinate.
Euphoria
Though it’s been a while since the last season, this is the first Halloween since its release, so we’re bound to see a few interpretations. With Maddy Perez’s coordinating sets or black dress and gloves, Jules’ schoolgirl skirts and mesh, the cheerleader outfit, and many more recognizable looks, Euphoria can be pulled off by any individual or coordinating group.
Finding your Halloween look last minute doesn’t have to be scary; dressing up should be an exciting experience for you, which is why no matter what you wear, you should keep your costume true to yourself and be as extreme or casual as you’re comfortable with. Whether you choose to be a concept or a character, you can add your own flare in many ways from article/fabric choices, to accessories, to hair and makeup.