25 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes You Can Make Last Minute

Are you ready for Halloween yet? Don't worry if you're not -there's still plenty of time left to get ready. Even if you put things off as long as possible though, you can still create a great DIY Halloween costume in no time. Here are a few ideas in case you have to make your own Halloween costume last minute.

Silent Movie Stars

Here's an easy one for men or women. All you need is a black and white suit or dress (if it's 1920's style all the better), some gray cream makeup and some black eyeliner and black eye shadow to add some accents. To really sell the concept, it helps to bring along a title card too like this couple from Shrimp Salad Circus did.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Just about every gal has a sleeveless black dress. Add a tiara, some long black gloves, a chunky necklace, a tiara and a long cigarette holder (available at most costume stores) and you have a Holly Golightly costume. Of course, you need to have some serious hair styling skills to pull this one off as well as Redditor CampingIsIntense.

Frida

         

You may not be able to paint like her, but you can easily look like Frida with only minimal effort. Just grab a peasant blouse, put your hair up with a few flowers and then draw in a bit of a unibrow. Megan Rose shows how simple it is.

Van Gogh

For red-headed male fans of art, you can always go as Vincent Van Gogh. Paint a few thick, impressionist brush strokes on a jacket, sport a collarless button up shirt and then apply a some broad streaks of makeup along your neck and face to complete the look. This cool costume was created by a friend of Redditor josh1510.

Pinata

If you don't have any time to get tulle, but have crepe or tissue paper available, then consider making a pinata costume. Glue strips of the paper to a body suit and trim to make frills. For more detailed instructions, don't miss this post by Camille Styles.

Rosie the Rivetter

All you need to create your own Rosie the Rivetter costume is a bandana, a blue work shirt and brown hair. Of course, you need to be ready to flex all night like Felicity DeCarle is in this picture.

Fortune Teller

Have some scarves, jewelry, a peasant blouse and a long skirt? Then all you need to be a fortune teller is a glass "crystal" ball. As Audrey Zolenski shows us, throwing a pet snake into the mix only help sell the look.

Esmeralda

For the youngsters who want to be a gypsy, this Hunchback of Notre Dame costume is super easy as This Mama Makes Stuff shows. A peasant blouse, a purple skirt, a big necklace and a pink and blue scarf are all you need to make this Disney creation complete.

Olaf

Frozen is one of the most popular Disney films ever and your little one can be Olaf with little more than a white hoodie. Desert Chica has the details to  put this one together for yourself.

Velma & Shaggy

Dressing as Daphne or Fred isn't quite as easy as going as Velma and Shaggy since Daphne's signature dress and Fred's collared shirt and cravat aren't readily available. But for Velma all you need is an orange turtleneck, a red skirt (pleated is best), glasses and orange knee high socks. Shaggy's even easier since you just need brown bell bottoms and a green tee, but you'd better carry a Scooby Doo or hang out with Velma or people probably won't get your costume. Shelby Hunt proves that even a tiny Scooby will do.

Charlie Brown

Have a bald little baby? Then grab a yellow tee shirt, glue on some black fabric cut into his iconic chevron pattern and then draw on a Charlie Brown curl with an eyeliner pencil. Working Mom Goes Green has the details to make your own.

Clark Kent

This costume that Ashlee shared with Costume Works shows how easy it is to make a Clark Kent costume. A suit, a superman tee and some thick glasses are all you need to get this look and it totally works for boys of all ages.

Wednesday Adams

Head to the thrift store and look for a black, long-sleeved dress and add a white Peter Pan collar. Braid two pigtails and you too can look like the princess of goth, just like Instagram widdlegiant.

Mummy

This is a classic costume that's as easy to put together as it is to spruce up. All you need are a few roles of gauze to wrap over your tank top and some tight shorts and maybe some coffee to stain the gauze so it looks old. Best of all, you can make it simple like little Gia or gory like Ryan H and friend. Blood, rotting flesh, dirt and more can help sell the idea that you're a real embalmed corpse.

Ghost

Here's another super easy classic. This one's so cliche and so easy that you actually don't actually even see it too often. Just cut a few eye holes in a plain white sheet and you have a ghost costume ready to go -though I doubt you'll ever look as good in the costume as the dog in this picture by Redditor harryface.

Hulk Hogan

Long blonde hair is a great start for any Hulk Hogan costume. All you need after that is a red bandana, blond fake mustache, a feather boa and a fake championship belt -though it will be hard to do this costume better than Julie here.

Loofa

You probably don't have a bunch of tulle lying around your house, but you can easily buy some at any fabric store. Glue it or sew it to a strapless dress or shorts and a strapless top, then add a hanging rope loop around your waist and you, my friend, are suddenly a loofa. As Janessa Brown and friends demonstrate, adding a rubber ducky headband and using an empty soap bottle as your party cup can really help add to the look.

Solar System

This cute costume could be used by anyone, but it's particularly wonderful for someone who's pregnant. Just make a few planets from foam balls, attach them to the sleeves of your sweatshirt and then put a sun on the shirt's belly. You can even make this a couple's costume like Suzy and her husband did here by having the other person dress up as Galileo.

Scarecrow

Got overalls and a plaid shirt? Then you're halfway to having a scarecrow costume. Find a floppy hat or sew a few pieces of fabric into a patchwork hat, then stuff some straw in your sleeve openings and under your overalls. Finally, add a little scarecrow makeup and you're done.

Chanler's scarecrow outfit was made by his mom, Megan, who also added a few patches on the overalls to help sell the whole look.

Waldo

One of the easiest, but also most common, last minute Halloween costumes is the classic Waldo (or Wenda for girls). All you need are a red-and-white striped shirt, a matching beanie and some glasses.  For Waldo, jeans, a camera and a cane should all be included and for Wenda, be sure to grab a jean skirt and some red-and-white striped socks or tights. Donna Marie and friends show how easy and fun this costume is. Just be ready to hear a lot of "I found you" jokes.

Cat Burglar

Love cheesy jokes? Then grab a tail and some ears, a bag with money on it and a black mask. Now you're the perfect cat burglar -just like April Kim.

McGyver

A blonde mullet, a rugged button up, jeans, a wristwatch and a vest or brown leather jacket are all you need to make a sweet MacGyver costume all your own. Of course, it doesn't hurt to add an embroidered name tag to your vest or jacket to make sure people know who you are -just like Eli has here.

Tornado

A tornado is a great costume that's actually incredibly easy to put together. There are a lot of easy ways to do it, and these two by Costume Pop and Parenting.com use completely different techniques to create the same great look. You can even glue some toy sharks to the costume to make it a Sharknado.

Pippi Longstocking

Pretty much all you need to put together a Pippi Longstocking costume are some crazy red braids and some freckles. If you have natural red hair, you can make your own Pippi braids with the help of this great Make tutorial.

Jellybeans

Have some balloons and some clear plastic trash bags? Then you have a jellybean costume ready to go. For a fun addition, write some nutritional info on the back of the bag like these two featured on Modern Kiddo.

Do you guys have any suggestions for easy, last-minute DIY Halloween costumes you've created  before? If so, share them in the comments -especially if you have pictures!


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I appreciate that it has been this way for a while now, but I wonder at which point dressing up for Halloween went from dressing as a vampire/mummy/ghost/zombie and became just general fancy dress?
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