Don’t worry, we’ve all been there, the year is slipping away from you faster than you ever thought it could, and all of a sudden it’s Halloween next week and you still have no pumpkin, sweets, or costume.
I’ve scoured far and wide to find the easiest, but most effective, DIY Halloween costumes so that you don’t have to. I purposely avoided the traditional cat and witch, as I know you can do better than that. These ideal DIYs feature everything from the weird all the way through to the wonderful.
Time is ticking, so make your choice, and get ready to gloat that you ‘only made it last night’ when you inevitably win this year’s costume competition.
Last-Minute DIY Halloween Costumes
1. Milkshakes
These milkshake costumes would be perfect as a quickly pulled together group costume, or for going solo.
The only thing you need to make is the headpiece because you could pick any one-colored outfit or dress from your wardrobe and pass it off as ‘milkshake flavor’. Be as creative as you wish.
2. Cactus
It is no secret that everyone loves a good succulent, and this easy cactus costume will be no exception. Experiment with different colors, flowers, and designs for a unique DIY costume.
3. Deer
This deer costume is a welcome change from the usual animal choices, like a cat. If makeup artistry is your thing, then you will enjoy the focus on the face with very minimal effort needed for the costume.
Style your hair like little ears and you’ll look like you’ve come straight from a fairytale wood.
4. The Flintstones
Return to Bedrock with this DIY Flintstones costume, it would be fun to get all the family involved too and replicate the whole team.
Be inspired and try out some of your own favorite cartoon characters from your childhood.
5. Grapes
I had a friend who did this grape costume once and she was the life and soul of the party. It is the perfect mix of unexpected and absolutely genius.
Accept this as a challenge to see how many balloons you are left with at the end of the night.
6. Bat
I know that bat comes high up on the list of already-done Halloween costumes for a lot of people, but I think this one is different with its very innovative and creative design.
Everyone has an umbrella that has been beaten by the elements, and what better way to give it new life.
7. Riverdale Characters
Riverdale is all the rage on Netflix right now, and quite rightly so.
This is a specific example, but you can choose any character from your favorite TV show and have a look online at their different outfits. I would confidently bet that you will have something in your wardrobe that resembles one of them.
8. Wonder-woman
A superhero is one of the most fail-safe costumes out there. Everyone owns a t-shirt, a pair of tights and some underwear, all you need to make are some accessories.
You could go for one of the classics, like Superman or Wonder-woman, or you could step outside of the box and make up your own personalized or funny hero.
9. Spiderweb
It is difficult to find someone who isn’t at least a little bit scared of spiders, so this spiderweb costume is sure to get the skin crawling.
This very simple cape could be paired with any black outfit, or even a colored one if you wanted to jazz it up a little.
10. Flapper Girl
Everyone loves a bit of Gatsby, and this flapper girl costume channels all those vibes.
It’s a fun but still stylish option for a DIY Halloween costume if you want to dress up but aren’t the type to drown yourself in fake blood.
11. French Mime
This French mime costume is made up of items that can be found in most wardrobes.
Choose this as your DIY Halloween costume this year and practice your miming skills to show off as a party trick.
12. Wind-up Doll
I like this idea because it is so versatile. You could wear pretty much anything, and along with this wind-up key, it will turn into the perfect costume.
You could go creepy or cutesy, and experiment with fake blood and makeup to really give your costume the fear factor.
13. Mermaid
When I was little, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a mermaid, so this mermaid costume is my dream.
This is an opportunity to get so creative with hair and makeup too, there are thousands of amazing tutorials and ideas online to make you look as if you’ve just arrived from a magical kingdom under the sea.
14. Baseball Player
I can imagine this baseball player costume being one of the comfiest out there.
It looks so easy to recreate, and you could even adapt it to your favorite sport and team.
15. Salt and Pepper
Admittedly this one might be a bit strange to do without a partner, but you are perfectly welcome to go for it.
Of all the weird and wonderful couples costumes out there this salt and pepper shaker one is one of the easiest to create, perfect for a DIY newbie.
16. Oompa Loompa
This Oompa Loompa costume is maybe not one for those who want to be stylish on Halloween, but it is for those who love dressing up as more peculiar things.
To really wow a party, you could get together a group and create all the different characters, try not to fight over who gets to be the blueberry.
17. Dora the Explorer
This Dora the Explorer costume is easy to make, as the only bit that really needs any DIY-ing is the backpack.
This costume would work for kids and grown-up kids alike, so get out your magical map and go on an adventure this Halloween.
18. Burglar
Go for this burglar costume to be simple yet effective. This specific DIY gives the standard burglar costume a few modern twists, with polka-dot gloves for example. I personally love it but feel free to stick to plain and simple.
You could even remove a step and use black face paint to paint a mask directly onto your face, making it even more simple than simple.
19. Pineapple
I don’t think I have ever seen a costume like this pineapple one that is so cute but so easy to make.
T-shirt dresses are easy to find, you could really wear anything yellow for that matter, and the headpiece could be whipped up in a matter of minutes.
20. Alien
With makeup artists taking to social media to share their work, around Halloween the internet is filled with inspiration for spooky and spellbound looks.
Some of my favorites are alien and galaxy looks, pair them with metallic or sparkly clothing and you have the perfect alien costume.
21. Where’s Waldo?
For those who really don’t want to spend the time or money creating a masterpiece, this Where’s Waldo costume is simply jeans, t-shirt, and hat combo.
This would also be a great one to use as a party game for kids, hide somewhere in the house and let them run around looking for your bobbled hat.
22. Unicorn
Apparently, unicorn costumes are the most pinned DIY Halloween costume idea on Pinterest.
You too can jump on the bandwagon, and this is one of the most fun costumes to play around with. You could use different hair colors, face paints, and makeup, and the possibilities for making that all-important horn are endless.
23. Clown
I don’t think that I know anyone who isn’t at least a tiny bit freaked out by clowns.
There are a lot of much scarier and more gruesome clown costumes out there, but I thought that this one was a happy medium between a little bit creepy and so scary that no one at the party wants to talk to you.
24. Fortune teller
I really want to try out this fortune teller costume idea. It is far from scary, but it looks like something you could really play around with.
Pile on jewels and necklaces, wear bright colors and patterns, the opportunities are endless.
25. Sugar Skull
Inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead, this sugar skull DIY Halloween makeup look has become popular in recent years.
It is the perfect mix between pretty and ghoulish, and you can adapt the makeup to look however you want it, adding different colors and jewels.
26. Thing One and Thing Two
A Dr. Seuss classic and an easy costume to replicate, Thing One and Thing Two is a perfect costume for a mischievous pair.
This could be used for adults or kids, and a family, you could keep adding numbers like Thing Three and Thing Four and so on.
27. Toga
How can you get away with wearing bedsheets but still making it look like a costume I hear you ask? This toga costume sounds perfect for you.
You can adapt the base design of this DIY to your own preferences, shortening it or adding gold accessories to turn yourself into the Greek goddess you always knew you were.
28. Fox
This easy DIY foxtail will have you looking extra cute this October 31st. Pair with little ears and a face paint nose and you’re good to go.
If you are feeling extra creative you could try and use the same technique to make different animals, like a raccoon for example.
29. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger
Whether you’re a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor, if you like Harry Potter these easy costume ideas will be perfect for you.
You can stick to being a regular Hogwarts student if they are regular at all, or you can add little touches to look more like your favorite character, like a ginger wig for Ron or that famous scar for Harry.
30. Little Red Riding Hood
You could recreate this little red riding hood costume either pre or post wolf, adding fake blood and slashes in your iconic red hood.
Make sure to accessorize with a little basket of bread for granny.
31. Scarecrow
We all have a pair of dungarees in our wardrobes, whether they’re fashionable ones we love to wear or old ones we don’t know why we still own. Whichever type yours are, get them out for this easy scarecrow costume.
Choose your favorite checked shirt and pair it with a straw hat, and even some real straw poking out of pockets and sleeves for ultimate authenticity.
32. Minnie Mouse
This extra cute Minnie Mouse costume is one that could be used over and over again. It’s perfect for kids, but could easily be used for all ages.
Everyone loves a bit of Disney, and those who say they don’t are lying, so this is sure to be a winner at any Halloween party.
33. Pop Art
I am a big fan of the pop art costume trend, I think it is so innovative and fun.
If I were doing this look, I would make some cardboard cutouts of pop art style sounds like ‘bang’ and ‘pow’ to add another level to the costume. The beauty of this too is that you can wear whatever you’d like, it’s all about the face.
34. Adult baby
This adult baby costume idea is all about the funny. It would be good if done solo, but even better in my opinion as a group. Imagine an army of grown men and women in diapers walking into a room.
Make sure you have all the extras needed to make this costume spectacular, like a pacifier, diaper, and bonnet.
35. Ice cream or Cotton Candy
If, like me, you love all things sweet, then look no further, as the perfect DIY Halloween costume for you is right here. Whether you have always dreamt of becoming an ice cream or cotton candy, both of these easy-to-follow tutorials make your dreams more achievable than you thought.
Just beware those hungry trick or treaters, because you’ll be looking good enough to eat.
36. Pirate
Whether you’re channeling Captain Jack Sparrow or Elizabeth Swan, a pirate is an excellent and quick costume to whip up for a last-minute Halloween bash.
This tutorial is a stylish take on a pirate, but you could just as easily stick to the basics with a striped t-shirt and that all-important eye-patch.
37. Flower Fairy
This super beautiful flower fairy costume is ideal for anyone wanting to go for more pretty than petrifying this Halloween.
This same DIY could easily be used for an abundance of different costumes, like princesses, ballerinas, or sprites.
38. Butterfly
I wish it were appropriate to wear butterfly wings every day because I definitely would. I absolutely love this butterfly wing DIY and think that the wings make an excellent statement costume, especially worn with an otherwise basic outfit.
39. Jellybeans
I’m not sure if you can get more quirky and fun than this jellybean costume. It doesn’t necessarily pack a punch on the scary side, but that doesn’t matter when it’s as creative and easy to make as it is.
I am trying this one out for sure.
Conclusion
Now that you have read more DIY Halloween costume ideas than you ever thought existed, and the contents of your wardrobe are probably spread across the room after trying to piece together different outfits, you have the mammoth task of picking your favorite.
I am definitely torn, I love a good food costume, so the cotton candy looks like a really fun one for me, but on the other hand, I have always dreamt of being a mermaid. Or maybe I will go down a completely different route and go for something scary, like the clown.
