So the party’s tonight.
Maybe you forgot. Maybe you had a plan and the online order didn’t show up. Or maybe you just hate costume shopping, which is fair, because by late October the Halloween aisle at most stores looks like it’s been through a storm and the only thing left is an inflatable dinosaur in size XXS.
Good news: you probably own a costume already. You just haven’t put it together yet. Everything below comes from ordinary clothes plus a few bits from the bathroom cabinet and the junk drawer. I’ve noted roughly how long each one takes, and where something can be swapped if you don’t have it.
Before You Start: Raid These Three Places
Spend two minutes pulling things out before you pick a costume. You’ll be surprised what’s hiding in there.
Your closet. Stripes and plaid are gold tonight. So is that denim shirt you forgot you owned, and the flannel you only wear when it snows. Pull out anything that’s entirely black or entirely white while you’re in there. Oh, and hats. Even the ugly one somebody gave you as a joke. Honestly, especially that one.
The bathroom. If I could only keep one thing for a last-minute costume, it’d be a black eyeliner pencil. Whiskers, stitches, a fake mustache, freckles, a scar if you’re feeling dramatic. It does all of it. Grab a red lipstick too if there’s one lying around, and a handful of bobby pins. Dry shampoo is the sneaky one. A few sprays and your hair suddenly looks gray, which comes up more often than you’d expect.
The junk drawer. Safety pins, tape, a marker, scissors, cardboard, string. That’s your entire craft kit for tonight.
The Five-Minute Fixes
Start here if you’re genuinely out of time.
1. Mime
If you own a black-and-white striped top, congratulations, you’ve basically finished.
Pair it with black pants or a black skirt. Suspenders if you have them. Then it’s all about the face. A thin layer of white makeup is ideal, but plenty of people skip it and just do a bold red lip, a small black teardrop under one eye with eyeliner, and exaggerated dark brows. White gloves are a nice touch, though nobody will mind if you don’t have them.
The real trick? Stay quiet and keep “bumping” into invisible walls when people talk to you. A mime costume that talks the whole night is just a striped shirt.
Time: 5–10 minutes. Swap: no striped top? A plain white tee with black horizontal lines drawn on in marker works, if you don’t mind sacrificing it.
2. Black Cat
The classic. Somebody at every party is a cat, and nobody has ever complained about it.
Whatever black clothes you’ve got will do. Jeans are fine. Leggings are better if you want to look a bit sleeker, but don’t overthink it. The face is what sells it anyway. I usually go with three whiskers per cheek in eyeliner, nothing too thick, and a little dot on the end of the nose. If you can do a winged liner without poking yourself in the eye, add one. If not, skip it. Nobody’s grading.
Ears are the only “build.” Cut two triangles from black cardstock or cardboard (color it with marker if it’s brown), fold a small tab at the bottom of each, and tape or glue them to a headband. No headband? Bobby pins straight into your hair will hold them for a few hours. A tail is optional. A black belt or a stuffed black tight safety-pinned to the back of your pants works.
Time: 10 minutes.
3. Ghost, but Make It Grown-Up
Forget the sheet with eye holes. You’ll trip over it, and you can’t drink anything.
White, as much of it as you can find. It doesn’t have to match. My favorite version is just a big white shirt over pale gray sweatpants, because you get to be a ghost and be comfortable at the same time. If you own a long white dress, even better.
Then the makeup, which takes about three minutes. Sweep some gray eyeshadow (lavender works too, oddly well) under your eyes and into the hollows of your cheeks. You’ll look like you haven’t slept since 1890. Don’t brush your hair. Or brush it and then mess it up again, and dust a bit of dry shampoo through the ends so it goes flat and dull.
Walk slowly. Stare at people. That’s it.
Time: 10 minutes.
4. Tourist
This one gets laughs, and it’s the costume that rewards owning slightly embarrassing clothes.
The loudest shirt you have. Hawaiian-style is perfect, but any busy print works. Shorts, even if it’s cold. Socks with sandals. Sunglasses on your face and a second pair pushed up on your head. Hang a camera around your neck, or your phone on a lanyard, and carry a folded paper map you keep “consulting.” A fanny pack, a bucket hat and a smear of white sunscreen on your nose take it all the way.
Time: 5 minutes. Works great for anyone who doesn’t like dressing up, because it barely feels like a costume.
Ten to Twenty Minutes, Still No Shopping
5. Rosie the Riveter
You need a denim shirt (a chambray button-up is close enough) and a red bandana or red scarf.
Sleeves go up first, past the elbow, because Rosie means business. The bandana is the only fiddly bit. Fold it into a triangle and lay the long edge against the back of your neck, then bring both ends up and knot them on top of your head. The pointy end gets tucked under the knot. It might take two tries. That’s normal. If you’ve got bangs or a few curls, let them poke out at the front, then put on the reddest lipstick you own.
For photos, make a fist and flex your arm. Everyone will know who you are.
Time: 10–15 minutes, mostly fiddling with the bandana.
6. ’80s Workout Instructor
Got bright leggings? Hot pink, teal, something loud? Perfect. Black leggings still work, you’ll just need to make up for it elsewhere. Take an old, oversized tee and either cut the neckline wider so it falls off one shoulder, or knot it at your hip if you’d rather not ruin it. Then pull your socks right up over the ends of the leggings. Looks ridiculous. That’s correct.
The headband is what makes it an ’80s look rather than just gym clothes. A proper terry sweatband is ideal. I’ve seen people use a rolled-up scarf and it looked fine.
Hair should be big. Tease it, scrunch it, add a scrunchie. Blue or purple eyeshadow if you have it. Carry a water bottle and say “and stretch!” at random moments.
Time: 15 minutes.
7. Wednesday Addams
Probably the most recognizable costume you can build from basic black clothes right now.
Black dress, or a black sweater with a black skirt. The white collar matters most. A white collared shirt worn underneath the black layer, with only the collar showing, does the job. Part your hair down the middle and braid it into two tight braids. Keep makeup minimal and pale, with darker lips if you like.
Then the hard part: don’t smile. All night. Deadpan answers only.
Time: 15 minutes, depending on how fast you braid.
8. Cowboy or Cowgirl
Jeans, a plaid or denim shirt, a belt (the bigger the buckle the better) and boots. Any boots, really. Tie a bandana loosely around your neck. If someone in the house owns a cowboy hat, borrow it. If not, the bandana and boots carry most of the look on their own.
Want a little more? Draw a light stubble shadow with brown eyeshadow, or some freckles across your nose with brown eyeliner.
Time: 10 minutes.
9. Scarecrow
Flannel shirt, jeans, and a straw or wide-brimmed hat. Roll the jeans unevenly. Leave the shirt untucked.
Makeup is where this one comes alive. With black eyeliner, draw a line extending from each corner of your mouth onto your cheeks, then small cross-hatched stitches across it. Add circles of blush or red lipstick on your cheeks and a dark triangle on the tip of your nose. If you have raffia, twine or even dry grass, poke some out of your sleeves, collar and hat.
Time: 15–20 minutes.
10. Mummy
Start with a white or light gray base layer: leggings and a long-sleeved top. Then wrap. An old white sheet torn into strips about three inches wide is the best material. Gauze bandages from a first-aid kit work too. Toilet paper is the emergency option, but it tears the second you sit down.
Wrap loosely and unevenly, tucking ends under the layer before. Leave some gaps. Darken around your eyes with gray or brown eyeshadow so they look sunken. Safety pins hold the strips in place at your wrists and waist.
Time: 20 minutes, plus a second pair of hands if you can find one.
Couples Costumes That Need Almost Nothing
Half the fun of a couples costume is the moment people figure it out. These are easy to “get.”
11. Salt and Pepper
One of you in all white, one in all black. Cut out two circles of paper, write a big “S” on one and “P” on the other, and tape them to your chests. If you want to go further, put a gray beanie on each of you to look like the shaker lids.
12. Peanut Butter and Jelly
One in brown or tan, one in purple or red. Same paper-sign trick, or write “Crunchy” and “Grape” on them for a little extra. Stand next to each other in every photo, obviously.
13. Tourist and Tour Guide
One person does the full tourist look from number four. The other wears a polo shirt, khakis and a lanyard with a handwritten name tag, and holds a small flag, an umbrella or a ruler with a ribbon tied to it up in the air. The guide spends the evening “leading” the tourist around the party. It’s a costume that turns into a bit, which is the best kind.
For Kids, Fast
14. Superhero
Any solid T-shirt. Cut a big letter, a lightning bolt or a star from felt or paper and tape it to the front. Let them pick their own superhero name. For the cape, safety-pin a towel, pillowcase or old scarf to the shoulders of the shirt. Don’t tie anything around their neck. Kids honestly care more about the cape than anything else, and they’ll run around in it for hours.
15. Pirate
Striped shirt, pants rolled up to mid-calf, a bandana tied on the head, and a belt or scarf around the waist. Make an eye patch from black paper or felt with a bit of string or elastic. A drawn-on mustache or some “stubble” in eyeliner finishes it. A cardboard sword, if you have ten more minutes.
How to Make Any Closet Costume Look Intentional
A costume made from your own clothes can look lazy or it can look clever. The difference usually comes down to a few small choices.
Spend your time on your face. If you only have ten minutes, put eight of them into makeup and two into clothes. People look at faces first. Eyeliner, lipstick and a bit of eyeshadow will do more for the costume than any accessory.
Add one prop. A map for the tourist, a water bottle for the ’80s instructor, a rolling pin, a magnifying glass, a fake flower. One object people can see across the room tells them what you are before you explain.
Commit to the character. The mime who stays silent, the Wednesday who never smiles, the tourist who asks for directions to the bathroom with a map out. Acting it out is what makes a simple costume memorable.
Dress for the weather. If there’s trick-or-treating or a walk between houses, layer thermals underneath and pick a costume that works with a jacket. The cowboy, the scarecrow and the tourist all look fine with a coat on.
Test the makeup on your hand. Especially if you’re using something you don’t normally put on your face. And take it off properly before bed. Your skin will thank you on November 1st.
Quick Answers
What’s the easiest Halloween costume to make at home? A black cat. All black clothes, eyeliner whiskers and paper ears on a headband. Ten minutes, start to finish.
What can I dress up as with normal clothes? Mime, tourist, Rosie the Riveter, cowboy or cowgirl, ’80s workout instructor and Wednesday Addams all come together from everyday clothes and a couple of small extras.
What’s a good last-minute couples costume? Salt and pepper. One person in white, one in black, with a letter taped to each shirt.
What’s a last-minute costume that’s OK for work? Rosie the Riveter, cowboy or a scarecrow with light makeup. They’re easy to recognize, fully covered and comfortable for a full day.
How do I make cat ears without a headband? Cut triangles from cardstock, fold a small tab at the bottom, and pin them into your hair with bobby pins. They’ll hold for a party if you don’t shake your head too much.
Still Can’t Decide?
Look at what’s clean.
That’s the honest answer. If a striped top is sitting on top of the pile, you’re a mime. Flannel on the chair? Scarecrow. All your black clothes happen to be washed? Cat, or Wednesday if you’re in the mood to scowl at people. The best last-minute costume is whichever one you can get out the door in, before the party’s already halfway over.
Happy Halloween.
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