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I love the creativity involved in a DIY Halloween Costume. I’ll buy elements and accessories, but rarely buy an entire costume. Homemade Halloween costumes aren’t as difficult as you may think. Many involve very little time, so if you’re looking for an easy Halloween costume you’re in the right spot! And, if you are here because you are searching for a last minute Halloween costume, don’t worry, there are plenty here that you can do with just a few household items. You’ll be ready to celebrate in no time!

Now, onto the main event. I bugged my dear family and friends into sharing with you costumes they have done that are all or in part DIY. Enjoy! 

DIY Halloween Costumes

Mike Wazowski Costume

My nephew James looked so darling in his homemade Mike Wazowski (Monsters, Inc.) costume. An extra large lime green t-shirt was stuffed with quilt batting to create the shape. Then craft felt sheets were cut out to create the shapes for the face. 

Little Red Riding Hood Costume

Robber Costume

My husband and I threw these costumes together the day of our Halloween party. He stopped at the store to get the robber hat/mask/hair and then paired it with a pillowcase full of stuff and some brown make-up to make him look rough. I borrowed the cape and corset top from a friend and paired it with a black skirt, white tights and a picnic basket. 

Marching Band Costume

A marching band majorette costume might win you first prize. This is one of my all time favorite costumes! My sister found the sequined top at a thrift store and paired it with some red pants and those amazing red knee-high boots (who has red knee high boots?!)! She added a baton and she was all set to lead the parade!

Bride of Frankenstein Costume

Lunch Lady Halloween Costume

Thrift stores will be your best friend for this Bride of Frankenstein costume. My friend Laura took the dress and added black tulle and plastic spiders to make this the perfect costume! I have a great tutorial for a DIY Bride of Frankenstein wig to finish the look.

The lunch lady costume was as simple as a hair net, kitchen apron, spatula and perfectly placed moles on the face. Why do I feel the need to watch the Lunch Lady skit from SNL with Adam Sandler now?

Boxing Costume

A great boxing belt is about the only thing that would have made this super easy halloween costume better. Boxing gloves are easy to come by and with a little make-up you can look like a prize winning fighter! I love that this is a quick last minute couples costume too!

Billy Mayes Costume

Any Oxy Clean product and a blue button down shirt are essential to this easy halloween costume! Draw on that signature beard and you’re all set!

Annie Costume

Add a white belt to a red dress with a white collar shirt underneath. Add some bobby socks to some mary-janes and curl all of your hair for a quick Annie costume. The stuffed dog is a bonus! 

80’s Rocker Costume

If you knew the guy who is wearing this costume you would be laughing as hard as we did the day he showed up at the office Halloween party dressed as an 80’s Rocker. We were all dying! Those zebra print leggings! That 80’s rocker wig! His wife’s pink jacket! Now go beg to borrow someone’s electric guitar so you can duplicate this masterpiece! 

Frankenstein Costume

Cut up some old jeans and a black shirt to get a head start on this Frankenstein costume. All you need is a Frankenstein wig and stitches drawn on and you are ready to tromp around the block! 

Charlie Brown Costume

Well, he’s just the cutest! My husband was Charlie Brown last year as well and you can purchase the Charlie Brown t-shirts or just buy a yellow shirt and use black duct tape to add the zig-zag. Then use a brown washable marker to draw the iconic charlie brown hair swirl on your forehead. 

Cat Costume

Etch-A-Sketch Costume

These last minute halloween costumes will save you! The cat costume is common, but it is such a quick and easy one to put together that you really have no excuse NOT to dress up! I LOVE the Etch-A-Sketch costume. Red and silver duct tape over an old t-shirt with something drawn on the screen is so simple, but so awesome!

Mad Hatter Costume

Jeremy, my nephew, looks fantastic as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland! The only store bought piece is the Mad Hatter Hat! 

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds Costume

When you name your daughter Lucy, you have to dress her in the sky with diamonds! I took several layers of white tulle fabric and made a simple elastic waist bubble skirt. Inside the “bubble” part I stuffed it with quilt batting. Then I glued cotton balls and “diamonds” to the shirt.

Keep scrolling for more Easy Halloween Costumes

Little Red Riding Hood Costume

Rochelle is an amazing seamstress and made this costume. I know we don’t all have those kind of mad skills, but the idea is a simple one. Dress. Cape. Picnic Basket. Done. 

Effie Trinket Costume

Paying attention to little details, like the added flare on the shoes, or the bustle on the thrift store dress, or an outrageous fascinator are what will turn this into an awesome Effie Trinket costume! 

Minnie Mouse Costume

Go the extra mile on the Minnie Mouse costume with some black tights, a black shirt and some white gloves and get trick-or-treating!

Peacock Costume

Tulle is one of my best friends at Halloween. My talented sister in-law made this peacock costume with lots of teal, black and lime tulle. She then made the Peacock feathers out of craft felt sheets and lots of glitter!

Ski Bum Costume

Cereal Killer

Wow, we were so young! This is me and my husband just after we met and started dating. We got invited to a Halloween party and put these together about 30 minutes before it began. I raided my family snow clothes closet and came up with a ski bum costume. My husband used hot glue to attach mini cereal boxes (we removed the cereal first) to a shirt. Then we stuck plastic knives in them and added lots of red lip stick to the situation. And then he added the wig (don’t ask me why). 

Sponge Bob Square Pants Costumes

My sister found the Squidward costume at a thrift store but it only had the head piece. Don’t let that deter you! The rest is pretty simple to piece together. Gray clothes with a t-shirt on top!

Ninja Costume

A Karate uniform can be turned into a ninja costume with a head sash and a fierce stance! 🙂 

Mr Potato Head Costume

Don’t people that know how to sew make you want to roll your eyes? Me too. But, I actually think I could do a potato shape – especially a lumpy potato shape. And adding the felt shapes for the face wouldn’t be too hard either – especially if I used a glue gun instead of a sewing machine. 

Self Absorbed Costume

You are supposed to dress up, but you don’t want to dress up? This is the costume for you! A few kitchen sponges and a sign won’t get in your way during the day, but will totally pass for a hilarious costume! 

Strawberry Shortcake Costume

Well, she’s just the cutest! Here little hat, apron, knickers combo turn this into the cutest Strawberry Shortcake costume ever and perfectly pair with her strawberry hair! I know many of you will have an apron like that from when you were a little girl (just me? Okay.) 

Ms. Gogan from Pete’s Dragon Costume

Yep, that’s me! This was my Halloween costume when I was 20. I went as the Mom from Pete’s Dragon – Lena Gogan. We have had that hillbilly hat for years and I raided my moms closet for one of her house dresses and cardigans and put on an old apron. My hair has natural curl so I just ratted it like heck and crunched up a bunch of leaves in it. I used waterproof mascara to black out one of my teeth and dirtied my face with lots of eye shadow. 

Perry the Platypus Costume

I love costumes like this where your kids can wear regular clothes with just a few accessories. The feet, duck bill and hat are all you need to add. 

Alice In Wonderland Red Queen Costume

Perfect make-up and red hair are really what you need to sell this DIY costume! 

Witch Costume

Ah, the classic witch costume! I remember being a witch a few times growing up by pulling together pieces from our dress up box. Pretty much the only element that is required is the iconic witches hat, the rest is left up to your creativity!

Easy Monster Costume

It didn’t take a lot of money or time to make these monster shirts for my husband and I. Check out the full post here. 

Wonder Woman Costume

There are far too many “sexy” costumes for sale. Do people really wear them? I digress. If you happen to score a “sexy” costume, but want it to be appropriate for helping in your kids classroom halloween party, add a layering t-shirt and some leggings. And see those red boots? Remember the Majorette costume above my sister was wearing? They’re the traveling boots in my family. 

Witch Costume

My darling niece MADE this Witch costume! Amazing right? She takes sewing lessons and this was her fall project! I love the fabrics and colors she selected! I love that it takes a really common costume and makes it really unique!

Vampire Costume

That matching cumberbun fabric and cape fabric pull this cute Vampire costume together! Sewing skills skipped right over me, but my friend Rochelle is amazing! And, adding a pair of black pants and a white button down shirt are all you need to add with a little vampire make up! 

Shopkins Costume

I made these Shopkins sunglasses to match Apple Blossom (here is the tutorial). Add on a green shirt and a bouquet of white daisy flowers and get your friends to dress up as the others!

Peter Pan Costume

My friend used a pattern to sew the cute Peter Pan hat, but you can easily DIY the brown pants and green shirt! He’s just the sweetest little guy!

Washed up Beauty Queen Costume

When my mother in-law showed up dressed in this washed up beauty queen costume, we were all dying of laughter! She is wearing a vintage gown with lots of dollar store accessories. The big blonde wig is the best element though for a beauty queen!

Zombie Costume

Every tween boy needs to dress as a Zombie – it’s like a rite of passage! It’s the perfect way for them to still dress up, but  not be stuck in a cute little teddy bear costume. Tousle the hair, draw on some wounds and rip up the clothing and send them on their way!

Tinkerbell Costume

Fairy wings can be found at the dollar store and making a tulle skirt is super simple! It will get your little fairy fluttering with excitement in no time!!

Luna Lovegood Costume

Luna is one of my favorite characters in the Harry Potter books! Don a pair of Luna Lovegood glasses and the rest you probably have in your closet – a button down shirt, tie and cardigan. Make your own wand and get your friends to dress up like Harry, Ron and Hermoine. 

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