20 Easy Costumes using items you (probably) already own

One of my all-time faves. This took weeks of prep work and turned out (IMO) amazing!

One of my all-time faves. This took weeks of prep work and turned out (IMO) amazing!

Halloween is one of my all-time favorite holidays—I love candy, spooky movies (usually the ones meant for children, like Coraline, The Corpse Bride, and Book of Life), but mostly because I love any excuse to don a costume. I take pride in coming up with clever or unexpected costumes, and even more pride when they actually come together.

Some years I plan weeks, or even months, in advance and end up with a great costume I love. Some years I have no time to plan but somehow end up pulling something together at the last minute. (For more tips on putting together last minute costumes, scroll all the way to the end of this post.)

When I posted about Halloween costumes on my instagram, a lot of people mentioned they wanted to see easy looks or costume ideas without buying a lot of new items. Halloween costumes you buy at the store tend to be pretty pricy and not always well-made. Plus, you could end up wearing the exact same pre-bought costume as someone else. I totally understand, though. Buying a done-for-you costume is way easier than putting together a bunch of individual pieces. First you have to come up with a costume, then you have to figure out what you need to make it happen, and finally you have to go gather everything. Exhausting.

That’s why I wrote this post—to give you 20 costume ideas and the exact pieces you need to pull each of them off. Sourcing the items is up to you, but like the title suggests, most of the items are things you already own or accessories that are easily acquired from a thrift shop, costume store, or even a drug store.

 

If you’re new here, I’m Missy of Simplified Wardrobe, an Ethical Personal Stylist & Capsule Wardrobe Curator. I help ambitious and eco-conscious womxn who want to look great, feel confident, and simplify their lives.

Find more information about personal style, capsule wardrobes, and color analysis over on Instagram. You can also download my free 10-page Guide to Defining your Personal Style.

 

20 Costumes using items from your closet

5 Costumes with a Little Black Dress

First up, an item every woman likely has in her closet: the famous Little Black Dress. This is a simple black cocktail dress. Depending on your specific LBD, you might be able to better pull on some of the looks than others. For example, a more tailored dress lends itself to Audrey or Coco whereas a flowier number would be great for Lydia Deetz.

  1. Wicked Witch

  2. Audrey Hepburn (in Breakfast at Tiffany’s)

  3. Cruella Deville

  4. Coco Chanel

  5. Lydia Deets

5 Costumes with a White Button-down Shirt

Another classic closet staple: the crisp white button-down. If you have a classic fitted shirt, try Britney or Karl. If you’d rather steal an oversized version from a man in your life, go for Holly Golightly or Tom Cruise.

  1. Maya Wallace (from Pulp Fiction)

  2. Holly Golightly (also from Breakfast at Tiffany’s)

  3. Karl Lagerfeld

  4. Tom Cruise (in Risky Business)

  5. Britney Spears (from the “Baby One More Time” music video)

5 Costumes with Leather Pants

Faux leather, coated denim, or even shiny lycra will also work for most of these looks. The only requirements is that they look edgy and bad-ass.

  1. Sandy (from Grease)

  2. Trinity (from The Matrix)

  3. Slash (from Guns n’ Roses)

  4. Cat Woman

  5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

5 Costumes with a Tutu Skirt

Okay, I know not everyone has one of these in their closet. That said, maybe you should consider adding one! They’re super cute, easy to dress up or down, and add a feminine chic to any outfit white being super comfortable! Common colors for these are white, black, blush, and beige. I created the looks below using a beige version. The secret is, though, that the ballerina, french clown, and melted ice cream will work with pretty much any color tutu. The deer and rag doll will work with any tan bottom or a dress!

  1. Ballerina

  2. French Clown

  3. Melted Ice Cream Cone

  4. Deer

  5. Ragdoll

So there you have it: 20 costumes you can pull together, mostly using items in your closet. In addition to these 20 easy costume ideas, I wanted to leave you with a few more tips for putting together last minute costumes.

My top tips for putting together a last minute costume

Here are a few ways to ensure you always have something to wear to a last minute costume party or when you’re just too busy to spend time on a costume.

On the other end of the spectrum, this G.L.O.W.-inspired costume (Force of July) I put together with items in my closet with about 4 hours notice, and is also one of my favorites.

On the other end of the spectrum, this G.L.O.W.-inspired costume (Force of July) I put together with items in my closet with about 4 hours notice, and is also one of my favorites.

  1. Keep your old costumes!
    This is like my #1 rule. I keep every bit and bauble from costumes I’ve worn in the past, including old dance costumes from high school! If you don’t have the space to keep it all, keep costumes you loved and felt amazing in! No one will care if you repeat a great costume.

  2. Re-mix
    Just because you saved all of those costumes doesn’t mean you have to repeat the same costumes year after year! Think about new ways to wear old pieces. That Liza sequin top is now a Golden Girl staple. That safari hat is now for Col. Mustard. This is also perfectly acceptable for normal clothes in your closet (* ahem * like the 20 costumes in this post!)

  3. Use Pinterest
    Pinterest is the best. I turn to Pinterest for everything from style inspo to home decor to party planning to costumes! I save anything I come across and if I need some inspiration, I turn to my costume board for help. If I don’t find anything that way, it’s also a great place to search, especially if you already have a few pieces you don’t know how to wear! For example, you could search “costume silver dress” or “costume leather pants” for a few quick ideas to use pieces you already have.

  4. Rope in some friends
    Sometimes people think group or couples costumes are too difficult to pull off, but I disagree. I think they can often be easier than solo costumes! Why? For one, you have way more to choose from! There are only so many single figures that can carry a costume. For two, your costume doesn’t need to be perfect to get the idea across. When you have the entire ensemble of Rugrats, suddenly your diaper and blue t-shirt makes a lot more sense!

How-ToMissy Tituscostume, halloween1 Comment