Looking for easy Halloween costume ideas? Spend less with these simple DIY Halloween costumes!
Seeing high price tags on Halloween costumes can sure be frightening! Spend less this year and check out these super fun, unique, cheap, and easy DIY Halloween costume ideas for adults and kids!
We’re sharing our very favorite cheap costume ideas including which ones our team wore!
It’s simple to find the components you need to make these homemade costumes. Check around your home and don’t forget to check the thrift shops in your area as they probably have great pieces you can use too. Before you head to the store, check out our post on how to save big at thrift stores all year long!
30 super easy DIY costumes:
1. Old lady DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Just Simply Mom
Do you love cute and easy Halloween costume ideas? How adorable is this little baby?! An old lady costume would be the perfect way to dress up your little one this year.
Better yet, make it a group costume!
Our Hip sidekick Lina’s daughter and her friends put together this adorable group of DIY old lady costumes from Goodwill. We can’t get over how cute the whole ensemble turned out!
You could even make this idea into a Golden Girls costume if you’re a big fan of the hit TV show.
Here’s what Lina had to say about it:
“Last year my daughter and her friends wanted to be old ladies so I visited Goodwill and grabbed a skirt suit with a matching purse and even a cane! LOL, it turned out so cute, and they had a blast.
The wig and glasses were from Amazon. I love scouring thrift stores for Halloween costumes as it’s so much less expensive than the store and so much more creative!”
Check out how Stetson pulled off this easy old lady costume idea with thrift store finds! 😆
2. Scarlet Witch comic book DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Taylor Joelle Blog
With the hit release of many Marvel projects, specifically Wanda Vision on Disney+, DIY Comic Book Scarlet Witch and Vision would be an awesome costume! In the show, Wanda and Vision even dress as themselves from the comic book. This is definitely a cheap and easy costume idea for adults and kids!
Check out how great Soleil’s adult Scarlet Witch costume looks:
For adults, Vision and Wanda’s DIY costumes are super simple to make and give an old-school, classic approach to the popular Marvel Figures. As for Wanda, you really just need the headpiece, bodysuit, pink tights, and a cape.
And for Vision, it’s just a yellow cape, yellow gym shorts, and a green bodysuit. Don’t forget to check out your local thrift store too as you might be able to pick up these individual pieces for a steal or even make do with pieces you already have!
3. Baby lamb DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Make-it-Love-it.com
Perfect for a first Halloween, this Baby Lamb Costume is adorable for your little one and it’s one of the top easy DIY costumes to make. If you’re not good with sewing, you can just use fabric glue instead! Really all you need is a black outfit for your baby and a bunch of jumbo cotton balls!
4. Slash DIY Halloween costume
Calling all Guns N’ Roses fans! This Slash costume totally rocks and it’s one of our favorite easy DIY costumes. Not only is Slash one of the greatest guitarists ever, but he has an iconic style that’s totally recognizable. Hip2Save’s Angie pulled this costume together with just a wig with a top hat, aviator glasses, and a Guns N’ Roses shirt. 🙌 If you’re looking for cheap costume ideas, put this one towards the top of your list! Chances are you or someone you know already owns the shirt and sunglasses.
5. Cotton candy DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: HelloWonderful.com
How absolutely precious is this costume idea? This clever cotton candy DIY looks so good, I’m ready to take a bite out of this little cutie!
Amazingly enough, all you really need is a fitted light pink outfit, some pillow filling, Design Master spray, a white poster board, and ribbon to complete the look.
6. Basketball belly DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Costume-Works.com
I love how one of the most easy Halloween costume ideas is super creative and a total DIY! This woman came up with this Basketball Player Costume because everyone kept referring to her pregnant belly as a “basketball belly”. She took it literally, painted her stomach, and voila! If you know a teen who has an old basketball uniform laying around and you already have the paint, this costume could essentially be free. Talk about cheap costume ideas! So cute and clever! 🏀
7. Ballerina jewellery box DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Love-the-Day.com
Are your little ones mesmerized by their jewelry boxes? You can dress your little one up in this creative DIY Ballerina Jewelry Box Costume. Simply use one of your delivery boxes as the base of your box and paint and add accessories to create the perfect jewelry box. Add a tutu skirt and ballerina flats, or if you already have a little ballerina at home, this DIY Halloween costume could also be nearly free! 👏🏻
8. Ms. Norbury from Mean Girls DIY Halloween costume
With the 20th anniversary of Mean Girls just around the corner, now is the perfect time to pay homage to the cult classic film. This cheap and easy costume for adults is a total winner. Hip2Save’s Emily looks just like Tina Fey wearing this outfit, and best of all, she didn’t even need to buy anything to create this fun costume!
If you don’t happen to have the pins, ribbon, vest, or button-down shirt on hand, a thrift store or Goodwill is the perfect place to look, but you can also find them on Amazon.
Here’s how Emily created this memorable look:
“All you need is a vest [hers is like a green suiting vest, but I used a black outerwear vest, so truly any vest is fine], a button up shirt, and a bunch of pins and some ribbons [I had a ton of these on hand from a pin collection I have — it’s a long story 😆]. Luckily my hair is already the same color and cut as hers, so I did a quick big curl with a semi-red lip and BOOM — instant Ms. Norbury. 😄”
9. Glow in the dark stick figure DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Parade.com / Visual Burrito
This DIY stick figure costume is cracking me up! How cute would your little one look, running down the street, collecting candy looking like this? 😅 All you’ll need for this cheap costume idea is a black outfit, some clear packing tape, and glow sticks! It’s THAT easy and incredibly cute! As a bonus, the black outfit can be worn multiple times after Halloween’s over. 👏🏻
Just be sure you have enough time to throw this one together right before your party or for trick-or-treating as the glow sticks will lose their glow after a few hours.
10. Fart DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: ToddMinus
This kid was literally a fart for Halloween. LOL! What a little stinker! To look the part, just dress head to toe in brown and throw some brown and green tulle together into a big ball until you get the look you’re going for!
11. Stranger Things DIY Halloween costume
Is anyone else a huge Stranger Things fan?! While you wait for Season 5 to be released in early 2025, celebrate your favorite characters with this clever costume idea!
A few years ago Collin’s brother in law, Stetson, pieced together this Stranger Things costume and he shared how he did it on a budget:
“If I can do this, so can you! Finding the plaid shirt and little vest was pretty easy and I felt confident about sticking to my under $10 budget. But then I remembered I don’t have hair so that kinda blew my budget. I had no luck at GOODWILL, so I went back to Savers and found the best bowl-cut-looking wig I could find. The wig cost me $6.99 so not bad at all. It was fun trying to do a costume on a budget and think it came out pretty awesome. LOL!”
12. More kids from Stranger Things
Lina outdid herself a couple of years ago finding not one perfect costume to replicate, but TWO! In fact, she even did it all at the thrift store, so, for all you Stranger Things fans out there, these costumes are possible without spending a ton of cash!
To nail the looks, she really focused on getting the perfect colors for the costumes so you have the essence of their characters without the huge price tag of identical costumes!
Psst…Did you see Bath and Body Works new scents featuring Stranger Things?! 🤩
Here’s what Lina had to say about her thrift store costume finds:
“I was lucky enough to find the Ghostbusters costume and had my daughter wear a black backpack she already had, holding a portable air pump that resembled a ghost. 👻 LOL! As for my son, I found a green camp t-shirt that was similar in color to Dustin’s shirt.
I actually shopped in the women’s section to find the vintage jogging shorts and discovered the trucker hat in the accessories. The wig was from a Bob Ross costume from the previous year so we were lucky enough to re-purpose that!”
13. DIY Morton Salt girl DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: BaublestoBubbles.com
This is a perfect DIY costume, and all ages can dress as the Morton Salt Girl! All you need is a white or clear umbrella, a yellow dress, white tights, and yellow (or black) Mary Jane-Style shoes.
14. Superman wheelchair DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: BoredPanda.com
This Superman DIY costume is so perfect! While you may need to spend a little time getting artsy, it’s definitely worth all the hard work for a fun, superhero-worthy result like this. 😍
15. Cabbage Patch Kids DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Pinterest.com
Have other little ones that aren’t mobile? We love this Cabbage Patch Kids DIY costume that would be great for any little one in a wheelchair or stroller. All you need is a wig made of yarn, a box to decorate, and a dress you may already have!
16. Sonny and Cher adult Halloween costumes
Our Hip sidekick, Emily (and her husband), rocked their Sonny and Cher costumes! The best part is that these easy DIY costumes for adults were a cinch! They thrifted similar clothing and they got some of what they didn’t have at Target and Marshalls. However, they really went all out by shaving and dying their hair to match them perfectly. Needless to say, they nailed it on a dime! 👏🏻
17. Rocketman DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: RealSimple.com
Ready, set, blast off! This DIY rocketman costume is a great way to repurpose recycled goods plus your kiddo will get to take off all night while collecting their favorite treats. Really all you need is a white outfit and an imagination repurposing trash. Even better, the white jammies can be worn over and over again after Halloween is long gone.
Hip Tip: Check out our genius upcycling ideas for more ways to make trash into treasure.
18. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DIY costume
Photo credit: Crafts by Courtney
Pretty sure the Ninja Turtles will never go out of style which makes them easy Halloween costume ideas. Buying their official costumes in the store can be pricey given their ongoing popularity. That’s why we really love this clever DIY costume and it looks even better! Chances are, your kiddo already has a camo shirt and jeans too!
19. Handy Manny DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Modern Kiddo
Have a little one that loves Handy Manny or maybe wants to be just like Dad?! This adorable DIY costume idea is easy to throw together last minute and chances are you already have everything you need.
20. DIY Jungle Cruise characters Halloween costume
Jungle Cruise was a big blockbuster summer of 2021! Although they do sell the characters’ official costumes from Target, this seems like a great DIY opportunity and you may only need one or two new pieces to complete the look! For Dr. Lily Houghton, you can dress using this Jungle Cruise hat, a button-down teal shirt, khaki pleated pants, a wide brown belt, and boots!
21. Minecraft Character DIY Halloween Costume
My Hip sidekicks sure know how to be crafty (and frugal), especially when it comes to easy Halloween costume ideas! Cass dressed up her daughter in a Minecraft costume using some pants they already owned, a $4 shirt they found at Michael’s, and a cardboard box for crafting the perfect Minecraft face.
Here’s what she shared about this simple DIY costume:
“This costume was super simple! We wrapped a cardboard box that fit over my daughter’s head in green felt. Then we cut squares and rectangles in lighter and darker pieces of felt and glued them in random places while trying to get as close to the Minecraft guy’s face as possible. Then, we cut a rectangle out for her to look through and used some netting so it was super breathable. “
22. “Blessing in disguise” DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: Covet
This “blessing in disguise” costume makes us smile! Since it can be totally customized, it’s the perfect Halloween costume for those who want to stretch their creative muscles. Buy or make your own “blessing” t-shirt. Then, use items you have around the house or that you find on the cheap to create a disguise.
If you want to recreate the exact look above, scoop up fake glasses, nose, and mustache novelty, mouse ears, and a cape. Easy-peasy!
23. Funny DIY Tube Man Halloween Costume
If your kids love passing these funny wiggly tube men on the side of the road, then take inspiration with an adorable and super unique costume that will be easy enough that the whole family could even sport the same thing!
Here’s what one my Hip team members shared about her son’s fun costume:
“I purchased 2 laundry baskets from Walmart (under $7!) and a few big binder clips, big googly eyes (I got lucky and found some at the Dollar Tree), and a piece of black mesh. I cut out the area for the mouth and hot-glued the mesh to the inside. Cut two holes for arms to go through.
Then cut out the bottom of one basket (this will be the bottom part.) Keep the handles intact because you’ll use this to put your arms through to hold up the basket. I used the binder clips to fasten to the shirt and the other basket so everything was easily put together and taken apart.”
24. Moira from Schitt’s Creek DIY costume
Photo credit: Serious Mom Fun
Speaking of great TV shows, if you’ve watched any of Schitt’s Creek (which has won countless Emmy Awards!), you’re well aware of the extravagant outfits Moira Rose sports in every single scene. She’s known for her exotic, monochromatic wardrobe so pair yourself with a blend of just that, and you’ve got the perfect Schitt’s Creek look!
25. A girl from the early 2000s Costume
If you’ve been around the block, you know that all great styles come back eventually and you can use this knowledge to come up with easy Halloween costume ideas. For those who grew up in the late ’90s or even early 2000s, wedge platform flip-flops and denim skirts are all the rage again. This actually makes for a pretty easy costume idea since these styles are readily available online.
Top it off with some fashionable butterfly hair clips and a new crop top and anyone will immediately be taken back to the good ole days of Britney Spears, Kirsten Dunst, and Mandy Moore.
26. Disney Princesses…but make it an adult size!
Photo credit: @onelovedbabe
Disney never goes out of style and these easy Halloween costume ideas for adults are fashionable and something you’ll actually enjoy wearing. While the clothing boutique One Loved Babe shared these costumes featuring their dresses, you could also find similar ones on Amazon. The key here is to focus on flowy-ness and nailing the right color. You can even use a cast iron pan you may already have if you’re going as Rapunzel.
27. Baby Jack-Jack DIY costume
Photo credit: The Chirping Moms
Want simple, yet creative, easy Halloween costume ideas? This baby Jack-Jack from The Incredibles DIY costume is too cute! You literally only need two things: a red onesie and a black eye mask. And, who knows? Maybe your baby also has 17 superpowers!
28. Rubik’s Cube DIY Halloween costume
This nostalgic Rubik’s Cube outfit is one of the cheapest DIY costumes for adults or kids. It’s also sure to be a hit with 70’s and 80’s babies! To make it, you only need black clothing, a cardboard box, black paint, some cardstock or construction paper, and glue! For full instructions, visit The Benson Street blog!
Hip Tip: For a couple’s costume idea, use some paint to transform cardboard boxes into a pair of dice.
29. Bob Ross and a Happy Tree DIY Costume
Photo credit: BobRossPaintsTrees
These Bob Ross and Happy Tree costumes are not only cheap to make, but it’s totally unique! The TV host painter had an infamous quote of always commenting about painting “some happy little trees”, so why not make it into a couple’s costume? All you need to make these easy adult costumes is the perfect Bob Ross wig, a wood paint pallet, and a flowy dress and craft leaves.
30. Miss Universe DIY Halloween costume
Photo credit: LivingAfterMidnite
Who doesn’t love a good pun? This witty Miss Universe Halloween costume will definitely get compliments. To make it, you’ll need an inexpensive black dress (you likely already have one!), a white sash, a permanent marker, and a tiara. Make the planets out of felt or even construction paper if that’s all you have on hand. Use a glue gun to attach the planets to your dress and finish off the outfit with cheap flowers from Trader Joe’s or Dollar Tree. You’re sure to look out of this world! 🪐💫
