Halloween Costume Ideas: Classic, Couples, Family, Kids, Pets and DIY

Can’t decide? Spin the costume picker

Tap the button for a random idea from our list. Keep spinning until something clicks.

Classic Halloween costumes

Timeless costumes work every year, are easy to find and are instantly recognizable.

• 1Witch or wizardPointed hat, cape or robe, a broom or wand. Add green face paint for a storybook look.
• 2VampireBlack cape with a high collar, slicked-back hair, pale makeup and plastic fangs.
• 3SkeletonBlack clothes plus white face paint and bone details — glow-in-the-dark paint is a bonus.
• 4GhostA classic sheet ghost — cut eye holes carefully and wear dark clothes underneath.
• 5ZombieThrift-store clothes, torn and dirtied, with gray makeup and dark circles.
• 6Black catAll-black outfit, cat ears, a tail and a drawn-on nose and whiskers.
• 7MummyStrips of white fabric or gauze wrapped over a white base layer.
• 8Frankenstein’s monsterOversized dark jacket, green face paint, a flat-top and painted stitches.

Couples costume ideas

• Salt and pepper — white and black shirts with “S” and “P” — cheap and clever.
• Peanut butter and jelly — two cardboard “bread slices,” one painted brown, one purple.
• Vampire and victim — one in a cape, one in fake bite marks.
• Scarecrow and crow — flannel and straw paired with black feathers.
• Day and night — sun and moon, painted in yellow and navy.
• Fortune teller and crystal ball — a scarf and shawl with a glowing globe prop.
• A pair of dice — two white boxes with black dots.
• Bride and groom of the dead — thrifted formalwear with skeleton face paint.

Family and group costume ideas

• Haunted house family — ghosts, a witch, a black cat and a bat.
• Farm crew — a farmer, a scarecrow, pumpkins and crows.
• Crayon box — each person in a different solid color with a paper label.
• Solar system — the sun, planets and one tiny Pluto.
• Bakery case — a donut, a cupcake, a cookie and a baker.
• Classic movie monsters — vampire, werewolf, mummy and monster.
• Deck of cards — king, queen, jack and ace on cardboard sandwich boards.
• Weather report — rain cloud, rainbow, sunshine and a lightning bolt.

Kids’ costume ideas

• Astronaut — white jumpsuit, patches and a cardboard “oxygen pack.”
• Dinosaur — a hoodie with felt spikes sewn down the back.
• Firefighter, doctor or chef — everyday hero costumes kids can reuse for dress-up.
• Pumpkin — orange shirt or tutu with a green leaf headband.
• Bumblebee or ladybug — striped or dotted top with antennae and wings.
• Robot — a box covered in foil, bottle caps and buttons.
• Knight or princess — a cardboard shield or a homemade crown.

Costume safety: bright colors and reflective tape help drivers see kids. Make sure hems don’t drag, shoes fit, and props are soft and short.

Pet costume ideas

• Hot dog — the classic bun costume for dachshunds and small dogs.
• Lion — a fluffy mane hood, perfect for cats and dogs who tolerate hats.
• Spider — a harness with soft plush legs.
• Bat wings — light wings that attach to a collar or harness.
• Pumpkin — a simple orange bandana with a green felt stem.

Only dress pets that are comfortable with it, and never use costumes that cover the eyes, mouth or nose. See our pet safety tips.

Last-minute DIY costumes

No time to shop? These use things most people already have:

• 1TouristHawaiian shirt, sunglasses, a camera around your neck and a map.
• 2Cereal killerGlue mini cereal boxes to a shirt and stab them with plastic knives.
• 3Smart cookieDress as a chef or cookie, plus glasses and a graduation cap.
• 4Black cat or mouseBlack or gray clothes, paper ears on a headband and eyeliner whiskers.
• 5Error 404: costume not foundWrite it on a plain T-shirt. Done.
• 6Bedsheet ghostAn old white sheet with carefully cut eye holes.
• 7Rosie the RiveterDenim shirt, red bandana, rolled sleeves and a flexed arm.
• 8GnomeA red paper cone hat, a cotton-ball beard and suspenders.

Halloween makeup tips

• Use cosmetic-grade face paint made for skin, not craft paint.
• Test new products on a small patch of skin a day or two before Halloween.
• Start with a light moisturizer or primer so paint glides on and comes off more easily.
• Set face paint with translucent powder to reduce smudging.
• Remove makeup before bed with an oil-based cleanser or makeup remover.
• Avoid decorative contact lenses not prescribed by an eye doctor — they can damage eyes.