Last Minute Halloween Costumes

 I enjoy making Halloween costumes, but I admit that there are years where there just isn’t time, money, or resources to make something happen in advance. Luckily, I am a repeat offender often using the “tape paper to your shirt” method to achieve my goal, which offers a quick and easy solution while still allowing me to be creative (some past favorites include a Mean Girls style Burn Book specifically tailored for the show I was stage managing and Archive of Our Own tags). And because I have a weird brain, here are some ideas for you if you too are a last-minute costumer. 

1. Huntrix from Kpop Demon Hunters, BUT the scene where they’re in disguise watching Saja Boys perform “Soda Pop”—Rumi’s sweatshirt-based incognito look is probably the easiest to replicate while being the most distinct, but all you need for Mira’s getup is a ball cap, and for Zoey a bucket hat, so base your choice on whatever you have on hand. 

2. Similarly: Damian in that one scene from Mean Girls where he infiltrates the all-girls meeting wearing a sweatshirt and sunglasses. 

3. A piece of paper or a sign taped to your shirt is a simple but powerful tool. You can be something scary (a meeting invite from your boss; a jury duty summons, a spam email), reference an inside joke with friends, write a quote from a reality show or viral moment you think people will immediately recognize, add a social media platform logo, be your favorite book of the Bible or gossip from Lady Whistledown or the iconic Wentworth love letter from Persuasion, etc. 

4. A recycling bin: hang a reusable bag over your neck or shoulder, or carry a box or bin and collect people’s recyclables all night. 

5. Something book-related—I’m being a TBR by wearing a giant notepad and carrying markers/leaving space for people to write their own recommendations, but you could do the same using the piece of paper method, or carry a cup or box for people to put slips of paper in instead. My sister is being an overdue notice from the library (very scary, I know). Similar ideas: your own Goodreads/Pagebound/Storygraph review of your favorite book OR a book you hated, “blind date with a book” if you use a brown paper bag or Manila envelope as your sign medium of choice, or you could write a stereotypical description of a book in your favorite genre (romcom, fantasy, historical fiction, western, horror) and pick out your outfit to match that theme. 

5. For kids under 5 or if you are accompanying a group of children that young, a simple but cute idea is to dress monochrome in one color or pattern and be that color/pattern as your costume—I feel like I would have loved going as Purple or Polka Dots as a kid. 

6. For a group costume: reality shows can be a good move here: one person is Jeff Probst and everyone else are Survivor contestants, any combination of Bachelor/ettes, the judges from DWTS if you make some simple scoring paddles out of paper, everyone wears aprons and are Bake-off contestants and if someone wants to be Paul in blue, Noel in goth, and Prue in multicolor statement jewelry, go for it. You can go as specific or as basic as you want for this, and it offers more opportunity for creativity in that way. 

7. If you’re attending an event with mainly friends, family, coworkers, or a partner, sometimes the most accessible but most effective costume is to dress up as each other. You have to be very careful not to insult anyone and of course it helps when the person has a distinct look to emulate, but in general it can be a fun option. 

8. You know that SNL skit about the couple you can’t believe are still together? Yeah? You know what to do. 

BONUS: If you are a Kpop fan, you could attempt a group costume where everyone dresses like one member during a practice video (my choice would be BTS’s Baepsae rehearsal because those outfits are WILD) but that might be on the niche side depending on what event you’re attending.