Halloween is here! If you’re on the hunt for a creative costume, here are 19 easy DIY costumes that can be thrown together in an afternoon. The best part? Most of these easy costume ideas can be made with simple supplies you have on hand or can be bought at the grocery store. Think: poster board, glow sticks, junk mail, clear packing tape, glows sticks, and red bandanas.
19 Easy DIY Costumes Ideas for Adults
There are a few cardboard costumes on this list, but cardboard can be turned into anything! So, if you don’t find an easy enough costume to throw together on this list, don’t miss these 13 cardboard costume ideas!
1. Filter/ No Filter Costume
You definitely need 2 people for this costume, but the costume itself could not be easier. Likely one person will need a wig, and some version of the same outfit. Check out C.R.A.F.T. for 5 versions of the filter/ no filter snapchat costume.
2. Village People Group Costume
I know you know the song “YMCA”, right? That’s the Village People. This is an easy DIY group costume idea with 6 choices of characters. Best part? You likely have most of the pieces needed for these costumes on hand. Your quick costume choices are: Construction worker, Police man, Cowboy, Army, Indian or Leather man.
Side note: Mila substituted Army for Navy.
3. Tourist
The essentials for this costume include a location t-shirt, camera, hat, fanny pack, white socks, sneakers and a peace sign for picture taking. I love the idea of a whole pack of tourists!
4. Where’s Waldo
Grab a red and white striped t-shirt from a second hand store, black rimmed glasses, jeans, and a red and white beanie. If you’re pregnant, add a tiny felted Waldo head to your belly with a safety pin. Oh and if you can’t find a striped t-shirt last minute, consider using a solid red t-shirt and adding stripes with white Duct tape or vice versa.
5. Tired Mom
Top knot, baby on your back, Target bags, sneakers and a Starbucks cup are the perfect accessories for the tired mom costume!
6. Bob Ross
If you have a beard, this Bob Ross costume is perfect! (If you don’t have a beard, check out this wig/ beard combo!) All you need is a button down short, jeans, a wig, and a DIY cardboard paint palette.
7. Grandpa
Plaid pants, belt, large jacket, funky hat, pipe, and a pillow to make the belly extra round. This grandpa costume could not be easier! Add Grandma for extra points.
8. Captain Recycle
Green pants and t-shirt plus anything from the recycle bin! Use tape and safety pins to attach the goods and you’re Captain Recycle!
9. Bank robbers
Black and white striped t-shirts, black pants, black masks, pillow case, black marker to make money signs on the pillow cases. Bam! If you have a navy jacket on hand, the police plus bank robber costume combo is another fun idea!
10. Dancing emoji girl
Red dress, red shoes, and you must strike the post as often as possible! The scarecrow is an easy costume idea too!
11. 80’s prom queens
You can find 80’s dresses at any thrift store. Add crowns and sashes for next level Prom Queens!
12. Glow stick person costume
This is the ultimate quick costume assuming you have all of the supplies on hand. You need: Black pants, black shirt, glow sticks, and clear packing tape. Assembly takes 10 minutes or less! It is fair to note that this costume does not look good in the light, but it’s awesome for the dark!
13. Chia pet costume
It’s fun to note that Ch, ch, cha chia pets were created in 1977! This adorable, super easy costume is as simple as buying a black shower cap and hot gluing fake greenery to the top of the hat. For more details check out C.R.A.F.T.
Easy Punny Halloween Costumes
14. French Press
Black and white t-shirt, easy button from Staples, red paint, and red neck tie, blonde wig and long cigarette a plus.
15. Mail Stripper
All you need for this quick costume is scissors and junk mail. Best part? This punny costume is sure to get a good laugh.
16. Chocolate chip cookie
Turn a cardboard box and black construction paper into a chocolate chip cookie costume in a couple of hours!
Cardboard costumes
The following easy Halloween costumes are made from cardboard. Grab a box cutter and get ready to craft up a costume. Poster board can be substituted for cardboard. It’s easier to cut, comes in lots of colors to avoid painting, and can be purchased at most grocery stores! Here are 13 more cardboard costumes ideas!
17. Cassette tape
Turn a cardboard box, box cutter and paint into a cassette tape costume!
18. Deviled Egg
Poster board, fishing line, hole punch, yellow t-shirt, and devil horns makes the perfect deviled egg costume!
19. Flower costume
I used cardboard and spray paint to make this easy flower costume. With dry time, the costume took me about 3 hours to make. Feel free to add a seed packet costume for a coordinated DIY costume.
What’s your favorite handmade adult costume from the list? And did you decide who/what you are going to dress up as for Halloween?
Want more easy DIY costumes? Check out these posts:
Comments & Reviews
Where are the directions for the Operation Costume?!?!
nice article with awesome images
Thanks so much for including my mermaid costume on your list! You can read more about it here: https://buymelovestore.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/make-it-monday-look-at-this-stuff-isnt-it-neat-how-to-be-a-mermaid/
hi Jamie,
I really like your Ideas related to this Halloween ideas for Adults, i am college student, and some of my friends have asked for the Halloween Ideas for their Home Party, so i think these ideas will be really fit for them.
Thanks
Awesome post.