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Last-minute Halloween costume ideas that are quick and easy, but will still bag you 'best costume' prize
For when you've officially left it too late to get crafty 🎃🙌
Halloween is fast approaching, and if you've left it until the eleventh hour to even start thinking about what you're going to wear to the Halloween party you've been invited to, chances are you're feeling pretty panicked right about now. Well, worry not because all you need is a last-minute Halloween costume. And, you'll be pleased to hear, they're much easier to sort out than you might initially think.
The best last-minute looks require minimum effort while still delivering maximum impact. You don't want it to look like you totally forgot (which you almost definitely did) or that you've just been lazy and don't care. Nope, the best last-minute Halloween costumes are those that look like you 100% planned to go wearing said costume allllllll along, right?
Now, since you're in the 'last minute' domain, chances are, you might not have the luxury of extended shipping or delivery windows (the story of my life). To that end, we've rounded up a load of costume ideas that can be created with items that you more than likely already own – minimum DIY craft glue involved, promise. Worst case scenario, the things required to pull together these last-minute costumes are fairly generic, so it should be pretty easy to get your hands on them at short notice.
With little time to sort out a wig, why not use your hair colour as a starting point? There are so many great Halloween costumes for blondes, and those with red hair are spoilt for choice too with iconic 'fits. Or, re-wear your Eras Tour ensemble for a Taylor Swift-inspired costume.
We told you – with so many options, you really don't need to panic. Keep scrolling to check out our selection of the best last-minute costumes to recreate at home for Halloween 2024...
Morticia Addams
What you'll need: A black maxi dres and a long black wig, and that's pretty much it. Dramatic eyeliner and a red lip will get you added style points.
Taylor Swift
What you'll need: Now this one is really easy – simply re-wear your Eras Tour concert outfit and call yourself Taylor.
Skeleton
What you'll need: Get a plain white t-shirt and a pair of scissors and get to cutting to create the bones of your spooky skeleton. We'd recommend following along with a YouTube tutorial so you don't go wrong. Wear all black underneath and finish with Halloween make-up. Simple!
Tashi from Challengers
What you'll need: If you're a keen tennis fan, you're bound to have the perfect gear to dress as Zendaya's character in Challengers. Why not convince two of your besties to go as Art and Patrick (wearing baggy t-shirts and boxers) for a great group costume?
Avril Lavigne
What you'll need: Our Avril obsession was fully reignited after this year's Glastonbury. Honour the artist this Halloween by wearing a white tank, tie and a pair of cargo pants. Easy!
The Bear
What you'll need: Literally just a blue apron, white t-shirt and jeans – à la frazzled, talented chefs Sydney and Carmy in The Bear. Remember though, ‘real’ chefs don't wipe their hands on their aprons (says Carmy), so skip the greasy pawprints for extra points.
A vampire
What you'll need: A black dress and red lipstick is literally all you need for this spooky fave. It doesn't get any easier than this.
Moo Deng
What you'll need: Our love for Moo Deng knows no bounds, and it's actually surprising easy to dress up as everyone's favourite hippo this Halloween. Wear a grey cardigan and skirt or jeans with a pink top, then add an animal ears headband. Too cute! Or ya know, you could always order a hippo onesie on Amazon...
Posh Spice
What you'll need: A little Gucci dress – ya'know, if you wanna go full VB vibes, but any spaghetti strap LBD will do juuuust fine. Finish with a pair of minimalist heels and straight hair.
Sporty Spice
What you'll need: Speaking of the Spice Girls, there's this super easy Sporty Spice costume, which you can whip up with a pair of tracksuit bottoms, a vest, white trainers and, of course, a high ponytail.
Scary Spice
What you'll need: Okay, you may as well get all your gals together and dress up as the Spice Girls for a group costume bursting with girl power. Scary Spice is pretty easy to sort last-minute thanks to leopard print making a return as one of autumn winter's biggest fashion trends! Don the animal print head to toe and you're good to go.
A cowgirl
What you'll need: Even if you didn't go to Beyoncé's Renaissance tour, you likely bought a pair of cowboy boots in the last year. Channel Queen B's Cowboy Carter era or grab a cowboy hat, jeans and a fringed shirt and go as a generic cowgirl.
Felix from Saltburn
What you'll need: Surely *everyone* owns a white tank top and jeans? Add a pair of gold angel wings and you'll nail Jacob Elordi's character in Saltburn.
The Australian break dancer from the Paris 2024 Olympics
What you'll need: A tracksuit, cap, trainers and your finest moves. Even if you don't recreate this look to a tee, people will love the pop culture ref.
Sandy from Grease
What you'll need: This costume is a classic, and for good reason. Sure, Olivia Newton-John as Sandy is still a style icon, but it's also a really easy outfit to replicate. A black off-the-shoulder top and leather trousers or leggings is all you need, then curl your hair and add a swipe of red lipstick.
A Greek goddess
What you'll need: A white dress and gold jewellery is all you need to dress as a Greek goddess. But, if you don't have that, a spare bed sheet will work just as well!
Paul Mescal
What you'll need: No time to prep a Gladiator II costume? May we suggest Paul Mescal's iconic micro shorts and blue shirt look instead? Raid your boyfriend, brother, bestie, hey even your dad's wardrobe to pull this look together in minutes.
Adam Sandler
What you'll need: Of course, at the other end of the spectrum with an oversized tee, baggy basketball shorts and a cap is Adam Sandler. Again, raiding your dad's wardrobe works for this look too – dadcore and Sandlercore are pretty much the same thing, after all.
Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
Natasha Harding is the former Fashion Editor (Digital & Print) at Cosmopolitan & Women's Health UK. Working in fashion journalism for just under ten years, she’s covered over 30 international fashion weeks, hundreds of red carpets and religiously scours the runway every season to create the brand’s bi-annual trend report. Joining Cosmopolitan back in Australia, Natasha moved to London a few years ago and is now the resident expert for celebrity style and industry news, fashion features and e-commerce. Follow Natasha on Instagram
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