You don't need a packaged costume or serious sewing skills for a good Halloween look. Nearly every costume I make starts with a plain base outfit from the closet and adds two or three handmade pieces on top: a hat, a set of wings, some felt shapes, a cardboard box. That's what the 35 ideas below do, from a scarecrow and a jellyfish to a bubble bath and a hot air balloon. Most can be finished in an afternoon, most work for adults, teens or kids, and for each one I've noted the construction detail that tends to fail and how I'd get around it, so the costume still looks right at the end of the night.
Glue, Pins or Thread for Each Material
Most homemade costumes fall apart at the joins, not the materials. Before I cut anything, I decide how each piece will hold on, because the right fastener depends on what you're sticking to what.
- Felt onto cotton: fabric glue works well, but give it a full day to cure before wearing.
- Felt onto polyester or fleece: glue grips poorly on slick synthetics, so I add a few hand stitches at the corners of letters and shapes.
- Cardboard and foam: hot glue is quick, but it turns brittle in cold air and pops off on a chilly night outdoors, so back it with tape or white glue at stress points.
- Anything on a borrowed or good shirt: safety pins and removable fabric tape, so the clothes go back in the wardrobe afterwards.
A basic kit covers almost all 35 of these: felt sheets, poster board, fabric glue, a low-temperature glue gun, duct tape, safety pins, elastic, a needle and thread, and sharp scissors you keep just for fabric. Blunt scissors chew felt edges and make even neat shapes look homemade in the wrong way.
1. Homemade Scarecrow Costume With Plaid Shirt
The scarecrow is the most forgiving homemade costume there is, because messy is the point. A plaid flannel shirt under denim overalls or relaxed jeans, then raffia, straw-coloured ribbon or strips of tan felt tied at the cuffs, ankles and pockets. Raffia sheds everywhere, so I tie it rather than glue it, and I put felt strips on any child who'll be in a car seat. Scrap-fabric patches can be stitched on with big, visible running stitches, which look better than neat ones here. Messy braids or a floppy straw hat, a brown triangle nose, freckles and little painted stitches at the mouth. A fabric crow or a bundle of artificial wheat, plus brown lace-up boots, and you can walk all evening in it.
2. Homemade Jellyfish Costume With Clear Umbrella
A jellyfish is just a pastel base outfit and a decorated clear umbrella. Pale blue, lavender, pink or white top and leggings, then strands of curling ribbon, tulle, yarn and iridescent fabric tied around the umbrella's rim. I knot every strand through the edge rather than taping it, because tape lets go once the umbrella flexes. Trim the tentacles to stop above your ankles so you don't step on them. Battery fairy lights can be wound up the ribs inside for a glow; keep the battery pack taped to the handle where you can reach the switch. Shimmery shadow and pearl face gems finish the face, with silver sneakers or pale rain boots. A wide umbrella is hard to manage in a packed room, so this one's at its best outdoors.
3. Homemade Black Cat Costume With Tulle Tail
A black cat is my standby when there's no time at all. A fitted black top with black leggings, jeans or a skirt over opaque tights. For the ears, cut two felt triangles, stiffen them with a second layer or a strip of card in between, and glue them to a plain headband; single-layer felt flops over by the end of the night. A stuffed fabric tube, a feather boa or a bendable felt tail pins to the back of the waistband. Black liner draws the nose, whiskers and a lifted eye. A ribbon collar with a small bell is optional, and black sneakers, loafers or ankle boots finish it.
4. Homemade Crayon Costume With Felt Hat
A crayon costume is one colour from head to toe, which makes it easy to get right. Pick a solid red, blue, yellow, green, purple or orange T-shirt dress, sweatshirt or top and pants. Black felt cut into wavy bands goes around the sleeves, waist and hem, and felt letters spell the colour name across the front. Fabric tape is fine for one night, but on a polyester sweatshirt felt letters tend to peel at the corners after a few hours, so I'd tack them with a few stitches if the costume is for a child who'll be climbing. Roll matching poster board into a cone for the tip and attach it to a headband or elastic. Matching eyeshadow, tights and sneakers in the same shade make it look finished.
5. Homemade Mummy Costume With Fabric Strips
The trick to a comfortable mummy is attaching the strips to clothes rather than wrapping a person. Start with a beige, grey or off-white long-sleeve shirt and leggings or sweatpants. Tear an old cotton sheet into wide strips, fray the edges, and tack them on in overlapping layers with fabric glue or a few loose stitches, leaving the knees, elbows, neck and waist free to bend. Tea-staining the strips the night before gives a dusty look that plain white never does. Wrap a few loosely around a beanie, never over the face. Grey and taupe shadow around the eyes ages it. Wrap the sneakers too if you like, but keep the soles and laces bare so nobody trips.
6. Homemade Garden Gnome Costume With Red Hat
A garden gnome comes down to the hat and the beard. A bright blue shirt with brown trousers, dark leggings or an earth-toned skirt, plus suspenders or a wide belt. I make the tall pointed hat from red felt or fleece over a poster-board cone, because the board keeps it standing and the fabric hides the seam. A soft white yarn beard on elastic hooks over the ears; keep it clear of the mouth so you can eat and talk, and loop the yarn rather than gluing it so it doesn't shed onto the shirt. Rosy cheeks, a small watering can or artificial mushroom, and brown boots or clogs. It works for adults and children equally well.
7. Homemade Bubble Bath Costume With White Balloons
Bubble bath is white clothes plus a lot of balloons. A white T-shirt and white pants, leggings or shorts over tights, then small white, pearl and clear balloons safety-pinned through their tied ends or clipped on. Cluster them at the shoulders and waist and keep the arms and legs free. Balloons pop when you sit, so I always blow up a few spares and leave the backs of the hips clear; they also shrink overnight, so inflate them on the day. Put a shower cap over a bun, wear dewy makeup and carry a bath brush, rubber duck or empty soap bottle. Keep balloons away from the face, and skip latex entirely if anyone in the house or at the party has a latex allergy.
8. Homemade Rosie The Riveter Costume With Denim
Rosie the Riveter is almost entirely closet clothes. A denim button-down with sleeves rolled neatly above the elbow, dark jeans, navy work pants or a high-waisted denim skirt. The red bandana with white dots is the piece that makes her, tied over a curled updo with the knot on top and a little hair showing at the front. Fold the bandana into a triangle, then roll it from the long edge before tying, which is how it stays put. Defined brows, black liner and a red lip. A paper name badge or small poster is an optional prop. Sturdy brown boots or white sneakers. It's comfortable enough for school or work.
9. Homemade Rain Cloud Costume With Felt Drops
A rain cloud costume is grey clothes with a fluffy hat. A light grey sweatshirt with grey leggings, trousers or a skirt and tights. Glue polyester stuffing onto a lightweight grey hat or wide headband, pulling the fibre apart first so it looks like cloud, not a pillow. Cut drops from blue felt, metallic paper or craft foam and hang them on clear thread at different lengths. Felt drops are the safest choice for kids, since foam and paper edges can be sharp at eye level. Keep every drop above the shoulders. A low bun, silver shadow, a hint of blue liner and grey sneakers or silver rain boots. A small blue umbrella is a nice touch if you have the room.
10. Homemade Ice Cream Sundae Costume With Cherry Headband
An ice cream sundae is a pastel outfit dressed with felt and pom-poms. A cream, pink or pastel dress, oversized tee or separates, with soft brown felt cut in drips around the shoulders as chocolate sauce. I sew the pom-pom sprinkles on with a couple of stitches each, because glued pom-poms pull off the moment a child picks at them, and they will. The whipped cream is gathered white tulle or fabric on a headband with a red pom-pom cherry on top. Wear your hair in a bun under it so the topping stays visible. Rosy makeup, a cardboard spoon or decorated paper cup, white tights and pastel sneakers or flats.
11. Homemade Pirate Costume With Striped Shirt
A striped shirt is the easiest start for a pirate. Black-and-white or red-and-white, with dark cropped trousers, a layered skirt or black jeans. A long fabric sash knotted at the hip, a thrifted vest and a wide belt add texture, and I fray the sash edge with scissors for a more weathered look. Loose waves, small braids or a bandana for the hair. Smudge brown shadow around the eyes and add a few freckles. A cardboard treasure map, toy telescope or pouch of plastic coins are safe props; leave anything that looks like a real blade at home. Striped socks and comfortable black boots finish it.
12. Homemade Ladybug Costume With Spotted Wings
A ladybug is mostly about the wings. A red top with black leggings, trousers or a tulle skirt over opaque tights, then black felt circles stuck on with removable fabric adhesive. The wings can be red poster board, fabric-covered cardboard or wire hangers bent into shape with red tights stretched over them. If you use hangers, I bend the cut ends back and wrap them in tape before the tights go on, because bare wire will snag a sweater and scratch skin. More black spots, elastic shoulder straps, and a black headband with short pipe-cleaner antennae. Rosy blush and tiny dotted accents by the eyes, with black flats, sneakers or ankle boots.
13. Homemade Robot Costume With Cardboard Boxes
A cardboard robot is all about sizing the box. Pick one that ends above your knees and sits on your shoulders, then cut neat head and arm holes with a craft knife. Cover it with silver paper or non-toxic craft paint, and glue on bottle caps, paper buttons, foil dials and flexible cardboard tubes. I tape the inside edges of every opening with duct tape, which stops the cardboard rubbing your neck and arms raw. A grey long-sleeve shirt and pants underneath, a smaller open-face headpiece or a silver headband with antennae, silver shadow and some geometric face lines. A small cardboard control panel can be carried as a prop. Grey sneakers give grip, and reflective tape on the box is a smart safety extra.
14. Homemade Ghost Costume With White Tulle
A sheet with eyeholes looks classic but you can't see a thing in it. I make ghosts from layers instead: a white top and white leggings, trousers or a simple dress, then uneven strips of white tulle, cheesecloth or gauze attached at the shoulders and waist. Cheesecloth tears into soft, ragged strips by hand, which is exactly the look you want. Keep the face, hands and feet uncovered. Messy waves or a few streaks of temporary white hair spray, pale makeup with soft grey shadow. A small white lantern with a battery light is a nice prop, and white sneakers or grey boots let you move freely.
15. Homemade Cactus Costume With Yarn Spikes
A cactus starts with a green sweatshirt and matching pants. Cut short pieces of white yarn, fold them into little V shapes and attach them all over with fabric glue or removable tape. Keep them short and soft; long yarn catches on furniture and gets pulled off. Pink or yellow tissue-paper flowers on one shoulder and a green beanie complete the top. Tuck your hair into the hat or braid it low. Green shadow and a small flower by one cheek. A cardboard flowerpot at the waist is fun, but only if you can still climb stairs and sit in it; otherwise skip it. Green sneakers or brown boots.
16. Homemade Fortune Teller Costume With Layered Skirt
A storybook fortune teller is built from colourful closet layers and keeps clear of any real culture or spiritual practice. A jewel-toned blouse with a long layered skirt, fitted vest and decorative belt, plus costume jewellery, scarves and metallic trim. Loose curls or a low side braid with a headband. Purple, blue or gold shadow with small star stickers at the temples. For the crystal ball, I set an iridescent ornament inside a clear plastic bowl and glue it to a cardboard base, which weighs almost nothing compared with glass. Flat ankle boots or ballet flats keep the long skirt from becoming a trip hazard. Keep it fantasy and playful.
17. Homemade Butterfly Costume With Painted Wings
Painted wings turn a butterfly into a real art project. A black long-sleeve top with black leggings, trousers or a jumpsuit is the canvas. Cut large matching wings from cardboard or sturdy poster board; I trace one side, flip the template, and trace the other, so they're truly symmetrical. Paint them, add paper shapes and glitter glue, and seal with a clear coat so the glitter doesn't end up on everyone you hug. Elastic straps hold them on, and the overall width should clear a doorway without turning sideways. Pipe-cleaner antennae on a black headband, colourful eyeshadow that picks up the wing colours, a silk flower and black sneakers or flats.
18. Homemade Popcorn Box Costume With Paper Kernels
A popcorn box is a red-and-white cardboard build that's easy for beginners. Cut a box to fit loosely around the torso and end above the knees, paint red stripes on white, and add a popcorn label. Crumple white and pale yellow tissue or paper into clusters and glue them around the top edge as kernels. I paint the stripes with masking tape as a guide, because freehand stripes on corrugated card always wobble. A white shirt with red leggings or pants underneath, a headband covered in smaller paper popcorn, red lipstick or bright blush, and a striped snack bag as the prop. White sneakers tie it together.
19. Homemade Deer Costume With Felt Antlers
A deer is soft, earthy and quick. A brown sweater, tunic or dress over brown leggings or trousers, plus a small tail in faux fur or stuffed felt pinned at the back. For the antlers, twist pipe cleaners into branches, wrap them tightly in brown yarn and glue them to a padded headband. Pipe cleaners alone are flimsy, so I twist two together for each main branch. A low bun or curls under the antlers. Brown shadow, a black nose, white freckles across the cheeks and soft contour suggest the markings. Carry an artificial branch or fabric leaves instead of anything sharp, and wear brown boots or moccasin-style flats.
20. Homemade Mad Scientist Costume With Lab Coat
The mad scientist is workwear made silly. A white lab coat, an oversized white button-down or a thrifted shirt over black pants and a bright top, with paper badges, felt pockets and plastic safety goggles. Tease the hair upward, pile it in a messy bun or add temporary white streaks. A little grey shadow at the temples and bold eyebrows sell the wild expression. Carry clear plastic containers of coloured water with the lids sealed tight, and I'd add a strip of tape around each lid too, because a leak on a white coat is the end of the costume. A cardboard clipboard with silly experiment notes, and black sneakers or flat boots.
21. Homemade Mushroom Costume With Spotted Hat
The mushroom cap is the whole costume, and the base underneath can be anything cream, tan or white. For the cap, cover a lightweight umbrella hat, a cardboard circle or a foam base with red fabric, then add round white felt spots. A cardboard circle wants a slight dome, so I cut a slit to the centre and overlap the edges before covering it. Attach it to a comfortable headband and keep the width narrow enough for doorways. Low braids or hair tucked under the cap, rosy blush and freckles. A basket of artificial moss and fabric flowers, cream tights and brown ankle boots finish the woodland look.
22. Homemade Skeleton Costume With White Tape
You can make a skeleton without paint or a bought bodysuit. Start with a plain black long-sleeve shirt and black pants, leggings or sweatpants, then lay out simple bone shapes in white fabric tape or cut felt across the arms, torso and legs. Put the clothes on and bend your knees and elbows while placing the pieces at the joints, because tape applied flat pulls and buckles the moment you move. Slick hair back or tuck it under a black beanie. Keep the face stylised: white base, grey shading, clean black lines. A small cardboard anatomy sign is a funny extra, and black sneakers keep the bones crisp.
23. Homemade Strawberry Costume With Green Collar
Strawberry is a red outfit plus a felt collar. A red dress, long sweatshirt or red top and pants, with small seed shapes cut from yellow or cream felt and stuck front and back. The leafy collar is felt triangles stitched or glued along a ribbon or soft elastic, and it looks fuller if you overlap two rows. Add a green headband with fabric leaves over a bun or braids. Rosy makeup, a soft green liner and a few freckles. A woven basket or berry label is an easy prop. Green tights are optional; red sneakers, green flats or neutral ankle boots all suit it.
24. Homemade Astronaut Costume With Silver Details
A white sweatsuit makes a comfortable astronaut base. Silver tape around the cuffs, waist, knees and shoulders, plus felt or printed paper mission patches. A lightweight cardboard control panel straps to the front without covering the zipper. A clear plastic bowl can become an open-front helmet decoration, but I'd never close the face in; it fogs up and gets hot within minutes. Hair tied back, silver shadow and tiny stars. A cardboard flag or foam planet to carry. The silver backpack from two painted plastic bottles strapped side by side is the detail people notice, and white high-tops or boots finish it.
25. Homemade Flower Pot Costume With Petal Headband
Flower pot is a green stem outfit with a pot at the waist and petals on the head. A green top with green leggings or trousers, then a large plastic planter or a light cardboard container cut to fit around the waist and held up with suspenders. Cut plastic edges are sharp, so I cover them with a strip of felt or foam before trying it on. Poster-board petals fasten around a padded headband over a bun. Green shadow, rosy cheeks, artificial leaves on the sleeves and a small watering can. Green sneakers disappear into the stem.
26. Homemade Bank Robber Costume With Money Bag
A cartoon bank robber is quick with black-and-white basics. A striped long-sleeve shirt, black jeans, leggings or trousers, and a black knit cap. The felt eye mask should sit over the eye area without narrowing your view, so I cut the eye holes generously and try it on in a hallway before going out. Hair tucked under the cap, neutral makeup and defined brows. For the money bag, draw a big dollar sign on a pillowcase with fabric marker and stuff it loosely with tissue paper. Play money only. Black sneakers or lace-up boots for walking.
27. Homemade Minion Costume With Denim Overalls
A bright yellow long-sleeve top, denim overalls and black gloves are the base for this cartoon helper. Make round goggles from silver-painted cardboard rings attached to a black headband, worn on the forehead or around the head, not directly over the eyes. Black elastic sewn to the rings holds better than a headband if the wearer is small. A yellow beanie with a few short black yarn strands is optional. Tuck hair away and keep makeup minimal. A cardboard tool or felt banana makes a good prop, and black sneakers or work boots finish it. Because the base is so cheap, it's a great one for siblings or whole families to do in matching versions.
28. Homemade Traffic Light Costume With Colored Circles
A traffic light is a graphic costume you can finish in an hour. An all-black long-sleeve top with black pants, leggings or a simple shift dress, and one red, one yellow and one green circle in felt or craft foam stacked down the front. Draw round a bowl for the circles; freehand circles never look right on a costume this simple. A black cardboard frame around them adds structure if you want it. A sleek ponytail or black cap, a small line of the three colours across the lids, and a cardboard stop sign as a prop. Black sneakers keep the base unbroken.
29. Homemade Mime Costume With Suspenders
A mime needs almost no construction. A striped shirt with black trousers, cropped pants or a knee-length skirt over tights, black suspenders, white gloves and a red neck scarf. Hair under a black beret, in a low bun or slicked back. For the face, I use a sheer white base rather than thick paint, plus black liner, defined brows and a small red lip, and set the white with powder so it doesn't transfer onto the scarf. An empty lightweight picture frame is great for silent poses in photos. Black flats, loafers or lace-ups, and it works at any age.
30. Homemade Pumpkin Costume With Felt Leaves
A round pumpkin suit is bulky and hot, so I'd rather dress in orange. An orange sweatshirt, sweater dress or oversized tee with orange or black leggings, then a friendly jack-o'-lantern face cut from black felt and attached to the front. Green felt leaves at the neckline or shoulders, and a small rolled-felt stem on a green headband. If you want a hint of roundness, a little polyester stuffing pinned inside the front of a loose sweatshirt does it without the heat. Braids or a bun, orange shadow and rosy cheeks. A fabric vine or a light candy bucket, with green sneakers, brown boots or black flats.
31. Homemade Beekeeper And Bee Couple Costume
The bee and beekeeper is a couple costume where each person reads on their own and better together. The bee wears a black-and-yellow striped top with black pants or a tulle skirt, soft fabric wings, an antenna headband and black sneakers. The beekeeper wears beige trousers, a white shirt and a light utility jacket, plus a wide-brim hat with sheer white tulle sewn around the brim. Gather the tulle so it hangs behind and to the sides, never across the face. Natural hair and makeup for the beekeeper, a clean gardening glove, an empty honey-style jar and beige boots. Keep the wings soft enough to squash when you sit.
32. Homemade Rock Paper Scissors Group Costume
Rock, paper, scissors needs three people and very little sewing. Rock wears grey with a lightweight foam or crumpled-paper rock panel, grey makeup, tousled hair and grey sneakers. Paper wears white with a big lined poster-board sheet on the torso, neat hair and white shoes. Scissors wears silver and black with oversized cardboard blades fixed along the sides, never pointing forward, plus silver makeup and slick hair. A small hand-sign card each makes the joke obvious. I keep every panel above the knee and no wider than the shoulders, so the three of you can walk side by side through a door.
33. Homemade Little Red Riding Hood Costume
Little Red Riding Hood is a red cape over simple clothes. A white blouse with a black or brown skirt, dark leggings and a fitted vest or wide belt. The hooded cape is a good first sewing project: fleece doesn't fray, so you can cut a half circle, add a simple hood and skip hemming altogether. A repurposed blanket or felt also works. Tie it with fabric ties sitting loosely at the neck, never tight. Soft curls or braids under the hood, rosy cheeks and a berry lip. A wicker basket with a checked cloth and fake flowers, plus brown lace-up or ankle boots. Keep the cape above the ankles so it won't drag.
34. Homemade Toy Soldier Costume With Cardboard Hat
A toy soldier is festive tailoring, not military realism. A red blazer, fitted cardigan or buttoned jacket with black trousers and a white shirt, gold ribbon across the chest and cuffs, and felt buttons. The tall hat is a black poster-board cylinder with a top circle and a gold paper emblem. I line the inside rim with a strip of felt or foam so it grips the head and doesn't rub, and add an elastic chin strap for kids. Hair tucked in or tied low. Round rosy cheeks, defined brows and clean liner give the painted-toy face. A cardboard drum on a wide ribbon instead of any weapon-like prop, and black knee-high or polished ankle boots.
35. Homemade Hot Air Balloon Costume With Basket
The hot air balloon is the most ambitious build here, but it's all light materials. A sky-blue shirt with neutral trousers, leggings or jeans. Cut the basket from a cardboard box, paint or draw a woven pattern on it, and hang it from wide fabric suspenders. Four flexible rods or narrow cardboard tubes rise from the corners to a cluster of balloons well above the head. Fasten the rods to the inside corners with tape and a few zip ties, because glue alone won't hold once you start walking. Leave plenty of open space for vision. A low ponytail, braids or a small aviator cap, fresh makeup and a paper map. Brown boots or sneakers support you in the larger frame.
Cardboard Costumes in Crowds and Drizzle
The robot, popcorn box, rock panel and hot air balloon all lean on cardboard, which is light and cheap but has two weak spots: width and water. A box that clears your shoulders at home can still catch in a crowded hallway or a car door, so measure your narrowest doorway and keep everything a little inside it. Rounding off the box corners with scissors also stops them snagging on other people.
Cardboard softens fast in rain and on damp grass. A coat of clear acrylic sealer or even a layer of wide packing tape over the painted surface buys you a few hours of drizzle. If the forecast is bad, I'd pick one of the fabric costumes instead and save the box for an indoor party.
Straps that don't dig in
Thin string cuts into shoulders within an hour. Use wide ribbon, webbing or old suspenders, and thread them through slits reinforced with duct tape on the inside of the box so they can't tear through. For children, adjustable straps let a parent loosen everything over a coat when the evening gets cold.
Wear It Around the House Once First
Every homemade costume I've seen fail did so for the same reasons: it blocked someone's view, it dragged on the floor, or a glued piece let go halfway through the night. So before Halloween, put the whole thing on and walk around the house in it for twenty minutes. Sit down, climb the stairs, go through a doorway and check that every headpiece, cardboard piece, cape and prop stays put. Felt, poster board, fabric tape, recycled boxes and thrifted clothes cover most of the build and keep the cost low, and the colours, layers and shoes can all change for age, weather and where you're going. That one rehearsal is what turns a craft project into a costume you'll actually enjoy wearing.
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