Easy DIY Halloween Costumes
Pull most of these pieces from your closet, add one inexpensive item, and you're ready to rock your Halloween. We've ordered these so the easiest is listed first, and we've estimated their "assembly" times.
1 Ghost
What you need: A white flat sheet and a pair of scissors.
- Effort: Easiest
- Cost: $0–12
- Time: 5 min
Make it look good
- Drape the sheet, mark where your eyes line up, then cut. Ensures you can see out of it.
- Tack a square of black tulle behind the holes to give it a hollow-eyed look you can still see through.
- Weight or round the hem — sewing a few coins into a pocket can do it — so it hangs like a ghost.
Rather not cut your good linens? A few stores sell inexpensive versions. None of these is special-order, so if Halloween is less than a week away, order online for in-store pickup. That way you find out whether the store can fill it before you make the trip.
Walmart Our pick
Mainstays Percale Flat Sheet, Arctic White, Twin/Twin XL · $11.84
Walmart's $11.84 Mainstays flat sheet is the one to cut Arctic white; a twin drapes an adult with room to spare.
Any plain white flat sheet does the job, so grab the cheapest you find.
See it at Walmart →Also checked
Best if you want the easiest costume here and a sheet you don't mind cutting.
2 Witch
What you need: An all-black outfit and a pointy hat.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$10
- Time: 5 min
The hat
Amazon Our pick
gagift world 18" Witch Hat · See current price at Amazon
A tall felt hat with a wire in the point you can bend into a proper witch's curve. Felt also holds its shape better than knit. Ships flat, so puff it out first.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The makeup
Only the classic green witch needs makeup; the modern witch skips it.
Amazon Our pick
Snazaroo Face Paint Set, Rainbow, 8 Colors · See current price at Amazon
The classic witch goes green from the jaw up — the 8-color kit has the green for the skin and the black for the eyes.
It washes off after, and the green is the whole job, so the basic set covers it.
Eight colors to use one, which is what a green that actually covers costs. This one comes from Amazon direct, not a reseller.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you own black clothes and want a hat with a real witch shape.
3 Pirate
What you need: A billowy white shirt, dark pants, and an accessory kit.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$10
- Time: 5 min
Amazon Our pick
CICOCI Pirate Accessories Set (6 pc) · See current price at Amazon
One inexpensive kit covers the pirate look with a bandana, sash, eyepatch, and jewelry in six pieces.
See it at Amazon →Checked Spirit and the costume specialists. They sell full $40-plus pirate outfits, not a cheap accessory kit.
Best if you own a loose shirt and want every piece in one cheap order.
4 Vampire
What you need: Formal black clothes and a cape, with fangs if you want them.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$12–19
- Time: 5 min
The cape
Amazon Our pick
yolsun Reversible Vampire Cape · See current price at Amazon
The budget pick is two capes in one, with red on one side, black on the other, and a stand-up collar.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The fangs
Amazon Our pick
COOLJOY Vampire Fangs (4 sizes) · See current price at Amazon
Reusable fangs in four sizes you can re-mold to fit. Cheap fangs are hit-or-miss; you're paying for the re-moldable beads.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The makeup
Optional: improvise the pale face and blood drip, or paint them clean from one kit.
Amazon Our pick
Snazaroo Face Paint Set, Rainbow, 8 Colors · See current price at Amazon
Use the white for the face, black to sink the eyes, red for the drip — the 8-color kit has all three and washes off clean. Three colors is all a vampire needs.
It's the mid-tier kit rather than a bargain crayon pack, and five of the eight colors go unused on a vampire. Amazon sells and ships it.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you own something formal and want fangs you can refit.
5 Deer
What you need: A brown or tan outfit and an antler-and-ears headband.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$10
- Time: 5 min
The headband
Amazon Our pick
woxafo Deer Antlers Headband · See current price at Amazon
Antlers and spotted ears bundled in the only costume antler headband we found. The spots make it a fawn rather than a generic woodland animal.
See it at Amazon →Checked Target, Walmart, and Spirit. None carry a costume antler headband to match.
The makeup
The nose and spots are optional polish — but paint them and it's unmistakably a deer.
Amazon Our pick
Snazaroo Face Paint Set, Rainbow, 8 Colors · See current price at Amazon
A black nose and a few white spots make the deer — the 8-color kit paints both, then washes off a child's skin. Two colors is all a fawn face takes.
A mid-priced kit for a two-color job, which is what paint gentle enough for a child's face costs.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you wear earth tones and want antlers and ears in one piece.
6 Cow
What you need: A black-and-white outfit and an ears-and-horns headband.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$10
- Time: 5 min
Spirit Halloween Our pick
Cow Ear Headband · $7.99
Spirit's $7.99 headband pairs ears with horns and horns are what say cow instead of generic animal.
It comes in at less than half the boxed-costume price, so it stays ahead even once shipping is added.
See it at Spirit Halloween →Also checked
Best if you own black and white and want horns, not just ears.
7 Ladybug
What you need: A red top and black bottoms, and a wings-and-antennae set.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$15
- Time: 10 min
Amazon Our pick
Funcredible Ladybug Wings & Headband Set · See current price at Amazon
One set buys you wings and antennae, which is the cheap path to the look; the costume stores jump to full Miraculous Ladybug outfits.
See it at Amazon →Checked Spirit and Target. Only full $40-plus ladybug costumes, no cheap wings-and-antennae set.
Best if you own red and black and want wings without a bodysuit.
8 Scarecrow
What you need: A plaid shirt, jeans, and a hat-and-raffia kit.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$14
- Time: 10 min
Amazon Our pick
quescu 7-Piece Scarecrow Set · See current price at Amazon
The budget kit is what turns everyday plaid into a scarecrow with a straw-trimmed pointed hat plus a raffia collar, cuffs, and belt.
A bare straw hat alone looks like a farmer; the raffia poking from the cuffs is the difference.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The makeup
The stitched face is drawn on, not bought. The kit just supplies the colors.
Amazon Our pick
Snazaroo Face Paint Set, Rainbow, 8 Colors · See current price at Amazon
Black for the stitches and nose, red for the rosy cheeks — the water-based set has both, then washes off a kid's face before school.
Two colors, and the scarecrow's whole face is done.
Mid-range rather than a dollar-store set, and most of the palette sits idle on a scarecrow. Amazon sells and ships this one itself.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you own flannel and want the raffia that sells the look.
9 Alien
What you need: A metallic, silver, or all-black outfit, with antennae and green face paint.
- Effort: A little more
- Cost: ~$18
- Time: 15 min
The antennae
Amazon Our pick
Veemoon Light-Up Martian Antenna Headband · See current price at Amazon
Light-up green antennae give that otherworldly alien look on their own; you don't need a full outfit.
The costume stores sell complete alien costumes only, so this headband's the cheap route.
See it at Amazon →Checked Spirit. Full alien costumes only, no cheap antennae headband.
The face paint
Amazon Our pick
Go Ho Green Face Paint Stick · See current price at Amazon
A single green stick covers the face in one pass then blends and washes off. A single-color stick beats a multi-color kit if you'll leave most of it unused.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you'll commit to green face paint and own something metallic or black.
10 Jellyfish
What you need: A white or clear outfit, a clear dome umbrella, and battery-powered string lights, with strips of clear plastic or bubble wrap for the tentacles.
- Effort: A little more
- Cost: ~$30
- Time: 20 min
The umbrella
Target Our pick
ShedRain Clear Bubble Umbrella · $19.99
Target has the same ShedRain dome for $19.99 the cheaper of the two, for the same brand.
The clear dome is the jellyfish's bell.
See it at Target →Also checked
The lights
Fairy lights are a stock item rather than a special order. With less than a week to go, order online for in-store pickup, so you find out whether the store can fill it before you set off.
Amazon Our pick
suddus 33ft Battery Fairy Lights · See current price at Amazon
33 feet of battery fairy lights enough to wind the whole dome and control it with a remote. The longest run we found.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you'll wire the lights into the umbrella and want the boldest costume here.
11 Cat
What you need: An all-black outfit and cat ears.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$8
- Time: 10 min
The ears
Amazon Our pick
OLYPHAN Cat Ears and Tail Costume · See current price at Amazon
Faux-fur ears and a clip-on tail make this the budget ears-and-tail set.
The ears sit on a covered band and the tail clips on. Want paws and a collar too? The four-piece below includes them.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The makeup
The whiskers and nose are just a few lines of face paint.
Amazon Our pick
Snazaroo Face Paint Set, Rainbow, 8 Colors · See current price at Amazon
The nose and whiskers are mostly black — Snazaroo's basic set draws them and wipes off with soap and water. A cat barely touches the palette, so it's plenty.
It's the mid-tier kit, and it earns that by laying down smoothly and lifting off with soap. It's a first-party Amazon listing, not a reseller's.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you own black clothes and want a costume that's mostly a few lines drawn on your face.
12 Clown
What you need: A baggy, colorful outfit you can pull from your closet or thrift, plus suspenders.
- Effort: Medium
- Cost: ~$11
- Time: 20 min
The makeup
The face is the costume, so this is the one buy that matters. A complete kit beats buying white, red, and black separately, and the good ones throw in the nose.
Amazon Our pick
Rubies Clown Deluxe Make Up Kit · See current price at Amazon
Rubies' kit is the most complete for the money
- an 8-color tray
- a white cream tube
- five makeup sticks
- a sponge
- a classic red nose
The colors lean bright and classic rather than horror-movie.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The wig
A rainbow wig finishes the silhouette, but it's optional. A thrifted hat, sprayed-in color, or your own hair all work too.
HalloweenCostumes.com Our pick
Rainbow Afro Clown Wig · $9.99
A rainbow afro, the classic clown shape big and bright, one size fits most — HalloweenCostumes.com's own wig, priced and shipped direct.
It's not returnable once you open the package, so treat it as a final purchase.
See it at HalloweenCostumes.com →Also checked
Best if you want a costume that's mostly a makeup kit plus whatever bright, baggy clothes you can dig up.
13 Bunny
What you need: White or grey clothes, bunny ears, and a cottontail.
- Effort: Easy
- Cost: ~$10
- Time: 10 min
The ears and tail
Amazon Our pick
U-Goforst Bunny Ears Headband and Tail · See current price at Amazon
Ears and a clip-on cottontail together make this the only set here that dresses the back of the costume as well as the front.
Long plush ears on a covered band, and the tail clips to a waistband. Sold by the brand's own Amazon storefront and shipped by Amazon.
If you want ears you can pose, or ears from a store rather than a box, both are below.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
The makeup
A bunny face is a white muzzle, a pink nose, and whiskers: three colors, four marks.
Amazon Our pick
Snazaroo Face Paint Palette Kit, Rainbow · See current price at Amazon
A bunny needs white and pink which a single black liner cannot give you. The rainbow palette carries both, plus the black for whiskers.
Water-based, so it lifts off with soap and water. Sold and shipped by Amazon.
See it at Amazon →Also checked
Best if you own something white or grey and would rather spend ten dollars once than assemble a costume from parts.
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Prices checked July 24, 2026 – September 4, 2026. Stores set their own prices and may change them. The “See it at” links go to the live listing.