98 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes That Turned Out Great (2025)

The folks at Hubbub highlight that 4 in 10 Halloween costumes are thrown away after only being worn once, and many are made from plastic, so the cost of looking creepy is creeping up. To help folks create a more sustainable costume, they offer these DIY dress-up ideas that can save not only money and time but also help the planet:

1. Iconic costumes from everyday clothes. Real-life figures like the Spice Girls, David Attenborough, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or fictional ones like Rosie the Riveter or Paddington Bear have looks that are instantly recognizable but can also be assembled from what's already in your wardrobe, so start by "cataloging" what you already have. Maybe your next Halloween costume is already laying in your wardrobe.

2. Are there any old outfits haunting the back of your cupboard from many moons ago? If single-use clothing and its associated packaging gives you the shivers, try to see if you can find an old costume and bring back the ghost of Halloween past.

3. Top of the props. If you don't like the costume you end up with because it looks a bit too flat, fashion it with freaky accessories from leftover cardboard or paper you already have. Swords, ears, hats, and wings can all be cut from cereal boxes and painted or covered with fabric, and there are lots of tutorials online that can teach you how.

4. Paint yourself scary. You can pick up non-toxic, cruelty-free body paint for quite cheap from most fancy-dress shops and transform into an orc or some other beast super fast.

Now go kill it!