Every year without fail, away football games, homecoming, and my sorority’s Big Little night always seem to fall right around Halloween, leaving me with pretty much zero funds to invest in an awesome costume. So, what’s a girl to do when she’s broke but still wants a rockin’ costume (especially this year)? Find free Halloween costume ideas, that’s what.
Don’t worry friends, CF is to the rescue! In this post, I’ve listed 29 non-lame and non-lazy easy Halloween costumes that you can create from pieces that you (or one of your BFFs) will certainly have in your closet.
Related reading: 26 Halloween Makeup Looks We Are Obsessing Over
Let’s get right to it!
Easy Halloween Costumes: Witchy Costumes
1. Sabrina Spellman
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
This show has some amazing outfits, and I’m not just saying it because most of them have vintage aesthetic. (See our full Sabrina Spellman style guide for more on our leading lady’s look!)
A Sabrina costume is pretty simple, just use a red off-the-shoulder sweater, a black skirt, and a black headband. Bonus points if you can find a black cat to follow you around.
Alternate idea: A Prudence Night costume would be easy to do as well, if you have hair styling skills and/or prefer an edgier vibe!
2. Wednesday Addams
Recreate this easy Halloween costume idea for college:
I love this easy Halloween costume. It’s so simple, but everyone will know who you are.
For this, you need a black dress with a collar or a black dress and a white shirt with a collar. Bonus points if you can get the pigtails and act like you don’t care about anything.
{RELATED POST: 13 Little Black Dress Halloween Costume Ideas}
3. Mary Poppins
Recreate this easy Halloween costume idea:
For this costume, you need a white button-down shirt, a black skirt, and an umbrella. See if any guys you know have a red bow tie.
Bonus points if you can get your hands on a black hat like this one, which you could adorn with cheap fake flowers.
4. Modern Witch
Recreate this easy Halloween costume idea:
With a black dress, some white tights, black boots, and a round hat you’ve got yourself a costume worthy of the coven from American Horror Story.
5. Black cat
Recreate this easy costume:
You can do basically anything for this outfit. You just need to have black clothing of some sort. (And I’m pretty sure every CF reader has some black clothing.)
If you draw some whiskers on your face and get some cheap cat ears like these from Amazon, you’ll be the finest feline of the night.
Easy Halloween Costumes: Disney Costumes
6. Kim Possible
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
You can use khaki pants or green cargo pants for this. Then you need a black long-sleeve shirt and some riding gloves.
Bonus points if you can find a belt to hold all your gadgets, and ask everyone you meet, “What’s the sitch?”
7. Snow White
Recreate this easy costume:
This costume, seen on ColorMeCourtney, is pretty easy to put together.
If you have a yellow skirt or pants and a blue shirt you’re pretty much set. Red shoes and red hair bow like this one (which a lot of people have used for Snow White costumes) help tie the whole look together.
Bonus points if you can find something apple-themed like this bag to take with you. (Or just grab an apple from the dining hall…)
8. Alice in Wonderland
Recreate this easy costume for college:
You could do this costume and the next one as a group with your BFF or your significant other.
You need white tights, a black bow, a blue dress, and a white apron. If you had a long blue dress and a white apron you could do this as a Belle costume from Beauty and the Beast.
9. White Rabbit
Recreate this Halloween costume for college:
This costume is adorable and it only has a few components. Also, can we talk about how cute that purse is? I’ll take ten.
For this easy Halloween costume, you just need a white dress, red blazer, white tights, rabbit ears, and something clock themed like this.
Easy Halloween Costumes: From movies and tv shows
10. Powerpuff Girls
This is an amazing group Halloween costume — just round up two friends and dress in each character’s signature shade. You can wear pretty much anything so long as you’re wearing your girl’s colors, so have fun and bring your own style to it!
Make sure to add hair accessories to give off a signature Power Puff vibe! So cute.
11. Regina George
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
Just cut a couple of holes in a white tank-top for this one and you will be so fetch. Everyone will admire and fear you for the queen bee you are.
For more on this idea, we talk about a group Plastics costume in our post on girly Halloween costumes from movies.
12. Sandy from Grease
Leather leggings, red heels, a black bodysuit or tank top, and a leather jacket make up this ensemble. Bonus points if you break out in song whenever you need to make an important decision.
13. Cher (Clueless)
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
A matching yellow blazer and skirt set and some knee-high white socks are the main players in this costume, although some mary jane shoes may be a good idea as well.
This look in general has come back in recent seasons, so you can find the exact pieces at a variety of stores.
14. Holly Golightly
Recreate this Halloween costume:
There are a few key components to this classy Halloween costume.
The main ones include a little black dress, some pearls, and the iconic cat-eye sunglasses. Pull your hair into a chignon and maybe add a tiara while you’re at it.
Bonus points if you go out with a cup of coffee and a pastry in your gloved hands.
15. G.I. Jane
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
If you have camouflage or military-inspired clothing, dressing up as G.I. Jane (or a generic person in the armed forces) is a great and patriotic option!
Some combination of skinny cargos, an army anorak, a camo jacket, or a patched button-down will work great for this look. Demi Moore as G.I. Jane had a bald head, but feel free to leave yours down or tucked into a hat. Smudge dirt (or brown eyeshadow) on your face for added effect. Finish with a pair of combat boots and you’re good to go!
Easy Halloween Costumes: Costumes with your bestie
16. Bad and Boujee
This is the cutest bestie costume, maybe ever. Also, these outfits are honestly goals.
It couldn’t be easier to dress like this — just throw on your best jewels and fur coat for “boujee,” or your go-to leather jacket for “bad”. Make sure to put a sign around your neck so everyone knows who you are.
17. Bank robber
Recreate this easy costume:
Honestly, for this costume, you probably don’t need more than a striped shirt and a black beanie, although if you wanted a mask you can buy one for pretty cheap here.
18. Daphne and Velma
Recreate these easy Halloween costumes:
I like that this is a day or night look for the characters. Also, that red beret is adorable.
For Velma, you need a pair of glasses, an orange sweater, a red skirt, and orange knee-high socks.
For Daphne, you need a purple dress or a skirt and jacket combo and a purple headband. These are some groovy costumes!
19. Napoleon Dynamite and Pedro
Recreate this easy costume:
You can buy a vote for Pedro shirt like in the movie here. The Napoleon costume also works well with some old glasses.
The Pedro one needs a Western-style belt, white shirt, and a bolo tie.
Otherwise, you both just need a pair of jeans.
Easy Halloween Costumes: Historical costumes
20. Frida Kahlo
Recreate this costume idea:
For this costume, you mainly need a flower crown and a unibrow, which you can draw in with a brow pencil. You could make your own flower crown like this tutorial or buy one.
You can wear any dress for this, though floral or lace would work the best.
21. Rosie the riveter
Recreate this easy costume idea:
This is an iconic costume and it’s relatively easy to pull off. All you need is a red bandana, a denim shirt, and a pair of jeans.
Pull your hair back and strike a pose for feminists everywhere.
22. A 1950s Housewife à la I Love Lucy
Recreate this easy costume:
Full skirted dresses are so much fun to wear and there’s no better way to celebrate than to pull yours out for Halloween! Pair a 1950s-inspired dress with a cute apron, pearls, high heels, poofy ponytail, and bright red lipstick for a Lucy vibe.
Easy Halloween Costumes: Other
23. Tourist
Recreate this easy Halloween costume idea:
Break out your Hawaiian shirt and a fanny pack for this. Bonus points if you can find some dad-like sunglasses and a lei.
24. Biker Chick(s)
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
This one could not be easier — or cuter! It’s a cute solo costume but it’s even better if you can get a group of girls to do it with you for your own biker gang.
Just pair a Harley tee with your best leather skirt and combat boots. Add ripped tights for extra edge and be sure to layer on the eye makeup. You’re good to go!
25. Waldo
Recreate this easy Halloween costume:
With a striped red shirt and a red beanie, people can’t help but spot you. Bonus points if you have glasses and hide whenever someone asks you what your costume is.
26. Nerd
Recreate this easy Halloween costume idea:
All you need for this quick costume is a button down shirt (buttoned all the way up!), a sweater vest, geeky glasses, oxford shoes, and fun bow tie.
Bonus points if you wrap tape around the middle of your glasses and put your hair up in some disheveled high pigtails!
27. A Parisian
Recreate this easy costume idea:
If you’d like a little comfort and glamour in your Halloween costume, dress up like a Parisian this year.
Grab a beret, striped shirt, black skinny pants, ballet flats and add a pop of color with a bright red scarf and you’re good to go!
If you really want to play up your look, grab a coffee mug and a distinguished-looking novel.
28. Hippie
Thanks to ’70s fashion making a huge comeback, it should be a cinch to gather up all of the pieces you need for a fantastic hippie costume.
Start with a pair of bell bottom-shaped jeans and find your best tie-dye shirt to wear with them. Add fringe boots or platforms, then wear a hairband across your forehead.
Put waves in your hair or braid random strands around your face. Finish the look with layered statement jewelry, a faux fur or suede vest, and a cross-body bag.
29. A Doll
Recreate this easy Halloween costume idea:
This one is instantly recognizable. For Barbie, all you need is a hot pink dress and matching high heels. If you have an acid-washed denim jacket or anything sequined, be sure to wear that, too! Another fun idea is to look in your sorority house’s costume closets or even your mom’s closet for an ’80s inspired party dress.
Make your hair huge with hot rulers, a teasing comb, and ton of hairspray. Finish with pink lipstick, shimmery pink blush, blue eyeshadow, and tons of black mascara.
You could also be a Bratz doll, as pictured above, with different makeup and edgier clothes. Your choice!
What are your go-to easy Halloween costumes?
Have you started your Halloween costume yet? What are you going as? What’s your favorite costume in the post? I can’t get over the Daphne and Velma costume!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2011; it was completely updated and revamped in 2020 with new photos and information.
I don’t know if the problem is just on my side, but I can’t see any of the recommended clothes!
Weird! Can you try refreshing and let me know if that fixes it? Also, if you’re running any kind of ad blocker it might be blocking the items from displaying..
There is no such thing as a “biker gang” however motorcycle clubs do exist.
Biker gangs are real, at least in the US. My ex-step-dad is in one that blocks abusive people from entering events (mostly keeping people from disrupting funerals) and they also bring toys to kids in the hospital during Christmas. They’re good people but it’s still very much a gang and not a club.