76 Best Last-Minute Halloween Costumes to Buy or DIY in 2023

Paint Swatch Halloween Costume

Calling all old house lovers and makeover mavens! Creating this paint swatch costume is super easy and cheap, and can be done with items you likely already have at home, so you won’t have to spend a lot of money (or time!) to achieve Insta-worthy results.

Get the tutorial.

50s Diner Couple Halloween Costume

"Jolene" Halloween Costume

This outfit based on Dolly Parton's iconic song is going to be as popular as it is easy! For those of us without flaming locks of auburn hair, search for an auburn-red wig. Next, download and print out this name tag that says “Hello My Name Is Jolene” and attach it to a plain shirt. Finish the look with your best pair of jeans and cowgirl boots.

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Sad Swiftie Costume

Print a screenshot of the infamous ticketing waiting screen on a 18 by 24-inch foam board at a local printer or UPS store. Add pink grosgrain ribbon and wear it around your neck like a necklace. Pair with your favorite Eras-inspired look and a few tear-shaped rhinestones on your cheek.

Balloon Darts Halloween Costume

It’s a costume and a game! Start with a white tri-fold presentation board. Create stripes with blue 1 1/2-inch painter’s tape, with strips spaced roughly 1 ½ inches apart. (You could paint your own stripes, but this tactic is much faster!) Mount hanging monkey prizes on the outside flaps, securing to the board with twist ties. Drill five columns of four holes in the middle of the board. Blow up small dart balloons, then stick the balloon ties through the holes. (If desired, you can secure the balloon ties in place using painter’s tape on the board’s back.) Add "Balloon Darts" signage and a decorative chain of fair tickets. Drill two holes at the top of the board to accommodate a length of grosgrain ribbon to wear around the neck. Use a hot glue gun to cover a plain drugstore headband with a strip of paper tickets; add a couple of balloon darts.

"Wagon Wheel" Halloween Costume

Seek inspiration from Darius Rucker's country song for this idea. Sift through your local thrift store for a small decorative wheel or purchase one online. String some suede cord through the spokes to make a necklace. (We suggest doubling up the cord to help hold the weight.) Then, don your best country duds and finish with cowboy boots!

SHOP WAGON WHEELS

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Nancy Drew Halloween Costume

Painter Halloween Costume

Raid your closet or a local thrift store for overalls, a striped shirt, and a bandana. If you don’t have overalls, oversized jeans will do! For extra flair, accessorize with a paintbrush from the garage and use a paint bucket in place of a trick or treating bag. Add some paint splatters to the outfit, and voila! You’re ready to go.

Get the tutorial.

9

Women’s Wednesday Addams Dance Dress

9

Women’s Wednesday Addams Dance Dress

This is sure to be a popular look this Halloween after Jenna Ortega's famous scene from Netflix's Wednesday became a TikTok dance craze. If there's more than one Wednesday at the party, a fun dance-off is in order!

In the words of one happy Amazon reviewer, "This thing is great. It’s not a costume; it is an actual dress. The mesh is nice and soft, and it is very lightweight."

Complete the look with Wednesday's updo version of her signature braids.

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Last-Minute DIY Cactus Costume

Last-Minute DIY Zombie Costumes

Looking for an easy costume that starts with normal clothes? Instagrammer Collette Wixom of @ministylehacker pulled together these super-impressive zombie costumes in about an hour. To make, she and her mom shredded old clothes using scissors and razor blades, then stained them with coffee grinds and attached grass using spray adhesive. Her formula for fake blood? "Three parts corn syrup, one part water, red food coloring, flour to thicken," she reports.

Related: Cute Family Halloween Costumes for the Whole Gang

12

Peanut Butter & Jelly Couples Costume

12

Peanut Butter & Jelly Couples Costume

You and your better half go together like PB&J. Why not use that as inspiration for your last-minute couples costume? This one can be delivered to your doorstep asap.

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Easy DIY Houseplant Halloween "Boxtume"

This costume may look complicated, but it's actually made from a cardboard Amazon Prime box, a round laundry basket, and other crafting supplies you likely have lying around the house.

Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.

SHOP WATERING CANS

14

Instant Download

Printable Mask

14

Instant Download

Printable Mask

It doesn't get more last-minute friendly than download and print! Etsy shop LMEprintables has so many fun critter masks to choose from.

15

Funny Gamer T-Shirt Costume

15

Funny Gamer T-Shirt Costume

Now 10% Off

Dig into the last-minute concept by dressing up as a gamer who really just cannot be bothered with this funny t-shirt. Optional: Wear wireless gamer headphones around your neck to really drive it home.

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Instagram vs. Reality Last-Minute Couples Costume

17

Taco Costume

17

Taco Costume

With Taco Tuesday still everyone's favorite day of the week, this quirky costume is sure to be a big hit this Halloween.

Easy Tinker Bell Costume

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19

"I'm Fine" Sarcastic Halloween T-Shirt

19

"I'm Fine" Sarcastic Halloween T-Shirt

Now 20% Off

This tee can serve as the foundation for a funny zombie costume or as a last-minute shark bite victim costume to go along with your bestie's shark ensemble.

DIY Skeleton Cutout T-Shirt Costume

For this easy skeleton costume idea, all you need is a T-shirt you don't mind cutting up and some face paint. Start with a black or white T-shirt, and draw shapes on it to mimic the rib cage, then cut out using sharp fabric scissors. Don't worry about perfection here. Layer it over the opposite color T-shirt to complete the effect and finish with black and white face paint.

SHOP FACE PAINT

SHOP T-SHIRTS

Blair Donovan is a staff writer for CountryLiving.com, where she covers everything from the latest Joanna Gaines and “The Voice” news to home décor, gardening, DIY, and entertaining. She’s previously written for Brides and Redbook.

Terri Robertson is the Senior Editor, Digital, at Country Living, where she shares her lifelong love of homes, gardens, down-home cooking, and antiques. 

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