10 Last Minute (But Still Awesome) Costume Ideas!

Okay, I get it - you've seen my costume ideas, you've vaguely thought about what you'll be this year and maybe you even decided on a costume, but here you are on the Saturday before Halloween, a.k.a. the universal Halloween party night, and you're still like, "daaaaamn, what am I gonna be?!"

It's okay, I got you. You've come to the right place, just in time. For those moments when you need a last minute, day-of costume, you're looking for simple ideas that are still fun and won't prompt a million "what are you supposed to be?" questions all night. The worst.

Below you'll find ten DIY costume ideas that you can assemble from stuff you might already have at home (crucial in these trying times) or can easily beg, borrow or steal (wait, no, just go to Target, dummy!) the afternoon before you arrive at your costume party of choice, ready to blow 'em all away.

DIY "Jailbird" Costume

In an extreme pinch, I whipped up something like this in under an hour, hot glued tail feather and all. If you have a striped shirt and some craft feathers, you're good to go, but you can also buy a beak, mask or wings. Toy handcuffs add a little something, but I made mine from tin foil. Visual puns make for the easiest quick costumes!

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DIY Green Olive Costume

So simple - dress in all green and paint your face red for the pimento. I suggest a green hoodie because then you can wear the hood tied up around your face to encircle the red part. If you're feeling wild, make a pointy toothpick to stick out of the hood.

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DIY Shower Costume

I once saw my college roommate do this and thought it was genius! Running verrrry last minute? Throw on a robe, wrap your hair in a towel and carry soap, a loofah or rubber ducky. You can even wear a classic green face mask so you don't have to do your makeup. You can literally roll right from your shower to your party!

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DIY Baby Costume

If you've got kids or just some time to run to the store, dressing as a baby is as easy as wearing pajamas (onsies are great) and carrying a blanket, pacifier, teddy bear and/or bottle. Maybe draw rosy circles on your cheeks or put your hair into a tiny ponytail right up top. As a fellow party-goer, I'd love to see an adult baby drinking booze out of their bottle. Just a thought! Ohhh, also - you could combine elements of this costume with the previous costume and go as a "baby shower" if you're feeling punny!

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DIY Gift or Present Costume

All you need to dress as a gift is a large cardboard box, wrapping paper, ribbon and a bow. Cut arm and head holes in the box and remove the bottom for your legs. Wrap it up or even just draw on it. Add the ribbon and wear the bow right on your head!

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DIY Heart Eye Smiley Emoji Costume

To go as everyone's favorite emoji, paint your face yellow, wear red heart-shaped glasses and paint a large smile over your mouth to stay perma-lovey. Alternative idea: add ears and whiskers to go as the cat version of this emoji.

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DIY Imaginary Friend Costume

My boyfriend whipped up this idea last minute one year, and I've never forgotten how much I loved it. To be an "imaginary friend" you can really wear whatever you want (duh, they're all unique and no one can see them), but stick with wacky prints and bright colors for that fun flair you need. A colorful wig and accessories adds charm and whimsy. The point here is to look like a joyous fictional character so whatever that means to you is the right answer!

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DIY Dice or Domino Costume

Keep it way, way simple by wearing all white - either a dress or a t-shirt and bottoms - and adding black felt circles. You can cut them out from sticker-back felt or buy the precut circles available at most craft stores. Place them on your body like on dice or dominoes. For a domino, you can even add a black belt for the center line.

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DIY Skunk Costume

I've been a last minute skunk and it's remarkably easy - I even had time to add a tiny top hat for no damn reason. Grab a black hoodie, pin/sew/glue white furry trim right down the center back, letting it hang off a bit for a tail, and over the center hood, which you should wear up. Paint your face with a white triangle from your forehead to your nose and use an eyeliner pencil to color the tip of your nose black. Cut a circle from white felt and pin on your belly. Voila - all skunk, no stink.

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DIY Strawberry Costume

The epitome of easy - wear a red shirt or dress, add a green beret or other hat and pop on these sticker-back felt circles all over for seeds. Make it a watermelon costume with a pink shirt. Easy, comfy, and everyone will know what you are.

What are you dressing as this Halloween? What are your classic last minute costumes? What's the easiest costume you've ever worn?

Clarissa Explains It All Costume

The icon herself, Clarissa Darling of Clarissa Explains It All, makes a fun, quirky and very recognizable costume, with tons of room for customization. A 90s classic, Clarissa's style is all about over-the-top pattern mixing, bright colors, headbands, shorts layered under other shorts, 60s flowers, 90s pop art, polka dots, globe-shaped earrings...all the good stuff!

Dressing as Clarissa seems like a blast because you can basically wear any fun, bright clothes you want. Some black elements, like a moto jacket and combat boots, ground the look and make it distinctly Clarissa rather than just generically 90s. Just to be sure, why not carry a toy alligator as a reference to her pet Elvis?

Here's how I'd make a DIY Clarissa Darling costume:

The Inspiration

Shorts  •  Jean Shorts •  Shirt  •  Socks  •  Flower Patches  •  Belt  •  Bracelets  •  Alligator  •  Boots  •  Hair Scarf  •  Earrings

Live my childhood dream of having a piece of Clarissa's wardrobe! This is great to pair with maybe a Ferguson or Sam costume (carry a tiny ladder?!) for groups/couples, but honestly who needs anyone else when you look this cool?

DIY Costume Idea: Mr. Clean

For me, this costume falls into the category of characters I've seen a million times, but never quite realized how iconic and costume-worthy they are...until now (much like the Slush Puppie costume). 

Mr. Clean is as ubiquitous as can be, and in some form or another this spokesman has been on my TV since I could lay my eyes on it. His look is so simple - all white everything, bald head and one gold earring. You could probably do this with stuff already in your wardrobe!

Here's how I would make a DIY Mr. Clean costume:

The Inspiration...although I'm NOT okay with the vibe they're going for here.

Jeans  •  Shirt  •  Bald Cap  • Shoes
Earrings  •  Belt  •  Fake Eyebrows

Bonus points for carrying actual Mr. Clean products with your costume to really sell it. Also, if you don't have a bald cap (p.s. what on earth is that product photo for the bald cap?!) you could easily turn this into an Andrew W.K. costume, since it's basically his iconic look, as well!

DIY Costume Idea: Elaine Benes from Seinfeld

Don't you just love a simple costume? Even better when it involves a badass character from a classic TV show, am I right? Any of the Seinfeld crew would make great, easily-identifiable Halloween costumes (perfect group or couple costume idea!), but today we're talking about Elaine.

With her classic curly hair in a half-up poof, floral midi-dresses or menswear-inspired suits, and a slew of accessory choices, Elaine makes for a fun costume. This is a good thrifting costume because your best bet for her style is definitely waiting on the racks of your local thrift store.

Here's how I'd make a DIY Elaine Benes costume: 

Dress  •  Shoes  •  Socks  •  Barrette  •  Curlers  •  Backpack

Duh, I had to include the Jujyfruits in there! You can too, for a classic Elaine touch. You could also add glasses, The Sponge, or an Urban Sombrero to really punch it up!

DIY Costume Idea: Arthur

Honestly, is there a cuter cartoon character than Arthur? I dare you to show me one! I've been charmed by this studious aardvark since I started reading, and I just realized that he'd made a great costume - the outfit is simple (easy!), it's just regular clothes (comfy!) and he is super recognizable (fist meme!).

Here's how I'd make a DIY Arthur Costume:

 
Jeans  •  Sweater  •  Shirt  •  Shoes  •  Ears  •  Glasses  

DIY Costume Idea: Flower

Looking for a simple, cheerful costume idea? Why not a flower? Easy to make and easy to wear, a DIY flower costume is a cute option for when you want to put in the effort, but not too much effort. It’s also great because you can easily wear clothes you already have or, if you need to buy them, you can easily wear them again.

Here’s how I’d make a DIY flower costume:

Dress  •  Tights  •  Shoes  •  Face Paint  •  Headband  •  Foam Sheets

Instructions

1. Wear the green tights, green dress, green shoes and/or any other green clothes of your choice as a base. Easy!

2. Paint your face yellow with the Halloween makeup to look like the center of your flower.

3. Cut petal shapes from your thick foam sheets (thick is important - we want those petals to stand at attention!). If you feel like they need it, cut matching petal shapes from cardboard or foam board to glue to the foam petals, just to ensure they stay sturdy.

4. Use the stretchy headband as the base for your headpiece. Hot glue the petals around the headband, spaced out so that they cover the whole circumference (it’s probably smart to measure the length of the headband first and divide those inches by however many petals you want to find out how wide each petal should be).

You could even add a large plastic planter to your look by cutting out the bottom and adding straps if you want a potted plant look. 

Wanna be a bouquet? Make additional cardboard/foam board flowers and secure them to the shoulders or back of your dress.

More of a succulent person? Instead of petals, make a cactus-shaped cutout and secure to a headband, or make spidery arms to wear on your head and body to look like an aloe plant.

Use your flower power to rock that Halloween party!

DIY Costume Idea: Burrito

Another almost-but-never costume for me is a burrito! I love the coziness of this costume from the soft wrapping, which p.s. also makes it great for kids and babies. Truly nothing would be cuter than a lil’ baby wrapped up like a burrito!

Here’s how I would make a DIY burrito costume:

The Outer Layers

• First things first - get a large rectangle of beige fabric for the tortilla. A thin foam, thick fleece or neoprene works well for sturdiness. Something that can at least somewhat hold its shape. 

• Cut a hole in the rectangle for each arm and put it on like you would a vest.

• Overlap the ends of the rectangle over your chest/stomach until you like the positioning. Secure with a stretchy belt around your waist.

• Cut large pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil to wrap around the bottom half of your tortilla. Secure with hot glue. When you get to the top portion, wrap the foil over your belt to conceal it and keep the foil in place.

The Fillings

• Cut out shapes from felt or foam sheets to look like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and whatever other toppings you’d like. For reference, here’s a sandwich costume and a part of a sushi costume I made previously:

• Add additional items, like jumbo pom moms in black to looks like beans. Get creative!

• When you have your toppings, hot glue them to the edges of your tortilla wrap, facing out so that they look overflowing.

The Headpiece

• Using a white polymer clay like Fimo, make a long “snake” about one or two inches in diameter. Curl the snake around in a circle shape and continue, stacking upwards on each loop until you have a tall dollop shape for the soup cream.

• Bake the clay to harden.

• Secure the sour cream to a white headband with glue to finish the look.

Yum! You look delicious!

DIY Costume Idea: Ladies of 90210

Get ready, guys, because I'm sharing DIY costume ideas every day for the next week! Tons of fun inspiration to get your Halloween spirit revved up, baby!

This 90210 (OG cast only, plz) costume is fun, easy and works well solo or in a group. I didn't include Andrea because if you're looking for help in being Andrea Zuckerman for Halloween you need the kind of help that I just can't offer, I'm sorry.

Anyway, below you'll find my thoughts, ideas and careful research about this very important topic so that you may become the 90s teen soap star of your dreams!

Brenda Walsh Costume: The Inspiration

Brenda takes a real fashion journey throughout the series, from midwest transplant in dorky blouses to thin-browed, tough girl in all black everything, so you've got some choices here. I opted for the latter, because duh, and went with one of Brenda's stranger signature style choices: the vest-as-shirt look. With high-waisted jeans and era-appropriate accessories, everyone will mistake you for Brandon's cooler twin. Don't forget the brown lipstick!

Vest: Amazon  •  Jeans: Topshop  •  Choker: Amazon  •  Belt: Amazon  •  Boots: Macy's

Kelly Taylor Costume: The Inspiration

  

Kelly is the wealthy fashion queen of 90210, but for some reason dresses largely like a laid back wall street trader. Red is her signature color (even her convertible is cherry!) and she loves a pop of white. A strong blazer is key here, and paired with dated jeans and accessories you'll be making dorks swoon in the hallways in no time.

Blazer: Topshop  •  Jeans: Topshop  •  Shirt: Prana  •  Belt: Target  •  Shoes: Frye

Donna Martin Costume: The Inspiration

Donna Martin never met a flower print she didn't love. This virginal ditz is like a 90s time capsule, all Blossom hats and daisy prints. Her go to color is yellow, from her sunflower bikini to her bleached hair. Steal her matchy-matchy floral dress and headband look to make David Silver do a double take! 

Dress: Amazon  •  Shoes: H&M  •  Headband: Etsy  •  Earrings: Etsy  •  Choker: Disruptive Youth

Option B:

I'd be remiss not to mention these other 90210 costume options. Grab a friend and go as the accidentally matching prom dress version of Brenda and Kelly:

Or wear classic graduation garb and a wig for a Donna Martin Graduates costume:

Okay, okay, I'm done! Until tomorrow anyway...