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If you’re someone who likes to go all-in during the spookiest season of the year, look no further than this impressive collection of homemade Halloween costumes for the whole family. Although they take a bit more effort than easy last-minute DIY costumes, we think they’re well worth your time.
Get creative with materials you already have like umbrellas, cardboard boxes, woven baskets and coffee filters. If you’re already brainstorming what you can create from this random list of materials, you’re in the right place. From art-inspired choices like the Mona Lisa to costumes modeled after historical figures like Marie Antoinette, we’ve rounded up a range of prize-worthy options. Whether you’re looking for the best couples costumes or costumes for the whole family, these homemade outfits will get the job done. Plus, there are plenty of work-appropriate costume choices as well.
So if you tend to go the extra mile when it comes to DIYs, go for gold at this year’s Halloween costume contest and take inspiration from these spook-tacular homemade options. They’ll pair perfectly with your DIY Halloween decorations and frightful party appetizers.
Lip Smackers
With a cotton t-shirt dress, translucent bucket and iron on transfer paper, you can create this nostalgic look to wear with friends. Use iron on transfer paper to add the Lip Smacker logo to a cotton dress. Then, remove the bucket handle and attach elastic to create your cap.
Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards are always welcome at parties, so why not take on the costume competition with these cheese-inspired outfits? All you have to do is make the grape, salami and cheese headpieces. For the grapes, use purple ornaments and floral wire. Once each ornament is attached to a wire, twist them all together to form the bunch. Wire two small combs to the bottom to secure it on your head. Next up, cut dark red circles, squares and rectangles from felt and hot glue them to a red beret for the salami. Lastly, make the cheese headpiece using a round cake form, craft paint and red felt. Just cut out a bite-sized chunk from the cake form, paint the rest a cheesy color and cover the perimeter with red felt.
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Daddy Long Legs and Lady Bug Costume
With just a few materials, you can take on this cute couples' look. To assemble the daddy long legs costume, you'll need a black umbrella, jumbo pipe cleaners and white and black foam. Attach three giant pipe cleaners to each side of the umbrella with hot glue. Cut out large white circles and smaller black circles out of foam to create the eyes and hot glue them to the umbrella. Add black-foam fangs underneath each eye to complete the costume.
Make this lady bug look by cutting from the center of a red poncho to create your 'wings.' Cut circles from black felt to make the spots and hot glue them on. Then, paint two foam balls black and attach pipe cleaners with hot glue. Secure them to a black headband to form your antennae!
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Washer and Dryer
Assembling this homemade washer dryer costume does not need to be a chore! Using upcycled items you might already have at home like cardboard, takeout containers and fabric straps, you can make cute washer and dryer costumes for the kids. Start with a large square cardboard box and fold a top flap in half to create the control panel, securing with hot glue. Cut neck and arm holes, paint the box white and let it dry. Add bottle caps and lids for buttons and knobs or draw them on by hand. For the washer, use a clear takeout container lid and some fabric scraps glued onto the front of the box. For the dryer, cut a square of painted cardboard and attach to make a door. Accessorize your look with detergent bottles, dryer sheets, and extra laundry!
RELATED: 65 Useful and Easy Upcycling Ideas for Every Skill Level
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Scrub Daddy
Craft these smiling Scrub Daddy and Scrub Mommy sponges from a foam mattress topper! Begin with two large cardboard circles and paint both sides a shade darker than the foam topper. Using sharp fabric scissors, cut two circles out of the foam, about two inches wider than the cardboard. Trace and cut a smiley face from one of the foam circles. Attach both pieces of foam to the cardboard with hot glue. Attach thick ribbon straps to both circles with duct or gaffers tape. Complete your look with rubber cleaning gloves!
Nature-Themed Trio
Dress your family up with these nature-inspired costumes! For the mushroom beret, cut a variation of round circles out of the white felt and hot glue the circles on top of the beret. To create the tree headband, cut branches to your desired length and use hot glue to attach each branch to the headband. For the bug eyes, dip bubble wrap in green paint and apply to round sunglasses. Once the lenses are dry, decorate the frames with pipe cleaners and googly eyes.
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Houseplant Costume
These houseplant accessories are super cute to add to an all-green fit. For the beret, cut small pieces of pipe cleaners and fold each in half. Dab a small dot of hot glue in the center and attach to the beret. If the beanie is more your style, cut 1.5-inch wide strips of light green crepe paper and 1.75-inch stripes of dark green. Curve the tops into points. Spread a glue stick all over a light green strip. Place a length of floral wire down the middle of the strip, and top with a strip of dark green crepe paper. Smooth with your fingers and let dry. Curve the strips to create a leaf effect and attach to a hat with hot glue or safety pins.
Lava Lamp
You'll be the talk of the party with this 90's-inspired lava lamp costume. Although it looks professionally made, you can recreate this costume with some dye, spray paint, velcro strips and a few more inexpensive materials.
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Tin Man
Tin Man is a definitely a go-to Halloween look. You can recreate this costume for anyone in your family using just a cardboard box, silver duct tape and some spray paint.
'Maleficent' Costume
Sleeping Beauty fans can recreate Maleficent's look with some tulle and ribbon for a costume you'll receive endless compliments on.
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Scarecrow
Make a spooky scarecrow costume using clothes your child might already own plus some craft materials. You'll need a foam hat, straw colored yarn, velcro and burlap for the finishing touches.
Pearl and Shell Costume
For this pearl and shell maternity costume, you'll need a few foam boards and some spray paint. Once the two pieces of your shell are stuck together, dress in white to recreate the pearl!
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Candyland Characters
There's no need to go out and buy a bunch of individual costumes for the family every year. Instead, go digging through your family members' closets for pieces you already have that you can build upon. That's how this family dressed up as the iconic Candyland characters.
Burrito Costume
If you're a burrito lover, dress up as your favorite food this Halloween. Using a beige shirt, silver skirt and some felt, you can be a burrito with one bite taken out. Who can resist that?
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'The Flintstones' Costumes
With the help of some temporary hair dye, you can transform your child into Pebbles from The Flintstones. The best part? It comes out with just one wash!
Bowl of Ramen
You know the saying: You are what you eat. Ramen lovers, this one's for you. Step inside this costume and become your favorite food. Plus, what's more fun than carrying around giant chopsticks on Halloween?
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Ariel from 'The Little Mermaid'
Be the princess of Halloween (and the great big sea!) with a homemade replica of Ariel's mermaid look. A simple purple top and green scarves wrapped around your waist as the tail will do. DIY a shell necklace and use a hair scarf as your belt.
Super Mario Bros.
They may not have mushrooms and turtles to jump on, but they can still don Mario and Luigi's classic red and green outfits to go trick-or-treating. They'll need a red and green shirt, this hat and mustache set and blue suspenders.
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Tanya from 'White Lotus'
Whether you liked the ending or not, Tanya is still an iconic character that deserves a day of her own. Find a patterned beach coverup and don a pair of chic shades and low heels. The suitcase is also a must!
Wednesday Addams
She's gloomy and spooky, but also oh-so cool! Wear a striped blazer, a collared shirt and a black dress with knee-high socks. A long black wig with two pigtail braids will also do the trick!
Amanda Garrity
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.
Laura Millar
Assistant Lifestyle Editor
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC’s TODAY.com where she covered everything from entertainment news to product reviews to pop culture updates.
