9 Halloween Costumes With a Jean Jacket You Already Own

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A jean jacket might be the most useful costume piece you already own. It’s been the uniform of greasers, rockers, punks and cowboys for seventy years, which means half the work is done.

Each idea below starts with your denim jacket and adds two or three pieces. Most take under thirty minutes.

Jump to a Costume

  1. 1950s Greaser
  2. 80s Rocker
  3. Punk
  4. Cowboy or Cowgirl
  5. Hippie
  6. 90s Kid
  7. 80s Time Traveler
  8. Zombie Biker
  9. Rosie the Riveter

1. 1950s Greaser

Illustration of a 1950s greaser costume: a young man with slick black pomaded hair in a pompadour, a fitted white T-shirt with sleeves rolled once, a black leather motorcycle jacket with the collar flipped up, dark cuffed blue jeans, black boots, a comb in one hand, a confident lean.

The original denim rebel. A greaser is the fastest costume on this list and it works for anyone.

How to do it: Plain white tee, cuffed jeans, the jean jacket with the collar flipped up, and boots. Slick your hair back with pomade into a pompadour and tuck a comb in your back pocket. Roll a pack of candy cigarettes into your sleeve.

Worth buying: strong-hold pomade.

Full guide: our greaser costume guide

2. 80s Rocker

Illustration of a 1980s aerobics costume: a woman in a neon pink leotard over shiny tights, bright leg warmers, a sweatband, a side ponytail with a scrunchie, white high-top sneakers.

Denim, big hair and attitude. The 80s rock look is basically a jean jacket covered in pins.

How to do it: Cut the sleeves off an old jean jacket (or roll them high), throw it over a band tee, and add ripped jeans, a bandana and a studded belt. Tease your hair as big as it goes. Aviators help.

Worth buying: a studded belt.

3. Punk

Illustration of a 1970s punk costume: a young woman with spiked bright pink hair, heavy black eyeliner, a black leather jacket covered in patches, studs and safety pins, a ripped white T-shirt pinned with safety pins, red tartan plaid trousers, a studded belt, black combat boots, a defiant stance.

Punk is all about the DIY jacket, and a jean jacket is the canvas. Patches, safety pins and marker do the rest.

How to do it: Safety-pin patches all over the jacket, write on it with fabric marker, and wear it over a black tee with plaid pants or ripped black jeans. Combat boots, a spiked collar and heavy black eyeliner.

Worth buying: a pack of punk patches.

Full guide: our punk costume guide

4. Cowboy or Cowgirl

Illustration of a cowboy costume: a man in a felt cowboy hat, a plaid snap-front western shirt, a red bandana at the neck, jeans with a big belt buckle, leather cowboy boots, a coiled lasso in one hand.

Denim on denim is practically required out West. A jean jacket turns a basic cowboy into something that looks put together.

How to do it: Jean jacket over a plaid or western shirt, jeans, boots, bandana and a real-looking hat. Go all-denim on purpose: if you’re doing it, commit to both pieces in the same wash.

Worth buying: a classic cowboy hat.

5. Hippie

Illustration of a late-1960s hippie costume: a woman with long center-parted hair and a headband across the forehead, round tinted sunglasses, a peasant blouse, a fringed suede vest, bell-bottom jeans, love beads, flowers in her hair, sandals.

Patch-covered denim was a hippie staple. It’s a warmer take on the costume if your Halloween runs cold.

How to do it: Add peace sign and flower patches to the jacket, wear it over a tie-dye or peasant top with flared jeans. Headband across the forehead, round tinted sunglasses and a lot of beads.

Worth buying: round tinted sunglasses.

6. 90s Kid

The 90s were a denim decade. This one’s funny because it’s basically what a lot of us actually wore.

How to do it: Oversized jean jacket, a bright windbreaker-color tee, high-waisted mom jeans or overalls, chunky sneakers and a scrunchie. Add butterfly clips, a choker or a backward cap. A Walkman or a slap bracelet is the perfect prop.

Worth buying: a set of 90s butterfly clips.

7. 80s Time Traveler

You know the movie. A jean jacket, a puffy red vest and a skateboard is one of the most recognizable movie looks ever, and it’s all regular clothes.

How to do it: Jean jacket, a puffy red vest on top, a plaid or checked button-down, jeans and white high-top sneakers. Carry a skateboard and, if you want the bonus laugh, a notebook labeled “Plutonium.”

Worth buying: a red puffer vest.

8. Zombie Biker

Illustration of a zombie office worker costume: torn dress shirt and loosened tie, ripped slacks, gray-green skin, dark sunken eyes, a stiff lurching pose, dirt-smudged clothes.

Turn the jacket into a zombie costume. Denim distresses beautifully and holds fake blood and dirt well.

How to do it: Use an old jacket you don’t love. Rough it up with sandpaper, smear it with dirt and fake blood, then add gray skin, sunken eyes and torn jeans. Leather gloves and boots give it the biker edge.

Worth buying: washable fake blood.

9. Rosie the Riveter

Illustration of a Rosie the Riveter style costume: a woman in a chambray work shirt with sleeves rolled above the elbow, a red bandana with white polka dots tied around her head with the knot on top, a small curl of hair at the forehead, red lipstick, high-waisted dark jeans and work boots, flexing one arm with her fist up.

The World War II poster icon is one of the most-searched DIY costumes every year. A denim shirt is classic, but a jean jacket with the sleeves rolled works great.

How to do it: Roll the jacket sleeves above the elbow, tie a red polka-dot bandana around your head with the knot on top, red lipstick and jeans. Flex for every photo.

Worth buying: a red polka-dot bandana.

Full guide: our rosie the riveter costume guide

Getting More Out of One Jean Jacket

Pin, don’t sew. Safety pins and clip-on patches come off in the morning, so one jacket can be a hippie this year and a punk next year.

Match the wash to the decade. Light acid wash says 80s, medium blue says 90s, dark raw denim says 1950s.

If you want to really distress a jacket for a zombie or punk costume, use an old thrift-store one, not the jacket you wear every week.

Short on time? Our 10 last-minute Halloween costumes all come together tonight, or browse the full costume encyclopedia from A to Z.

Jean Jacket Costume FAQ

What can I dress up as with a jean jacket?

A greaser, an 80s rocker, a punk, a cowboy, a hippie, a 90s kid, Rosie the Riveter or a zombie biker all start with a jean jacket.

What’s the easiest jean jacket costume?

A 1950s greaser. White tee, cuffed jeans, the jacket with the collar up and slicked-back hair.

Can I do a couples costume with jean jackets?

Yes. Two greasers, a punk couple, or matching all-denim outfits are easy wins.

What women’s costumes use a jean jacket?

Rosie the Riveter, a 90s girl, a cowgirl and a hippie are all popular, and every one uses the same jacket.

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