8 Halloween Costumes With a Flannel Shirt

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October is flannel season anyway, so you might as well make it a costume. A plaid shirt is the base for more characters than you’d think, from farm to forest to 90s garage band.

Each idea below starts with your flannel and adds a few pieces. Most are warm enough for trick-or-treating on a cold night, which is a nice bonus.

1. Lumberjack

Illustration of a lumberjack costume: a bearded man in a red and black buffalo-check flannel shirt with sleeves rolled to the elbow, dark suspenders, rolled-cuff blue jeans, brown lace-up work boots, a gray knit beanie, a wooden-handled axe resting on one shoulder.

The classic flannel costume. It works for guys, women and kids, and it’s done in ten minutes.

How to do it: Red buffalo-check flannel, jeans, suspenders, boots and a knit beanie. Roll the sleeves, add a drawn-on beard if you don’t have one, and carry an inflatable axe.

Worth buying: an inflatable axe.

Full guide: our lumberjack costume guide

2. Scarecrow

Illustration of a scarecrow costume: a person in a red plaid flannel shirt and patched denim overalls with burlap patches, straw sticking out of the cuffs, collar and pockets, a floppy straw hat with a small black crow on the brim, rosy painted cheeks and a stitched smile.

Flannel is half of every scarecrow. Add straw and a hat and you’ve got a costume that works all fall.

How to do it: Overalls or old jeans over the flannel, a straw hat and raffia tucked into the cuffs and collar. Stitched-smile makeup with brown eyeliner.

Worth buying: a bundle of craft raffia.

3. 90s Grunge Rocker

Illustration of a 1990s grunge costume: a young woman with messy shoulder-length hair and dark eyeliner, an oversized open red and green plaid flannel shirt over a short floral slip dress, a black velvet choker, ripped black tights, scuffed black combat boots, a knit beanie, a bored expression.

Flannel tied around the waist was the 90s. It’s an easy, comfortable costume that’s also kind of a joke about what people actually wore.

How to do it: Flannel open over a band tee or tied around your waist, ripped jeans, combat boots and messy hair. Add a beanie and a choker. Carry a guitar if you’ve got one.

Worth buying: a 90s choker.

Full guide: our 90s grunge costume guide

4. Werewolf

Illustration of a werewolf costume shown mid-transformation: a man in a shredded plaid flannel shirt and torn jeans, fur bursting through the rips, furry clawed hands, a wolf-like face with fangs.

Torn flannel is the werewolf uniform: he was a regular guy until the full moon hit.

How to do it: Use an old flannel and rip the shoulders and sleeves. Add fur patches poking out, clawed gloves, pointed ears, fangs and brown shading over the face. Mess your hair way up.

Worth buying: clawed werewolf gloves.

5. 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.

A flannel or plaid shirt is a perfectly good cowboy shirt. Add the hat and boots and you’re on the trail.

How to do it: Plaid shirt, jeans, boots, a big belt buckle and a bandana at the neck. The hat matters most, so get a real-looking one.

Worth buying: a classic cowboy hat.

6. Slasher Movie Camp Counselor

Every 80s horror movie starts at summer camp. Flannel, a whistle and a scared face is a costume horror fans will get right away.

How to do it: Flannel over a camp tee, shorts or jeans, tube socks, a whistle and a flashlight. Add fake blood splatter and a look of total panic. Even better with someone dressed as the masked killer.

Worth buying: a whistle on a lanyard.

7. Zombie

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.

An old flannel is perfect zombie material because it tears and stains easily.

How to do it: Rip the shirt, rub in dirt, add fake blood. Gray skin, sunken eyes and a stiff walk. Pick a “before” job: zombie farmer, zombie lumberjack or zombie hunter.

Worth buying: washable fake blood.

8. Farmer

Illustration of a farmer costume: a smiling man in blue denim overalls over a red plaid flannel shirt with sleeves rolled, a straw hat, a red bandana in the back pocket, brown work boots, holding a white chicken under one arm and a small wicker basket of brown eggs.

Friendly, easy and great for kids or family groups. Flannel and a straw hat say farmer right away.

How to do it: Flannel, overalls or jeans, a straw hat, boots and a bandana. Carry a stuffed chicken or a basket of eggs.

Worth buying: a straw farmer hat.

Full guide: our farmer costume guide

Flannel Costume Tips

Red buffalo check is the most recognizable pattern for lumberjacks. Any plaid works for the others.

Thrift a second flannel for ripping. Werewolf and zombie costumes look best torn up, and you’ll want to keep your good one.

Tie it at the waist for 90s, roll the sleeves for a working look, button it up for a farmer. Same shirt, different costume.

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

Flannel Costume FAQ

What costumes can I make with a flannel shirt?

A lumberjack, scarecrow, 90s grunge rocker, werewolf, cowboy, horror movie camp counselor, zombie or farmer.

What’s the easiest flannel costume?

A lumberjack. Flannel, jeans, boots and a beanie.

What women’s costumes use a flannel?

A lumberjack, scarecrow, 90s grunge rocker or cowgirl all work well.

What’s a scary flannel costume?

A werewolf or a zombie. Torn flannel is part of both looks.