10 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes You Can Make Tonight

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Halloween’s coming up fast, the good costumes are picked over, and you’ve got nothing. It happens to everybody. Here’s the thing, though: the best last-minute costumes were never the ones in a plastic bag. They’re the ones you pull together from your own closet in under an hour, with maybe one cheap piece to tie it all together.

Every costume below comes from our encyclopedia, so if one catches your eye, the full guide has the history, the common mistakes and more ways to do it.

1. Ghost Costume

The oldest last-minute costume there is, and still one of the best. It costs nothing, and with one small upgrade it looks intentional instead of desperate.

What you need: A white flat sheet (twin size), scissors, a marker and a baseball cap or wide-brimmed hat.

How to do it: Throw the sheet over your head, have someone mark your eyes, then cut holes a little bigger than you think you need. You have to see the curb. Wear the hat underneath so the head is round instead of pointy, and trim the bottom so it just brushes the floor. Sunglasses over the eye holes is the trendy version.

Time: About 10 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a pair of round novelty sunglasses.

Full guide: how to make a ghost costume

2. Cat Costume

One of the top three adult costumes in the country, because it takes about five minutes. The trick is committing to it so it doesn’t read as “forgot my costume.”

What you need: An all-black outfit, cat ears and eyeliner.

How to do it: Wear black head to toe, no exceptions. Draw a small triangle on the tip of your nose, a line down to your lip and three whiskers on each cheek, then do a winged “cat eye.” If you have time, run a pipe cleaner through a tail so it curves up instead of dragging.

Time: About 15 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a cat ears and tail set.

Full guide: how to make a cat costume

3. Witch Costume

The number one adult Halloween costume, and most of it is already in your closet. Everything hangs on the hat.

What you need: Black clothes (a long dress, or a skirt and top), a broom and a pointed hat.

How to do it: Go long and dark, then add one splash of color, like a purple sash or striped tights, so it doesn’t look like plain black clothes. Grab the kitchen broom. Dark lipstick and a smoky eye finish it. If your hat flops, stuff the cone with tissue paper.

Time: About 20 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a witch hat with a wired brim.

Full guide: how to make a witch costume

4. Zombie Costume

The ultimate free costume. Any outfit works, as long as you wreck it.

What you need: Old clothes you don’t mind ruining, gray or green eyeshadow, dark eyeshadow and fake blood.

How to do it: Pick a “before” identity, like a zombie office worker or zombie jogger. Tear the clothes by hand, rub in some dirt, then gray out your skin with eyeshadow and sink the eyes with dark shadow. Let the fake blood dry before you leave, so it doesn’t end up on someone’s couch.

Time: About 30 minutes. The one thing worth buying: washable fake blood.

Full guide: how to make a zombie costume

5. Mad Scientist Costume

Funny, easy, and it works for kids and adults. All you need is a white coat and bad hair.

What you need: A white lab coat or an oversized white button-down, goggles or swim goggles, rubber gloves and hairspray.

How to do it: Splash the coat with a little coffee for stains and roll up the sleeves. Tease your hair straight up and hit it with hairspray, or use white hair spray for the full look. Goggles go up on the forehead. For a prop, drop a glow stick into a clear water bottle.

Time: About 20 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a cheap white lab coat.

Full guide: how to make a mad scientist costume

6. Scarecrow Costume

Works for Halloween and every fall party after it. If you own a flannel, you’re halfway there.

What you need: A plaid flannel shirt, overalls or old jeans, a straw or felt hat and some raffia or straw.

How to do it: Tuck bundles of raffia into the cuffs, collar and pockets, tied with rubber bands so they don’t shed all over the place. Glue on a couple of fabric patches if you have them. Then paint rosy cheeks, a triangle nose and a long stitched smile with brown eyeliner.

Time: About 25 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a bundle of craft raffia.

Full guide: how to make a scarecrow costume

7. Cowboy Costume

Barely a costume in some parts of the country, which makes it perfect for the last minute.

What you need: A cowboy hat, boots, jeans, a plaid or western shirt and a bandana.

How to do it: Tie the bandana around your neck, add the biggest belt buckle you own and you’re done. The hat is the piece that matters most, so if you’re buying one thing, buy a real-looking felt or straw hat instead of a shiny plastic one. Skip the toy guns, since a lot of places ban them.

Time: About 10 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a classic cowboy hat.

Full guide: how to make a cowboy costume

8. 80s Costume

Neon, leg warmers and big hair. The 80s are easy because the decade was already a costume.

What you need: Something neon, leggings, a sweatband or scrunchie and lots of hairspray.

How to do it: Pick one 80s look and commit. The aerobics version is the easiest: a bright top or leotard over leggings, leg warmers, a sweatband and a side ponytail. Tease the roots, spray it big, and add bright blue eyeshadow up to the brow.

Time: About 20 minutes. The one thing worth buying: neon leg warmers.

Full guide: how to do an 80s costume

9. Hippie Costume

Comfortable, colorful and almost entirely thrifted. Peace and love, in about fifteen minutes.

What you need: Flared jeans, a flowy or tie-dye top, round sunglasses and a headband.

How to do it: Wear the headband across your forehead, part your hair down the middle, and add any beads or flowers you can find. A fringed vest pulls it together if you have one. Just don’t add glitter or platforms, or you’ll drift into disco territory.

Time: About 15 minutes. The one thing worth buying: round tinted sunglasses.

Full guide: how to make a hippie costume

10. Pirate Costume

Messy is the point, so this is one costume where looking thrown-together actually helps.

What you need: A loose white shirt, dark pants, boots, a sash or scarf and an eye patch.

How to do it: Tuck the pants into boots, tie a scarf or sash around your waist and another one over your head. Leave the shirt untucked and wrinkled. Smudge a little dark eyeshadow under your eyes for that months-at-sea look. A tricorn hat takes it from “guy in a white shirt” to pirate.

Time: About 15 minutes. The one thing worth buying: a pirate tricorn hat.

Full guide: how to make a pirate costume

Which Last-Minute Costume Should You Pick?

If you’ve got ten minutes and an empty closet, go ghost or cowboy. If you own a lot of black, it’s cat or witch. Don’t mind getting messy? Zombie, every time. And if you’re dressing a kid on short notice, the mad scientist and scarecrow both come together fast and nobody will guess they were last-minute.

Want more ideas? Browse the full costume encyclopedia from A to Z, or check out our Halloween costumes.

Last-Minute Costume FAQ

What’s the easiest last-minute Halloween costume?

A sheet ghost or a cat. Both take about ten to fifteen minutes and use things most people already have at home.

What can I make with clothes I already have?

Witch, cat, cowboy, hippie, pirate, zombie and scarecrow costumes are all mostly closet pieces. Black clothes, flannel, jeans and a white shirt cover almost all of them.

What’s a good last-minute costume for a kid?

A ghost, a mad scientist or a scarecrow. They’re quick, they aren’t scary, and kids love the props.

What’s a cheap last-minute couples costume?

A cowboy and a cowgirl, a witch and a black cat, or two zombies with matching “before” outfits.

Can I still order a costume online this late?

Usually, if you order a few days ahead and pick fast shipping. Accessories like hats, ears and wigs ship faster and cost less than full kits, which is why each idea above lists just the one piece worth buying.