30 Halloween Costumes Ideas That Are DIY-Friendly

Struggling to come up with a good (or easy) costume idea? Look no further. Ariel Skelley / Getty Images

We've all been there: Spooky season has arrived, and you don't have any costume ideas for Halloween. Whether you're a casual fan of the holiday who is looking for a good Halloween costume, or a long time devotee of All Hallow's Eve who wants to top last year's effort, we've got you covered with some great Halloween costume ideas.

8 Classic Halloween Costumes

It's always a good idea to start with the classics. These kind of Halloween costumes are both highly recognizable and relatively easy to get (although not necessarily make) on somewhat short notice.

While they might not be the most creative, classic costumes thrive in execution, and there's a lot of room to play with them.

Dracula/Vampire: It's hard to top this classic costume, and the range of different interpretations means that you can add plenty of your own creativity to the mix. A simple black cloak and fake teeth can go a long way, or you can go all-out with vampire makeup, hair, sharp nails and so forth.
Witch: The witch costume has countless variations, from the spooky to the sexy. Possible accessories include a fake nose, a tall, wide-brimmed hat and a broomstick. You can also add occult symbols and charms; let your imagination run wild.
Princess: Royalty costumes are another opportunity for flaunting your creativity and style, whether you're thinking of being a king, queen, prince or princess. The classic, which can start with a tiara and a white dress, is sure to be recognizable.
Frankenstein: Here's another iconic monster — and you can have fun reminding people that it's technically Frankenstein's monster. Like Dracula, you can also dress up as the female equivalent, whether as the "Bride of Frankenstein" or simply as a femme Frankenstein. Lots of opportunity for makeup with this costume, too.
Mummy: This classic costume has the advantage of being relatively simple: enough long bandages and you're ready to go to the Halloween party!
Werewolf: Again, despite the classic Hollywood's version of "the Wolf Man," you can make this a unisex costume. You can go for a hairy, scary mask, or go all out with a full-body suit of fur, and even tack a tail on the back.
Zombie: As with virtually any costume, you can find plenty of ready-made versions at your local seasonal Halloween store, but nobody is stopping you from a DIY experience with the zombie classic. It's a classic with endless variations, and you can make it as gross, spooky or silly as you desire.
Ghost: Perhaps the most basic costume — a sheet with two holes cut out is all you really need — this one is also instantly recognizable. If you want to get creative, you can find fun depictions of ghosts from different cultures, to get you feeling inspired.

6 Fictional Character Halloween Costumes

Beyond the classics mentioned above, there is a long tradition of dressing up like your favorite fictional character, whether they're from a book, a movie or a video game.

Little Red Riding Hood: This costume works for grown ups or kids. If you're going as a group, you can also include the Big Bad Wolf, dressed as the grandmother.
Super Mario Bros: Beyond Mario and Luigi, there's a whole range of other characters in the Super Mario universe that you can dress up as: Princess Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario and so on.
The Mad Hatter: Lewis Carrol's classic offers plenty of options, including the Cheshire Cat, the Red Queen (sometimes conflated with the Queen of Hearts) and Alice herself. The Mad Hatter often seems like the most fun to imitate, and you get to dress in a truly wild set of clothes.
Ghostbusters: This one makes another great option for group costumes, but even a single ghostbuster will be pretty recognizable. This is another one where a pre-made costume will be easy to find, but if you really want to impress your friends, try and build one of those proton-packs yourself.
Ghostface: Ever since the release of Wes Craven's "Scream" in 1996, the villain's costume, most significantly the mask (inspired by Edvard Munch's "Scream" painting), have been Halloween costume fare.
Beetlejuice: Sometimes the best Halloween costumes are creepy, and sometimes they're funny. Beetlejuice, based on the eponymous 1988 movie, is a great opportunity to do both. Once again, you can go DIY, or grab one off the shelf of pretty much any party store.

5 Celebrity Halloween Costumes

Halloween costumes offer an opportunity to become someone else, so it's no surprise that some people take the opportunity to inhabit the famous.

Costumes can also be topical; whatever year it is, it's a certainty that there will be a celebrity that's been in the news (for good reasons or bad). Depending on how daring you want to be, you can either play it safe or scandalous.

Taylor Swift: As with most divas, making this sufficiently recognizable will take some familiarity with her most iconic looks.
Beyonce: There are plenty of options to choose from with Bey. As is the case for any costume that's intended to impress, knowing what your audience will recognize is important to consider.
Elton John: John is legendary in part for his flamboyant fits, making him an easy choice for a Halloween costume.
Run-DMC: Technically a group costume, even if you're flying solo, if you're rocking a black Adidas tracksuit and heavy gold chains, you're likely to be recognized as a member of this iconic hip hop trio. As a bonus, there different hats to try: a Kangol bucket hat or a straight-brimmed fedora.
Audrey Hepburn: Chances are, if you're going as Hepburn, you'll probably be dressing as Hepburn-as-Holly Golightly, from "Breakfast at Tiffany's." With a cigarette holder, long gloves, a black dress and a tiara, you'll be all set.

11 Everyday Items to Dress Up As

Sometimes, the best Halloween costumes can be made from the most mundane of objects. These are great options for kids, as they can be included in the process of making them if you're going the DIY route.

Clock
Bunch of grapes
Bag of popcorn
French fries
Spider
Pizza
Sandwich
Milk carton
Computer
Light bulb
Pumpkin