Homemade Adult Halloween Costumes You Can Make for Under $15

By the time the kids’ costumes are sorted, most parents have about $10 and one evening left for their own. That is enough. The costumes below lean on what is already in your closet, a quick stop at the thrift store and a few craft-aisle basics, and none of them need a sewing machine.

Before you start, gather a basic kit: safety pins, hot glue, a roll of duct tape, poster board or a cardboard box, a black marker and some cheap face paint. Most of these ideas use nothing else.

Ten costumes, closet first

1. Butterfly. Cut two large wing shapes from poster board, paint them with bold stripes and dots, and attach them to an old tank top or a pair of elastic shoulder loops with hot glue. Pipe cleaners on a headband make the antennae. About $6.

2. Sheep. Glue cotton balls in clumps onto a white hoodie or sweatshirt from the thrift store, leaving the face open. Plan on several hundred cotton balls and a full evening. Add black felt ears to the hood. About $10.

3. Game show contestant. A plain T-shirt, a big paper name tag and a handful of oversized “prize” cards cut from poster board. Pair it with a family member dressed as the host in a thrifted blazer. Under $5.

4. Rabbit in a hat. Make a tall black top hat from poster board and wear it around your waist on a loop of ribbon, with a stuffed or cardboard rabbit popping out. Dress in black and add white gloves. About $8.

5. Half and half. Split one outfit down the middle: half bride, half groom; half summer, half winter; half cowboy, half astronaut. Use safety pins and a thrifted jacket cut in half. The effect is funniest when the two halves could not be more different. $5 to $12.

6. Caveman. An old faux fur throw or leopard print fabric, cut into a one-shoulder tunic and tied with twine. Carry a club made from a pool noodle wrapped in brown paper. About $7.

7. Glowing stick figure. Black sweatsuit plus glow sticks or battery LED strip lights taped along the arms, legs and spine. It is a big hit after dark, especially on a trick-or-treat route. About $10.

8. Peanut. Tan poster board or a tan paper bag sleeve, a black thrift store top hat, a cane and a paper monocle. Wear a tan shirt underneath. About $8.

9. Crayon. A long colored T-shirt, a cone hat from matching poster board, and a black marker band with a brand-free label. Groups can each wear a different color. About $5.

10. Tourist. Hawaiian shirt, socks with sandals, a camera around your neck, a fanny pack and a folded paper map. Almost everything is already in a closet somewhere. Free to $3.

Shopping smart

Thrift stores are the best source of costume bases, but their Halloween sections empty quickly in October. Shop the regular racks too: an old blazer, a solid-color sweatsuit or a long skirt can become half a dozen characters. The guide to thrift fashion has tips for finding good pieces fast.

Dollar stores and craft store coupons cover the rest. Buy face paint, glow sticks and poster board there, not at a seasonal costume shop where the same items cost twice as much. After Halloween, stock up on marked-down wigs, makeup and accessories for next year, and keep them in one labeled bin.

Group and couple costumes

Costumes get funnier, and often cheaper, when the family or a group of friends shares one idea. Splitting the supplies means one pack of poster board or one can of spray paint covers everyone.

• A box of crayons. Each person wears a different solid color with a matching cone hat. One person can carry a cardboard “box” sign.
• Salt and pepper. One white and one black outfit, two paper hats shaped like shaker tops, and labels drawn in marker.
• A deck of cards. Poster board front and back, hung over the shoulders with ribbon, one suit per person.
• Garden party. One sunflower (a yellow paper petal ring around the face), one bee in stripes, one gardener with a straw hat and a watering can.
• Game show night. The contestant from the list above, plus a host in a blazer, a “prize model” and a giant paper wheel.

Kids are usually happy to join in, which saves buying them a separate store-bought costume that year.

Quick fixes for common problems

Poster board wings droop after an hour? Tape a wooden skewer or a strip of cardboard along the back as a spine. Cotton balls falling off? Use fabric glue on a practice patch first and let it cure overnight. Face paint cracking? Apply it in thin layers and set it with a light dusting of baby powder. If a hat keeps slipping, a bit of elastic cord stapled on each side and worn under the chin solves it.

Make it comfortable

A costume you want to take off after 20 minutes is not a bargain. Test it at home: sit down in it, raise your arms, and make sure you can see well if anything covers your face. Face paint is safer than a mask for walking with kids after dark, and a strip of reflective tape on your back helps drivers see you. The CDC’s Halloween safety tips suggest bright or reflective costumes and makeup over masks for the same reason.

Wings, hats and props should come off easily when you need to drive, hold a toddler or serve food. Attach them with safety pins or elastic instead of glue whenever you can.

Plan the whole night

A costume is one piece of the evening. If you are hosting, the page on cheap Halloween party ideas covers decorations, food and games on a small budget, and roasting pumpkin seeds turns the jack-o-lantern leftovers into a free snack. For more ways to keep holidays affordable, see the frugal family tips.

One last trick: take a photo of every costume you make and keep the pieces in the bin. Next October, the butterfly wings become fairy wings and the thrifted blazer turns into a magician, a game show host or a vampire with ten minutes of work.