What is your favorite costume? Is it one of these?
1. ’50s Girl
- Inspired by: Grease (starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Want to bring retro vibes to your next Halloween party? Take some inspiration from Sandy Olsson’s classic “Summer Nights” outfit, complete with a poodle skirt and matching accessories.
Get the look: Kidcostumes adult poodle skirt with printed scarf ($22); BengPro retro costume accessories ($13); Button-down shirt ($21)
2. Football Player
- Inspired by: Remember the Titans (starring Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
It’s the perfect excuse to support your favorite football player or pay homage to the Titans. Either way, your custom uniform will be a total touchdown.
Get the look: Sports Unlimited integrated football pants ($30); Custom football jersey (from $15)
3. Firefighter
- Inspired by: Station 19 (starring Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Grey Damon)
- Costume difficulty: Easier than easy
You’ll turn heads in your firefighter suit, which includes overalls and a matching jacket. All we can say is, bring on the heat!
Get the look: Aeromax adult firefighter suit (from $78)
4. FBI Agent
- Inspired by: FBI (starring Missy Peregrym, Zeeko Zaki, Ebonee Noel)
- Costume difficulty: Easier than easy
An FBI jacket and a pair of aviator glasses are all you need to pull off this look. (One we’re sure LT Maverick Mitchell would approve of.)
Get the look: Smart People Clothing FBI jacket ($38); Livhò aviator sunglasses ($14)
5. Lifeguard
- Inspired by: Baywatch (starring David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
Want to dress up with your BFFs? Consider paying tribute to the iconic lifeguards from Baywatch. CPR certification not required.
Get the look: Dixperfect one-piece bathing suit (from $15); BLARIX whistle and lanyard ($10); Ever Ready first aid fanny pack ($10)
6. Boxer
- Inspired by: Million Dollar Baby (starring Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Channel your inner Maggie and show the world your boxing skills with this simple costume, which includes a simple green robe and a pair of boxing gloves.
Get the look: Sioro bathrobe ($21); Sanabul punching bag gloves ($30)
7. Vampire
- Inspired by: Dracula (starring Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, David Manners)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
You’ll need the full vampire costume and some fangs to transform into a creature of the night. And remember, it’s not the size of your fangs, it’s how you bite.
Get the look: Renaissance vampire costume (from $30); CoolJoy vampire teeth ($9); Washable fake blood ($6)
8. Mouse
- Inspired by: Mean Girls (starring Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Rachel McAdams)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Karen’s unforgettable mouse costume is relatively easy to copy. Just pair a silky dress with some mouse accessories and you’ll be one of the plastics in no time.
Get the look: Miqieer long silky dress ($21); Skeleteen mouse accessory set ($12)
9. Zombie Bride
- Inspired by: Mean Girls (starring Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Rachel McAdams)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
For this Adam Samuels-approved look, pair a zombie wedding dress with a long wig. (Bonus points if you have a zombie groom to team up with.)
Get the look: Fun World Costumes zombie bride dress ($29); Beautyself silver grey costume wig ($22); Mehron Makeup coagulated blood ($8)
10. Undercover Officer
- Inspired by: Men in Black (starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
Thankfully, you won’t have to deal with extraterrestrial lifeforms, but you can certainly look the part. This look is relatively easy to put together, with just a two-piece suit, glasses and an earpiece.
Get the look: P&L 2-piece suit jacket and pants set ($100); Joopin polarized sunglasses ($16; $12); Skeleteen secret spy earpiece headphones ($8)
11. Witch
- Inspired by: The Wizard of Oz (starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger)
- Costume difficulty: Expert
Wear your favorite witch costume, don a wig, apply some green face paint and voila! You’re the Wicked Witch of the West. But you might want to avoid buckets of water…or else.
Get the look: Forum Novelties classic witch costume ($25); Mehron Makeup green face and body paint ($14); Da Vinci wig ($20)
12. Lion
- Inspired by: The Wizard of Oz (starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Practice your best roar (oh hey, Katy Perry), and rock this lion costume to show that you’re far from a coward.
Get the look: Funny Party Hats lion ears and tail set ($23; $20); Elope fingerless costume paws ($18; $12)
13. Scarecrow
- Inspired by: The Wizard of Oz (starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Scarecrow hat? Check. Straw outfit? Check. Now, if we only had a brain cornfield…
Get the look: Rubie’s Store adult scarecrow costume (from $42)
14. Tin Man
- Inspired by: The Wizard of Oz (starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger)
- Costume difficulty: Easy to moderate
Lucky for you, this Tin Man costume already has a heart. You can even take it to the next level by using silver face paint to blend in with the costume.
Get the look: Rubie’s Store adult tin man costume (from $38)
15. Clown
- Inspired by: It (starring Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard)
- Costume difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Need a seriously terrifying costume that’ll get under people’s skin? Look no further than Pennywise.
Get the look: Rubie’s deluxe Pennywise costume (from $35); Binggle Pennywise mask ($30)
16. Cheerleader
- Inspired by: Bring It On (starring Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
There must be some Torros in the atmosphere! Bring It On fans will revel in this eye-catching cheerleading outfit.
Get the look: Bring It On Cheerleader uniform (from $38); Cheer sneakers ($39)
17. Ballerina
- Inspired by: Black Swan (starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
We’d like to think we’re not the only ones who dreamed about starring in The Nutcracker. Blossom into a Black Swan with a satin corset, a matching tutu and sparkly crown.
Get the look: Kranchungel embroidered corset ($20); v28 tutu skirt ($25; $12); Floral Fall crown ($13); Stelle ballet tights ($10)
18. School Girl
- Inspired by: The Princess Diaries (starring Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Here’s your excuse to break out your Lisa Frank merch. Just dust off your plaid skirt and pair it with a matching shirt and bowtie to complete the look.
Get the look: French Toast pleated skirt (from $17); Beninos simple shirt ($22); Patiky criss-cross bowtie ($9)
19. Bunny Rabbit
- Inspired by: Legally Blonde (starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
With Mindy Kaling’s Legally Blonde 3 on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to channel our favorite Harvard grad, Elle Woods.
Get the look: Bunny girl outfit ($33); Jacobson Hat Company bunny ears headband with fluffy tail ($11); Capezio soft transition tight ($13)
20. Pirate
- Inspired by: Pirates of the Caribbean (starring Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Xavier Alexander)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
You can’t go wrong with the legendary pirate of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow. All you’ll need to achieve the look are a costume set and pirate hat.
Get the look: Smiffy’s high seas pirate costume (from $55); Jacobson Hat Company pirate hat with braids (from $23)
21. Doctor
- Inspired by: Grey’s Anatomy (starring Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr.)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
This doctor costume is pretty easy to put together, and just might trick someone into thinking you went to medical school.
Get the look: Paramed scrubs set uniform ($24); Paramed classic dual head stethoscope kit ($21)
22. Ringmaster
- Inspired by: The Greatest Showman (starring Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
Prepare to put on the greatest show by dressing up as the infamous P.T. Barnum. A simple circus outfit and stuffed lion will transport you to the exciting world of clowns, acrobats and trapeze artists.
Get the look: Fun shack circus costume outfit ($42); Betheaces Aurora World plush lion ($19)
23. Hippie
- Inspired by: That ’70s Show (starring Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Need an affordable, last-minute option? Consider going for the hippie aesthetic from That ’70s Show. What you’ll need is a tie-dye shirt, a suede fringe vest and retro glasses.
Get the look: Joe’s USA tie-dye T-shirt (from $21); Kulywon fringe vest (from $12); SunnyPro Store retro round sunglasses ($15)
24. Nun
- Inspired by: The Sound of Music (starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
We imagine that Deloris Van Cartier would also approve of this ensemble. And the best part? You can get the full costume for just $30.
Get the look: Fun Shack nun outfit ($34)
25. Cowboy
- Inspired by: Yellowstone (starring Kevin Costner and Luke Grimes)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
You can pay homage to the characters by dressing like them for Halloween. A classic cowboy hat and shirt with a holster belt ought to do the trick.
Get the look: Wrangler Riggs long sleeve shirt (from $34); Western Express cowboy hat (from $35); Cowboy gun belt ($22)
26. Robot
- Inspired by: Westworld (starring Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Another great option is to dress up as one of the robots from the show. (Bonus points for stellar robot dance moves.)
Get the look: Morphsuits creepy monster costume ($44)
27. Alien
- Inspired by: E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (starring Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote)
- Costume difficulty: Easier than easy
Venture into outer space by paying tribute to the infamous alien from E.T. Just pair your alien mask with a cozy gray blanket and you’ll be ready to board your spaceship.
Get the look: Ghoulish Masks Area 51 mask ($50; $39); Utopia blanket ($25; $20)
28. Astronaut
- Inspired by: Toy Story (featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Who can say no to an inflatable Buzz Lightyear jumpsuit? Get ready to go to infinity and beyond.
Get the look: Disguise inflatable costume ($108; $60)
29. Runner
- Inspired by: Juno (starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
TBH, you may already have these pieces in your closet. You just need running shorts, a polo shirt, a headband and tube socks.
Get the look: Soffe running shorts ($18; $13); Aeropostale polo shirt ($12); Suddora yellow sweat band ($8); Pareberry tube socks ($10)
30. Nerd
- Inspired by: Napoleon Dynamite (starring Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Napoleon’s “Vote for Pedro” T-shirt and aviator glasses are pretty easy to replicate. Just add a curly brown wig and you’re all set!
Get the look: South Horizon Vote for Pedro shirt (from $16); WebDeals aviator eyeglasses ($7); Alluara afro wig ($27)
31. Exterminator
- Inspired by: Ghostbusters (starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
This could double as your Halloween costume and a uniform for your next major ghost-busting job. Either way, this classic jumpsuit (which comes with an inflatable backpack) is sure to be a hit.
Get the look: Rubie’s Store costume with inflatable backpack ($69; $59)
32. Nanny
- Inspired by: Mary Poppins (starring Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Make it a jolly holiday with a Victorian nanny costume inspired by everyone’s favorite nanny. (Gravity-defying umbrella not included.)
Get the look: Smiffys nanny costume (from $38); Elope Mary Poppins hat ($25)
33. Devil
- Inspired by: Hocus Pocus (starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Doug Jones)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
From mini-dresses and pitchforks to red bodysuits and capes, there are plenty of ways to dress as the devil. If you’re looking for an affordable option, try a red long gown with a flame-cut skirt.
Get the look: FunWorld Gothic Devil Costume ($77)
34. Mummy
- Inspired by: Hocus Pocus (starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Doug Jones)
- Costume difficulty: Moderate
Consider this look a cross between Edward Scissorhands and The Walking Dead. (Bonus points for sewed lips.)
Get the look: Wishu Long frock coat ($39); Short Messy Black Wig ($19); Monster makeup ($25)
35. Sailor
- Inspired by: Stranger Things (starring Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Millie Bobby Brown)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Devoted Stranger Things fans will instantly recognize this look from Steve and Robin’s ice cream gig. Scoops Ahoy!
Get the look: Fun Shack sailor costume ($37); Fun Party Hats white sailor hat ($22)
36. Cat
- Inspired by: The Bachelorette (starring Katie Thurston, Connor Brennan)
- Costume difficulty: Easier than easy
Connor Brennan (AKA Connor B.) may not have won Katie Thurston’s heart, but he sure is memorable. Partly thanks to his cat costume.
Get the look: Adult black cat costume ($74; $44)
37. Huntress
- Inspired by: Hunger Games (starring Jennifer Lawrence)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
If you’re going as a teen heroine, then you might as well pick the fiery Katniss Everdeen. Even if you’re not as skilled with a bow and arrow, no one will mess with the girl on fire.
Get the look: InCharacter huntress costume ($30); Morris bow and arrow ($12)
38. Ghost
- Inspired by: Scream (starring Neve Campbell, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Pay homage to the Scream franchise by dressing up as Ghostface, aka one of the greatest villains ever. The costume set comes with a hooded robe, a belt and the Scream ghost mask.
Get the look: Fun World ghost face costume ($19)
39. Genie
- Inspired by: Aladdin (starring Will Smith)
- Costume difficulty: Moderately easy
Wonderful, magnificent, glorious, punctual! Grant everyone’s wish by transforming into the magical genie from Aladdin.
Get the look: Mehron face and body paint ($8); Joerica gold jewelry ($17); CandyHusky gypsy pants ($26)
40. Master Chocolatier
- Inspired by: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (starring Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson and Peter Ostrum)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
We can’t promise you a golden ticket, but you can take everyone to a world of pure imagination as you transform into the chocolate master himself, Willy Wonka.
Get the look: Rubie’s Adult Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory costume (from $38)
41. Fallen Angel
- Inspired by: Constantine (starring Tilda Swinton)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
All you need is an all-white ‘fit with angel’s wings and, tada, you’re the archangel Gabriel. Well, minus the evil schemes to unleash hell on earth.
Get the look: Party Angel Wings ($29); White tank top ($20); White pants (from $18)
42. Fighter Pilot
- Inspired by: Top Gun (starring Tom Cruise)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Feeling the need for speed? Gear up with a Maverick-inspired uniform and your favorite pair of aviator shades.
Get the look: Top Gun Flight Suit costume (from $90); Aviator sunglasses ($19)
43. Barbie
- Inspired by: Barbie (starring Margot Robbie)
- Costume difficulty: Easy
Come on Barbie, let’s go party! If you’re eager to take a trip to Barbieland, all you’ll need is a doll box costume.

