How to Thrift Your Halloween Costume
Skip the single-use holiday crap and source amazing costumes secondhand or from your own closet!
By Emma Geddes, Elise Nye, and Karrie Witkin
Halloween generates trash. Spirit Halloween stores crop up in roughly 1,400 locations in the United States and Canada for a reason. They sell tons of unimaginative and flimsy costumes and plastic junk, reliably, year after year. Costumes are usually thought of as single-use; we can assume that many end up in a landfill after just one wearing. How many Hellfire Club tees and curly brown ’80s wigs will end up at the dump after Eddie Munson fades from the forefront of pop culture? If you don’t get the aforementioned references, our point has been made.
Halloween merchandise typically appears in stores in early August, but supply chain delays caused inventory shortages for seasonal goods in 2021 and an inventory glut when the products arrived too late to sell. Contemplating the time and resources expended to get these items (mostly impulse purchases) on shelves for a mere 12-week window is motivation enough for rethinking how we participate in the fast consumerism of this holiday.
The most sustainable clothing is what you already have in your closet and the next best option is shopping secondhand. So what could be more sustainable than a Halloween costume assembled from items you already own and strategically thrifted pieces? Admittedly, this approach may require a shift in mindset, especially if you are someone who tends to get inspired at the last minute. Secondhand shopping is serendipitous; attempting to find a long list of specific items a few days before Halloween is a recipe for disappointment.
If you love dressing up and your social life typically involves multiple opportunities for costuming (i.e. dance parties, fundraiser galas, drag and variety shows, glitzy New Year’s Eve bashes), consider thrifting for costume pieces year-round. If you are low key about Halloween and don’t want to accumulate random items for one night’s wear, start by opening your closet and let your existing wardrobe inspire the direction of your costume. We’ve got tips for both approaches and encourage you to cherry pick the strategies that work for you.
How to Build a Thrifted Costume Closet
For those who love coming up with new and elaborate costumes each year, building a costume closet out of versatile and theatrical secondhand pieces is a sustainable way to practice Halloween maximalism, especially if you swap and share items with friends. Building a costume closet isn’t hard and shouldn’t be expensive, but it will take a little time to establish a foundation and you’ll need space to properly store the clothes. The tips below, gathered from this post, will help you keep an eye out for items that can be repurposed year after year in a wide range of costumes.
Note: All of these tips translate perfectly to a kids’ dress-up closet, too! If you have a kiddo who loves to play dress-up, consider how fun it might be to create a costume trunk for them and their friends!
Stick to thrifted, gifted and free pieces. Check out the big secondhand stores, Buy Nothing groups, and “free stuff” boxes on curbsides immediately after Halloween. You’ll have your pick of desirable items for little to no cost, along with the additional satisfaction of diverting at least a few pieces of clothing from a landfill.
Establish a stable of basics. Black basics are the foundation for so many costumes! If your day-to-day wardrobe doesn’t have black layering items (t-shirts, turtlenecks, button downs, leggings, pants, skirts, tights, etc), pick these up whenever you are shopping secondhand.
Look for “free-sized” items. The most sustainable clothing items are ones that you can wear for years to come and share with friends. Look for versatile items that can fit a wide range of bodies, like tunics, muumuus, unfitted dresses, and cloaks. It’s always a good idea to have a few extra sheets or curtains that can be worn as togas, long skirts, and capes. Building a good selection of non-sized items (jewelry, wigs, scarves, etc.) is also key to inclusivity.
Accessorize! Collect costume jewelry: the bigger the better! Statement pieces like masks, headpieces, animal ears, and tiaras instantly take a basic getup to the next level. Also look for things that can be multipurpose: ribbons, belts, knit beanies, scarves, bandanas. Keep an eye out for era-specific shoe styles, wearable heels (platforms are always good), knee-high boots, and cowboy boots.
A good collection of scarves and ties makes basics more versatile.
Wigs are essential! Say yes to any free or affordable wig in any condition and stock up on a few wig caps (here’s one how-to video for washing and storing your wigs). The right wig does almost all of the heavy lifting when you’re transforming yourself into another character. Even the rattiest wigs come in handy for the right theme.
Wigs in all colors and textures, the most used (and most hilarious) section of the Closet.
Go for shiny, bright, or funky. If you have the space to store them, look for formal dresses, enormous hats, puffy shirts, suit jackets, items in bright or primary colors, sequins, bold prints, furs, silky fabrics, feathers and fun outerwear (trench coats, fur coats, jean jackets, puffer vests). Layering these kinds of pieces over your basics will add texture, sparkle, theatricality, and can evoke a specific era or character even if you don’t own the entire look.
A selection of (mostly) vintage party dresses with fun and interesting details, from tulle and satin to sequins and fringe.
Pick up some rudimentary sewing skills. Make sure to have basic tools available for on-the-fly alterations. A quick row of stitches is sometimes all you need to make something into the perfect fit. It doesn’t need to be permanent or professional because you’re only wearing this garment for one night. Then your stitches can be removed and the piece is ready for the next person!
Involve your friends. If you are part of a creative community or have friends who love to dress up, consider building the costume closet together and using it communally. Closet clean-outs and clothing swaps are perfect opportunities to expand the size and color range of your costume assortment (making it ready for all kinds of group costume possibilities). Space and safety permitting, you could host a Halloween gathering where everyone gets ready for a night out together!
Part of this process may also involve letting go of a sense of ownership. It’s entirely up to you to set parameters for how items are borrowed, but part of the magic of creating a costume closet is the ebb and flow of items as they’re borrowed, forgotten, and replaced over time. In the long run, embracing this idea may save you a lot of grief over a costume that gets lost, ripped, or beer-stained. It’s better for a costume to be loved and repaired than left pristine in the back of the closet. Just remember: it’s only stuff! Fabulous, flamboyant, second hand stuff.
How to Shop Your Closet for Costumes
If you’re not inclined to dress up for Halloween unless invited to a costume party, then these tips are for you. Skip the last-minute Amaz*n purchase and head straight to your closet. The creativity here is to associate your own clothes with fictitious characters (in pop culture or books), famous people (living or dead), or generic “types” who would wear similar items.
Think about Mr. Rogers in his zipper cardigans, neckties, and canvas lace-ups, or Iris Apfel with her round black glasses, red lipstick, and layers of colorful jewelry, or Edith Bouvier Beale with her turbans and improvisational layering. Their “costumes” consist of signature clothing combinations that you can emulate with any comparable pieces that you may have in your wardrobe. Maybe you just need a wig, a prop, or one thrifted piece to make your costume complete. Here are some other examples to get your wheels turning . . .
Veronica Sawyer from Heathers
A signature outfit for Veronica from Heathers: a gray skirt, blue tshirt, and gray plaid cropped shirt accessorized with a red velvet scrunchie.
Heathers, a dark comedy starring Winona Ryder, defined the look of the late ’80s mean girl: blazers with power shoulders, knife-pleated skirts, knee socks, and feathered hair. Add a button-down shirt and scrunchie in one of the Heathers’ signature colors (red, yellow, or green) and you’re good to go. Bonus points if you carry a coordinated croquet mallet.
Alternatively, you can copy Veronica’s iconic final look with a gray pleated skirt, a blue t-shirt, gray button down, and a red scrunchie. The first three items are all super easy to find at any thrift store if you don’t have them already, and all are wearable beyond Halloween. Try making your own scrunchie or buy one from an indie maker. Top it all off with a cig, some black eyeshadow for “soot,” and a touch of fake blood for maximum impact. Christian Slater better watch out!
Patrick Bateman from American Psycho
Patrick Bateman’s outfit consists of a blue and white striped dress shirt, a red tie, a pair of black trousers, and black dress shoes. Three business cards rest on the pocket of the shirt.
To nail this American Psycho look, your best bet is to pair a blue and white dress shirt with a red tie and a navy suit, but you can make other business casual pieces work. We swapped the suit for a pair of black trousers with a bow at the waist because Mr. Bateman has some seriously dark #girlboss energy. Slick back your hair and print out business cards to hand out when people ask who you are (there are lots of versions you can easily find online). Maybe splatter your face with fake blood if you want to be less subtle.
Mer-Creature Costume
Elise with scale makeup on her cheekbones. The base of the makeup look is a lavender eyeshadow with a diamond pattern over top.
A purple scarf top and shiny green disco pants.
There are so many directions you can pursue with this aquatic costume theme. For this take, we’re going to stick with classic Little Mermaid colors and pair green with a purple scarf top. Get creative with this; think outside the lobster pot! You can pair a colorful sequined shirt with bell bottoms or match your favorite bikini top with an ethereal fairycore hippie skirt. This can easily turn into a group costume if you color coordinate with your friends ahead of time.
The secret to making your mer-creature look the talk of the costume party is fish scale makeup. The effect is stunning, but so easy to do! Apply a lighter shade of eyeshadow where you’d normally put highlighter on your cheeks. Then put fishnet tights over your head and dab darker eyeshadow through the netting over the highlighter eyeshadow color. You end up with a sensational scale pattern!
We used a deep plum purple over a shimmery lavender, but a cerulean blue over light green, black over silver, or black over red for a goth mermaid are other cool options. There are tons of YouTube tutorials on how to achieve this, and it transforms the simplest costume into an absolute show stopper.
Wild Westerner
Western wear ensemble comprised of a black top with red embroidered western detailing, denim Levi shorts, a black leather concho belt, a black brimmed hat, and red roper boots.
With Western wear and cow print having had their moment, there’s a good chance you already have a few pieces that can be transformed into a rancher style outfit. For bottoms, we recommend classic denim. If you can get your hands on a Western shirt that’s great, but in a pinch you can use a denim shirt or flannel button down, which are both plentiful closet staples at thrift stores and may already live in your wardrobe.
Getting the right hat and boots might prove to be the biggest challenge for putting this costume together. Try borrowing these items from your friends, checking your local Buy Nothing group, or hitting up your local consignment and vintage stores. An alternative to cowboy boots is a roper boot (a type of Western riding and walking shoe featured in this photo), which may be easier to wear in your everyday life. There are lots of pairs for resale on Depop.
A concho belt, bolo tie, bandana and anything with Western-inspired hardware are great accessories to bring the fit together. You can find incredible belts at thrift stores for less than a few bucks, but if you want to modify one of your own, there are tons of stunning Western belt buckles on eBay for between $10 and $15.
Combine Shopping Your Closet with Thrifting
Whether you’re a fantasy costume fanatic or a casual participant in Halloween, why not go to your closet first and see if your everyday clothes have dress-up potential? Give yourself a little extra time to gather inspiration, pull pieces from your wardrobe that appear on your costume mood board, and figure out whether you need just one or two “new” items to complete your look. Try borrowing those pieces, buying them secondhand, keeping them in your closet for future costumes, or passing them along to a friend. Halloween is a season for storytelling and masquerading as someone else; what better time to look at your closet and see what you already have in a new light.
Last Updated: October 5, 2022
Editor: Karrie Witkin | Designer: Haley Burson | Photographer: Emma Geddes and Elise Nye | Copywriter: Elise Nye | Copy Editor: Katie Frankowicz | Proofreader: Karrie Witkin
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