Dress as a cat burglar — or better, as a retro 1960s one — with a simple black turtleneck, beanie, eye mask, and a sack for loot.
There are so many superhero movies these days that we all have more supers in our repertoire. You can dress as the most obscure hero and there will be more people than ever who “get” it. Tap your inner comic nerd and go big with this costume idea.
A lumberjack has always been a simple and silly Halloween costume, and with today’s prevalent “hipster beards,” the right person could fit the look better than ever. Walk around in flannel and carrying an ax, and this look is instantly recognizable.
Make a
poster of a famous portrait, like the Mona Lisa. Cut out the head, and your costume is as simple as peeking through the hole, replacing the famous face with your own.
The idea of cyborgs has been a mainstay in science fiction for decades. Today, with AI and VR and AR and more, cyborgs don’t seem so far-fetched. Dress as a cyborg equipped with AR glasses or a VR headset and seemingly mechanical body parts.
Go for a quirky Halloween costume like an eccentric fortune teller. Don a flowing skirt or multiple scarves. Whatever you do, don’t forget the crystal ball.
Go for an astronaut costume equipped with helmet, white suit, and NASA patches, or opt for a metallic retro suit like those in 1960s science fiction films.
Pick any athlete you love — or one you think is easy to imitate — and make that personality your Halloween costume. You’ll never have a better excuse to buy that athlete’s official jersey.
Mischievous movie personalities like Ferris Bueller make for great Halloween costumes, too.
Dressing up as a spy for Halloween can go in different directions. It’s cool to look like someone out of Mission Impossible, but for a retro spin, you could favor the Carmen Sandiego look. Get a red trench coat, a red fedora, and carry around a globe or map.
Pirates of all stripes are great fun to turn into Halloween costumes. What combination of eye patch, bandana, pirate hat, swords, booty, and rum bottle strikes the right notes for you?
Surprise everyone and get some laughs with a simple lip balm costume. Take a plastic bucket and turn it upside down on your head, and it looks like a lip balm cap. Write “Chapstick” or “Lip Smackers” in colorful letters down a long shirt, and you’re a walking tube.
Don’t just dress as a chef for Halloween — dress as the hippest of them, with a colorful apron, beard or mustache, and tons of artsy tattoos up both arms.
Zorro is a fun costume to pull, but remember that you have two options. You can dress as Don Alejandro (the apprentice) or the more mature Don Diego.
Have you ever seen a truly spectacular knight costume? That could be your mission this year, starting with a truly awesome body of armor.
If you’re handing out lots of candy this Beggar’s Night, what better personality to dress up as than Willy Wonka?
If you go for a zombie costume this Halloween, think about how to make it a truly unique and sinister one. Maybe you could be a zombie who’s gone a few weeks without fresh brains, or a zombie missing both arms.
Cute and ironic Halloween costumes come together in this fun, 1980s aerobics instructor idea. Get the neon leotard, leg warmers, and sweatband, and make no apologies.
A mad scientist starts with something as simple as a white lab coat and goggles, and can get as elaborate as sporting wild, chemically-dyed hair and maniacal make-up.
Sherlock Holmes is a classic personality that comes with several baked-in monster references. Your partner or friends could dress as the hound of Baskerville, for example, while you don the deerstalker and the pipe.
