Halloween is creeping up fast! If you're still trying to decide how to dress up, don't run to the store to buy a Halloween costume you'll likely only wear once. Instead, shop your closet to build a costume from clothing and props you already have.
- Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Engagement (couple)
This costume pairs a striped dress for Taylor and a cable-knit polo and white shorts for Travis. Add a faux engagement ring and a bouquet of roses to play up the vibe of their viral moment.
- Wednesday Addams (Wednesday TV show)
This costume is a perfect opportunity to break out that simple, black dress. Add a white collar, paired with black tights and flat shoes for a gothic schoolgirl look. Match Wednesday’s aesthetic with braided pigtails, pale makeup, and a deadpan expression to capture a spooky vibe.
- Lumon Industries employee (Severance TV show)
A Lumon Industries employee costume from Severance is familiar to anyone who has ever worked in a stuffy office environment. One take on the costume includes a white button-down shirt, dark slacks or skirt, and a muted tie, reflecting the sterile corporate aesthetic of the show. Throw on an ID badge or lanyard to round out the corporate vibe.
- Paul Bunyan
The lore of the legendary lumberjack runs deep in Minnesota. You can perfect the look of the mythical giant with a few fashion staples. A flannel shirt, jeans, suspenders, red beanie or trapper hat, and work boots define the look. Add some creativity and fun to the costume with a stuffed ox or a toy axe.
- Kendrick Lamar from the Super Bowl
It’s time to rediscover those bootcut jeans! You were definitely saving them for a reason. Pair the jeans with a hoodie or jacket, backward cap, black gloves, and a chunky chain. Dancing and singing optional.
- Rosie the Riveter
This costume features a denim or chambray shirt with rolled-up sleeves, paired with dark pants or jeans to evoke the iconic World War II-era look. Add a red bandana tied around your head and strike the classic “We Can Do It!” pose to truly embody the 1940s icon.
- Heartbroken Minnesota sports fan
Are you a long-suffering Minnesota sports fan? It’s time to turn that suffering and heartbreak into a creative Halloween costume. Mix and match your Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, and Wild fan apparel and paint on some tears or tear-smeared face paint. Get creative with props like a broken foam finger or a fan sign with a phrase like “So close…maybe next year”. You’ve spent years earning the right to wear this costume.
- Marty McFly (Back to the Future movie)
This costume includes a red puffer vest layered over a denim jacket with a plaid shirt and jeans. Add white sneakers, a digital watch, and a skateboard or toy hoverboard and you’re ready to head back (or forward) in time.
- Stereotypical tourist
This costume proudly showcases a loud Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals with socks. Add accessories like a camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, a fanny pack, and a map. Don’t hesitate to ask for directions to the nearest tourist trap.
- Artist
Wear paint-splattered clothes, a beret, and carry a palette or paintbrush. Add a smudge of paint on your face and strike a pose to channel your inner artist.
Halloween is a great time to dig into the depths of your closet to find new uses for old, forgotten items. This is a great activity for the whole family. Kids will love rediscovering items that they haven’t seen in years or previously belonged to a sibling or parent.
If you’ve determined that you can’t make a costume with what you already have in your closet, find other local options for thrifting a new-to-you costume instead.
Find local stores and resources to help you buy, donate, sell, or repair used items in our reuse directory.
For how to dispose of items that cannot be repurposed, donated, or sold check out the Green Disposal Guide.
