Last-minute Halloween costume ideas from your closet

Written By Kylie Thomas, Co-Features/A&E Editor

Everyone has been there—it’s less than a week till Halloween, and you have no idea what to dress up as. It’s too late to go shopping for an expensive costume, and your supplies are limited. You browse the internet for easy costume ideas but every idea is basic: a cereal killer, some other pun, a skeleton, or a character from “The Purge.” No need to let out a killer scream of frustration— last-minute doesn’t have to mean basic. Below you’ll find this year’s quick, wicked costumes to get you a treat instead of a trick.

Muppets – The Muppets are timeless characters that are loved by all generations. The best part about the Muppets is that it’s easy to come up with an inspired look just from clothes sitting around the house. Have a green shirt? Make a light-green collar out of paper, and, if you’re feeling crafty, make a headband with big white eyes on it, you’ll transform right into Kemit. Fozzy Bear is another simple look with brown clothing, a scarf and pink nose. A lot of the other muppets wear a specific style of clothing like Gonzo with his crazy patterns or Beaker with his lab coat and tie.

“Phineas and Ferb” – The “Phineas and Ferb” characters all wear simple clothing while still being easily distinguished. Jeremy’s open green shirt with cargo shorts or Vanessa’s tight, all black wardrobe are carved into viewers’ memory. Even Phineas’ staple white and orange striped shirt is something that may be lurking in your closet, waiting to be worn. The key to all of these costumes is to make it your own, even if you don’t have the specific clothing item or hair color you can still make the character come across with your personality.

Board game characters – Board game characters are easily overlooked but can be used for individual costumes or group costumes. The “Operation” character works as an individual costume with just a pair of shorts and a red nose, while the “Clue” characters can be used as a group costume with different colored themed dress clothes. “Candyland” characters are another group that are color coded and can be dressed up with actual sweets like licorice or peppermints. As a last minute resort, a monotone outfit in one certain color can turn you into your own board game piece.

Modern Fairy Tale – There are tons of fairy tales out there, but you don’t have to dress like a classic Cinderella ball gown to embody these characters. Instead, modernize their looks with what you would think they’d wear today. A red bodysuit can be Little Red Riding Hood or cute sweaters and pig makeup can be the Three Little Pigs. The options are endless from classic fairy tales to modern day Disney stories. Even as recent as the emotions from “Inside Out” with a blue sweater for Sadness or a yellow dress for Joy.

Harry Styles Eras – Harry Styles is one of the most popular artists today but even more popular than Styles himself may be his fashion style. People are inspired by his clothes and apply it to their own style, so why not use those looks and dress up as Styles for Halloween? Whether it’s his classic boyband look of a shirt and blazer paired with skinny jeans or his current 70s inspired style of suspenders, flowy, open, dress shirts, and dress pants. There are some looks of Styles’ that are definable such as the white pants and pink shirt outfit pictured on his album “Fine Line,” but there there’s also eras where a flannel shirt can equate to frat boy Styles.

Memes – Memes have quickly become one of the most recognizable symbols among society. There are TikTok memes, classic Facebook memes and even Vines. While many of these memes are recognized audibly, there are many that use visuals. The Arthur meme is just a yellow sweater with a collared shirt underneath. The salt bae meme could be reenacted a white shirt with black sunglasses. More recent memes are just as easy like the Little Lad that can be channeled by adding a Victorian collar to a black dress.

Last-minute Halloween costumes are hard to think of on your own but once you get an idea, run with it. The whole point of Halloween is to get to be someone else for a day, play a part that you don’t normally get to play. Whether it’s a look influenced by something or an exact costume, the most important thing to remember this Halloween is to have fun, be safe and stay spooky.