By Isabella Capponi
Contrary to popular belief, Halloween costumes don’t need weeks of planning behind them. Some of the best costumes are ones I have pulled together from items in my closet 30 minutes before going to a party. Your closet can be the perfect starting point for an easy last-minute costume that not only saves you money but saves you time as well. If you are going to invest in a Halloween costume, instead of rush-shipping a cheap polyester costume from Amazon that you will only wear once, you should focus on ordering pieces that can last beyond Halloween. ONFEMME has an amazing collection of trending clothes, including mini dresses you can style as part of a witch’s costume on October 31 and wear again for your girls’ night out on November 1.
Polka dots, a pink slip dress, and a striped top become recognizable costumes with a few character-defining accessories.
Start With Your Closet
The first step before shopping for Halloween costumes is looking in your closet and taking inventory of items you already have. A little black dress, leather jacket, sheer tights, black turtleneck, or a sparkly dress can serve as the foundation for countless easy Halloween costumes. By styling familiar pieces in unexpected ways, you can create a costume that feels intentional without spending extra money.
Start with the piece that does most of the work, then build the character around it. A black dress can become a witch’s outfit with a pointed hat, or a vampire look with dark lipstick and a dramatic collar. Your shoes, bag, and jewelry can stay familiar. Often, one recognizable accessory is enough to turn an outfit you already love into a costume.
13 Going on 30
If you are feeling uninspired after looking through your closet, your next stop to finding a last-minute costume is ordering from ONFEMME. Instead of shopping for a cheap costume you will only wear once, focus on finding one or two high-quality, versatile pieces that complement your existing wardrobe. A little black dress or silk slip can help you achieve your Halloween vision while giving you plenty of styling possibilities for the rest of the year. The LoveShackFancy Zulla Lace Charmeuse Slip Dress is an adorable pink slip dress with lace trim. It is perfect for a night out, or it can be paired with a trench coat to recreate Jenna Rink’s look from 13 Going on 30 as a Halloween costume.
The details are what make this Jenna Rink look recognizable. Add a pink sleep mask pushed up onto your forehead and carry a takeaway coffee cup to echo the scene. After Halloween, the slip dress can stand on its own for dinner or sit under a sweater for a completely different outfit.
A pink slip and trench coat recreate Jenna Rink’s 13 Going on 30 look.
The Other Mother From Coraline
More of a spooky movie fan? Coraline is one of the most popular costumes year after year, but dressing as the Other Mother is a less obvious and more unique choice and, lucky for you, super easy to pull together. Bella Venice makes the cutest two-piece polka-dot set, which is my favorite when paired with tall leather boots for a girls’ night out. It can be paired with a DIY pair of button sunglasses to perfectly recreate the Other Mother’s chic, scary look from Coraline.
Part of what makes the Other Mother memorable is the contrast between her ordinary appearance and those unsettling button eyes. You don’t need fake blood or an elaborate costume to make the reference work. The Bella Venice polka-dot set provides the recognizable foundation, while the glasses bring the creepy detail. It’s a good example of how the right clothing can become part of a Halloween character without having been designed as a costume.
Zara Larsson’s iPod Look
If you are more of a pop diva, recreating Zara Larsson’s iconic iPod dress would truly make for such an easy and unique costume! Simply grab any strapless dress from your closet or the sparkly, chic Cannes Mini Dress from Guizio and decorate it with two printed cutouts. So easy, and you’ll get compliments all night on how creative you look!
Print an iPod screen and its circular click wheel, then cut them out. Arrange them on the front of your dress, with the screen above the wheel. You can personalize the screen with your favorite album cover. Add headphones if you already have them, and the whole idea becomes instantly easier to recognize.
Hello Kitty With a Little Sparkle
If you have any red shirts in your closet and two days for a pair of ears to arrive from Amazon, you can recreate this easy Hello Kitty costume. Our pick for a red top is the Frankies Bikinis Milo Knit Turtleneck Sweater. Where you can really get creative is with the makeup. One of my favorite Zara Larsson makeup looks is this Hello Kitty rhinestone look, which can easily be replicated with some eyelash glue and rhinestones.
The red bow does most of the work here, so you do not need to copy every detail of the makeup to make the reference clear. Keep it simple with a bow and whiskers, or add a little sparkle if you enjoy spending more time on your makeup.
A pink slip and trench coat recreate Jenna Rink’s 13 Going on 30 look.
Polka dots and button-eye glasses recreate the Other Mother’s look.
A strapless mini and printed details recreate Zara Larsson’s iPod look.
If you don’t already have your Halloween costume planned, don’t worry! The best looks combine creativity, personal style, and thoughtful shopping. By starting with what you already have in your closet and investing in versatile pieces from ONFEMME when needed, you can create a costume that feels special for Halloween without sacrificing long-term wearability.