7 Halloween Costume Ideas You Can Thrift With 3 Items or Less

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s time to start planning this year’s costume. No matter whether you prefer a look that’s spooky or stylish, we’re sharing some easy ideas that you can put together with finds from an estate sale or thrift store—there’s no need to spend more than $25 or so to put together a fabulous getup!

Flapper

Throw it back to the 1920s with a flapper costume that is sure to charm everyone at the Halloween party. All you’ll need to do is keep your eyes peeled for the following: a chic beaded black dress—ideally with sequins or sparkles—a cute pair of heels, and some elegant gloves. You can finish off the look with a couple of other things that you may already have at home, including a long, glam looking necklace and sparkly ribbon to construct a classic ‘20s style headband to finish off the look. 

Barbie

It’s no doubt that Barbie will be a majorly popular costume choice this year given the success of this summer’s movie release. Copy one of the signature looks from the film by shopping for these items: a pink flared pair of pants, a corresponding pink crop top, and a white cowboy hat. There you go, Western Barbie! Top things off by tying a pink bandana around your neck. 

Firefighter

A firefighter costume will keep kids nice and warm all evening long by default! Head to the thrift store and search for a raincoat and some corresponding pants and a pair of boots. You can order a plastic fire hat online after grabbing these essentials. 

Sports Fan/Athlete

Many thrift stores are full of sports jerseys and T-shirts representing teams that are big in that specific region. If you find a shirt with a specific player’s number on the back, that’s always a great way to kick things off. However, you could also choose to dress up as a fan by donning a branded jersey and baseball hat and then completing the look by ordering a foam finger! 

M&M 

Who doesn’t love a jolly M&M? Grab an oversized, plain colored T-shirt in the hue of your choosing and then adhere the signature white “M” logo when you get home. You can wear the T-shirt over leggings for a comfortable, easy Halloween look. 

Movie Star

Keep an eye out for a feather boa, fancy looking sunglasses, and a chunky purse and pair them with a slip dress or another favorite getup to convey to the world that you’re an A-lister. Kids and adults alike will love this costume concept! 

Spice Girl

Even decades after making their debut, the Spice Girls continue to be a fan favorite when Halloween rolls around. Get your crew together and have everyone choose a Spice Girl before heading to the thrift store. For example, if you’re Baby Spice, a cute pink dress will do, if you’re Sporty Spice, head over to the athleisure section, and if you’re Scary Spice, leopard is your go-to. So easy!

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

October 16, 2023     Updated 10:10 AM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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