Wear what you own and add one clear sign

An invitation says costumes. You have none, no wish to buy one, and a worry about being the only person in plain clothes. A bought costume is a purchase for a single night.

If you would rather not be the only person in plain clothes at a Halloween event, wear something you already own and add one clear sign that it is a costume, such as a handwritten sign, a name tag or one cheap accessory.

This page is for adults and teenagers dressing themselves. If you are dressing a small child, it is not for you, and the safety box above says why.

Why one sign is enough

Some people find it easier to wear a simple costume than none at all in a group. One person who hates costumes says the attention of wearing none is worse than the attention of wearing a minimal one. Some people say that wearing no costume makes you more conspicuous than a low-effort one.

Start with what is already in your wardrobe

Some people say a good costume can come from clothes you already own that point to a job, a hobby or a look, such as gym clothes, work uniforms or aprons, with no new pieces bought for the night. Some people suggest wearing your own work gear, or a plain version of it, such as an apron, overalls or safety glasses, so it looks like normal clothing but counts as a costume. One person suggests reusing a robe you have, a graduation gown for instance, with plain dark or light trousers and a found stick, for no new purchases; hem it above your ankles and keep it away from candles. One person suggests choosing a character whose usual outfit is a coloured t-shirt and jeans, so the costume looks like everyday wear. One person says a superhero t-shirt under a buttoned shirt with the top buttons left open, plus plastic glasses frames, reads as casual at the office while signalling a costume. One person says that wearing orange and black counts. One person says you can wear what you wore the day before and say it is your costume if asked. Some people say an idea needs no props at all: a mundane situation or an abstract notion, such as a person waiting in line or a formal apology, can be the costume.

How much you need to add depends on the group. Where everyone goes all out, even yesterday’s clothes may draw questions; in a relaxed group, a touch of colour may do. If you are not sure, go one step further and add a clear sign.

Add one clear signal

One person suggests wearing ordinary clothes with a handwritten sign pinned on naming a simple character, such as a cat. One person suggests a name tag with a name or identity on it. One person suggests adding one cheap accessory, such as cat ears or whisker eyeliner, to ordinary clothes. One person suggests a pun on a sign, name tag or small prop; some people warn that puns built on a brand or catchphrase may not land if the audience does not know the reference. One person suggests putting the character’s picture on your phone’s background, to show anyone who asks what you are, and one suggests a witty line in place of a physical outfit.

If you make something or buy something

Some people say simple, recognisable characters can come from things around the house, such as sheets, cardboard and lampshades, with no purchase at all. One person calls a sheet ghost underrated. If you cut eyeholes in a sheet, make sure you can see properly, that the hem clears your feet, and that you stay away from candles: the FDA page says to wear makeup and hats rather than masks that can obscure your vision, and to keep a costume short enough that you cannot trip. One person says a branch used as a prop should have a dull point.

If you do spend, some people say to prefer things you can wear again, such as a robe or a staff, or that have a second use, such as work clothes. Some people say second-hand stores are a main source of base layers and accessories. For scrubs, some people say a thrift store is likely cheaper for a one-off and a uniform shop much dearer, while one person says a uniform shop was cheaper and fit better, so the answer depends on local prices. Many people say costumes are cheaper just after Halloween, which suits next year, not this year’s event; see the page on buying the pumpkin the day after for the same clearance logic with food. One person points out that retailers now often keep costumes back for next year rather than discounting them heavily, one person says some stores bring in Christmas stock very fast, and one person says pop-up Halloween stores close quickly after the day, so the window can be short.

One kind of outfit to skip

One person warns that a police, firefighter or military uniform that looks real can get you into legal trouble, and suggests clearly fake versions instead. In England and Wales, the Police Act 1996, section 90, makes it an offence to wear any article of police uniform so that you look so nearly like a police officer as to be calculated to deceive. This page did not check US state laws, which vary, or the law in Scotland. Choose a clearly fake version or another costume.

Who this page is not for

If you are dressing a young child, the costume, the fire rules and the sizing are a different question, and the UK’s London Fire Brigade says children’s costumes are classed as toys, so look for a UKCA or CE mark and any warning on the packaging. If the event is at work, one person says dressing as a competitor or using an inside joke may not land well, and this page does not cover what is acceptable in an office. If you hate costumes and are being pushed to wear one, one person says that if you hate it you can simply not do it, or use the least effort possible; the page does not cover how to handle being pressured. And if you simply want to skip Halloween, you can.