Whether you’ve put off coming up with a costume idea or you’re looking for an inexpensive last-minute Halloween look, CanCulture has gathered a wide and varied selection of looks you can make at home.

By: Racy Rafique

Halloween is coming back around, and this one is as special as ever. Two years of pandemic-life later, gatherings, trick-or-treating, and Canadian events such as Halloween Haunt, Screemers and Bingemans Screampark are finally allowed. 

All you need is your vaccine certificate and a costume — oh wait.

Somehow, even though this is the first Halloween in ages, you are still scrambling to find a fun, creative last-minute costume. You’ve made it! Below are the most unique solo, couples and group DIY costumes to make sure you stand out this Halloween.

Solo Costumes

Olivia Rodrigo (Sour)

A cute and simple costume to appreciate pop culture icon Olivia Rodrigo! For this Sour album cover look, all you need are some cute stickers, a pink top and silver accessories styled to your liking. You’ll be instantly recognizable in this unique five-minute DIY costume. Check out the step-by-step guide here.

Violet (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

We all hated her when we were younger. Now, Violet’s iconic blue-velvet tracksuit and “I’m all that” attitude is just the look to earn all the praise from your friends this Halloween. Dig out the blues in your closet, get creative with your eyeshadow palette, and have a pack of gum handy all night for this cute twist on a classic character. Get your friends in on it for a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-themed group costume!

Captain Underpants

Pop on some cute boy-short underwear and a sports bra for this fun and one-of-a-kind costume. If you don’t own a red cape, you can use a red scarf or carpet to complete the look (just like he does)! This look works for anyone and everyone.

Breadwinner

Kacey Musgraves’ “Breadwinner” has been the tune of the month on TikTok. Pull out your cutest athletic wear and any old medals you may have (or you can buy some at your local dollar store for very cheap). The best part about this outfit? You can carry around your favourite kinds of bread for a nice snack without anyone judging you (also everyone will love you for the free food).

Vintage Wind-Up Doll

Any cute dress works for this look: the “dollier” it looks, the better. For the “wind” in the back, try this easy tutorial that only requires cardboard and a belt. This look is great for those who want to go all out with their makeup and hair. Drastic and vintage makeup is encouraged!

Edna (The Incredibles)

Edna is a fan favourite from The Incredibles and this costume allows for some creativity in her ensemble. Any black in your closet can easily be put together to form this iconic look. Pair it with a black wig and round glasses from your local dollar store and you’re ready to go!

Coraline

Coraline was a movie that scarred all of us in our childhoods but there’s no time like the present to face our fears by diving into this cute and easy costume. All you need is a yellow raincoat (feel free to replace it with any yellow clothing item from your closet) and yellow rain boots or shoes. Try a wig or temporary blue dye if you feel like adding some spice to your ensemble.

Bowl of Cereal

If you’re looking for something a little different to show off your quirky and creative side, this hilarious DIY is an ace. This costume requires a little more work, but the end result is definitely worth it. Cut a hole in a plastic basket and paint it white. For the “cereal,” customize the look with whatever brand you have at your disposal (even try out the Tim Hortons Timbit cereal for a classic Canadian take). Cotton in the basket will give the illusion of “milk” around the cereal. If your basket doesn’t stay up, you can sew it to your top and bottoms, or attach suspenders to it. Attach an empty milk carton to a headband if you want a little extra flavour. The spoon can simply be created with cardboard and then covered with tin foil. Voila! You’ve got a cereal costume!

Ash Ketchum (Pokemon)

This cute femme Ash Ketchum is a great way to don a creative costume with minimum effort. Find a white button-up you’re okay to part ways with. Paint the front blue with yellow accents (you can buy fabric paint at your local dollar store). Cut holes in green socks for the fingerless gloves, and finish the look with a baseball cap. Bonus points if you have a Pokemon or Pokeball plushie to bring the look home.

Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)

There’s no time like the present to appreciate the iconic Elle Woods. Any pink dress along with big sunglasses will do. Add a book in one arm and a big fluffy pink pen in the other and you’ve got Elle Woods! Bonus points if you have a mini dog to carry around in a purse with you.

Couple’s Costumes

Bert and Ernie

Name a more iconic duo. This look has rarely been done but allows for so much innovation. You can go classic Bert and Ernie with big bulky sweaters and mom jeans, or try a cuter look like the one above. This is a great costume to stand out among the crowd and look like the coolest duo in the room.

Chucky and Tiffany

If you want to go for something more traditionally scary this year, Chucky and his bride Tiffany is a great DIY (and very simple too)! For Chucky: A red top and blue overalls. For Tiffany: a white dress and a black leather jacket. Add some blood and makeup effects to really finish the look.

Cosmo and Wanda

It’s TV’s favourite couple! This femme Cosmo and Wanda costume only requires a white top and tie for Cosmo and a yellow top for Wanda. Add some cute fairy accessories you can make yourself at home or purchase. Pair it with skirts, shorts or pants! Green and Pink hair is a must though, and you can find wigs or temporary hair dye at your local dollar store.

Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy

This is a fun look from your childhood and also surprisingly easy to recreate. The belts, hats, eye mask and shells can be made with craft paper. You can buy green tights from your local Walmart, and you probably have some gloves lying around the house somewhere from the pandemic. Find or borrow an orange and red shirt, pair it with black shorts and a blue neck scarf and you’ve got a costume everyone will love. Also, don’t forget your invisible boatmobile!

Flint and Sam (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs)

This adorable couple’s costume is a rare sight at Halloween festivities, yet it’s so smart and recognizable. A lab coat and black pants for flint, a pink shirt, glasses, khaki pants and boots for Sam, and you’ve got a quick and iconic couple’s costume for the books. Animal plushies act as great accessories to this costume.

Letter Wall and Joyce Byers (Stranger Things)

This is such a fun way to represent your favourite show without going for the basic Eleven with her waffles look. The letter wall is hilarious, creative and bound to get plenty of compliments. All you need is some black paint, a white shirt and Christmas lights. For Joyce, a classic Mrs. Byers look includes a flannel shirt, a wired phone and a perpetually scared look on your face.

Statue of Liberty and Tourist

This costume requires a green dress (or bed sheet if you want to get really creative) and some cardboard and paint for the Statue of Liberty look. For the tourist look, if you don’t already own an “I heart NY” shirt, you can pick one up from your local thrift store (seriously, they’re everywhere!) or try making your own with fabric markers! Any other stereotypical tourist accessories are encouraged (I’m talking fanny packs, socks and sandals, a camera, a lanyard around the neck, sunglasses, and so on). The statue also looks great gender-bent. Get creative!

Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch

For those duos that are the epitome of naughty vs. nice friend, the Wicked Witch of the West and her sister, the Good Witch Glinda, is the costume for you. You don’t even need to go all out with a ballgown for this. A nice light blue or white dress would be a perfect way to dress down this look for the same effect. Big princess-y jewellery, and a tiara and wand complete the Good Witch look. For the Bad Witch, a black dress, classic witch hat and green body paint are all you need. Pair it with a broom from your household or try DIYing a traditional witch broom for less than $5 to accessorize.

April and Andy (Parks and Recreation)

Calling all Parks and Recreation fans! This iconic April and Andy costume is an easy one to recreate. Pair a white button-up and black tie with a dark windbreaker that you can tape some construction paper onto to create the FBI logo. Black sunglasses and a fake FBI badge complete the look. For April, simply a black dress, pearl necklace, and head bonnet create the perfect look. Don’t forget the black stick in hand that you pretend to smoke while shamelessly flirting with Andy!

Blue and Steve (Blue’s Clues)

This look is effortlessly cute. An oversized blue shirt with some darker blue spots taped or glued on creates the perfect Blue outfit. Use some construction paper to create ears that you can attach to a headband to complete the costume. For Steve, simply a green striped shirt and brown pants work perfectly. Bonus points if Steve has a yellow notepad to doodle in!

Group Costumes

Bob’s Burgers

This group costume is instantly recognizable and can be easily created using clothing and items from your household. This iconic family costume is missing Gene, but his look can easily be created with a yellow shirt and optional blue vest (also a melodica to really lock the look in). The best part about this family costume is that you can adapt it based on how many people are in your group. This can be a duo costume (Bob and Linda) or triples (Louise, Tina, Gene) or you can add more fun characters in, such as Teddy and Aunt Gayle.

Inside Out

Inside Out is a great costume for those friend groups that have the “happy” one, the “sad” one, or the “mad” one. As long as you get the colours right, the outfits are easily customizable and can be made from regular clothes found in your closet. Get creative with your makeup for a little extra sparkle.

Winnie the Pooh

A classic group costume that has been recreated many times in many different forms. You can opt for oversized tees, cute dresses, onesies or adjust it to the style of your own group. All you need is the general colours for each character and some ear headbands that you can purchase online or make yourself. If dresses are not your style, you can opt for pants and some cute coloured crop tops. The honey jar is a perfect accessory for Pooh!

Classic Archie

Netflix original Riverdale took the world by storm several years ago, but before the mysteries of Riverdale High took place, Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead existed as simple teens in the classic Archie comics. Go old school with your four best friends with some ’50s inspired fits and makeup. DIY the letter sweaters with some craft paper and tape, and dig out some big puffy skirts from your mom’s closet, and boom! You’ve got a unique twist on the classic characters. Make a crown for Jughead and some dramatic hair to really make it feel like the ’50s.

The Powerpuff Girls

Any trio needs to attempt a version of this costume at one point or another. There is no wrong way to be a Powerpuff Girl. As long as you have the colours green, pink and blue somewhere in your closet, you’ve got all the materials you need to make this costume your own. Fun coloured makeup, big sunglasses and any and all accessories are encouraged. If you want to dress it down for a more casual look, you can try oversized tees in each colour for an effortless look.

Shrek

Why not get your friends in on one of the biggest memes of our age and one of the best movie franchises of our childhoods? This group costume works for any number of people, as there are tons of recognizable characters from the movie trilogy. Pick a character that you love and chances are you can pull something out of your closet to DIY the look in a cute, modern way. Shrek only requires a white tee, some brown fabric and green face paint. For Fiona? A green dress, red wig and a tiara complete the outfit. Have some fun by trying the Puss in Boots, Lord Farquad, or Gingerbread Man costume.

Phineas and Ferb

This adorable take on the girls of Phineas and Ferb is such a unique girl group costume. Add in Phineas, Ferb, Perry, Dr. Doofenshmirtz to widen the group. For Isabella, all you need is a pink dress, white tee and a pink bow you can make with some fabric. Candace only requires a red top and white bottoms, but red hair really makes the ensemble whole. For Vanessa, simply a leather black outfit from head to toe and sleek dark hair are required. Have another girl in the group? Add in Tracy with a green top, blue bottoms and a blue bow to top it off.

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a story that will never get old. There are so many ways to interpret this group costume. You can dress it up or down, but this cute group look hits the spot perfectly. The key to this costume is the accessories. Simple items from your closet paired with creative makeup and DIY accessories (the Tin Man’s hat, the Scarecrow’s straw, the Lion’s mane) come together to make the cutest costumes for you and your friends.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Who doesn’t love the Ninja turtles? All you need for this fun group of four costume is some green from your closet, and colour fabrics depending on your ninja turtle. Purple, red, blue, or orange will do. These girls DIY’d their shells with tin foil baking pans spray-painted green and some string tied on each side so you can wear your shell like a backpack. This is an easy and fun customizable look for your friends. Accessorize by DIYing the iconic Ninja Turtles weapons.

Adventure Time

Adventure Time has what seems like hundreds of recognizable characters. This girl group chose to be some of the iconic women of Adventure Time. Add in the iconic Jake and Finn for some extra friends, or Marceline the Vampire Queen to continue the strong female character vibe. Bright colours and wigs are your friends with this cartoon-y group costume.