Costumes have been tied to Halloween since its origins over 2000 years ago. Even if it’s not to disguise yourself from a trickster spirit, as originally intended, Halloween just isn’t the same without a costume. And in trend, even centuries later, Homemade Halloween costumes remain a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for the spooky season.
Before the IPs and characters we know now had thousands of costumes shelved in Spirit Halloween, anyone looking to be Luke Skywalker had to get creative. Homemade Halloween costumes used to be the norm. And we should get back to it! A sheet ghost isn’t the only homemade option you have. Exploring vintage costume trends and DIYs is a great way to channel some creativity this Halloween.
Source: Reddit
Even if costumes of the past aren’t your style, with the current growth of the second-hand market, plenty of sources have opened up for consumers. For those who prefer to stay on trend, sites like Pinterest, TikTok, or Instagram are great options for inspiration. Thrifting and DIY Halloween costumes are trending! With an expected market rise, second-hand is the best way to shop for your next costume. Many of the sites mentioned have tons of inspiration for closet costumes and thrifting guides to help build the perfect costume.
Forecasts show an expected and continued rise in the second-hand apparel market through 2029.
The Current State of the Halloween Costume Industry
Before discussing some inspiration and why you should convert to a homemade costume this year, let’s examine the current industry. Halloween spending in 2025 is expected to reach an all-time high of $13.1 billion. Given this spending, we must acknowledge our habits when buying costumes.
With Halloween comes one-use costumes, otherwise known as the costume you buy every year. According to the FairyLand Trust, 4 in 10 costumes are worn only once. Since store-bought costumes are now averaging $37.62, it’s no wonder consumers have begun seeking higher-quality alternatives.
Are Store-Bought Costumes the Only Way?
Many Gen Zers have begun abandoning premade costumes and choosing instead to piece together costumes themselves. Due to their wide variety and relatively cheap prices, this is usually done by buying separate, correlating pieces of a costume from different online retailers such as Amazon and Shien.
A Princess Peach costume can easily be assembled by searching for different pieces, such as a “Pink Corset,” “Blonde Wig,” etc. Even if it’s not the exact version of the princess we expect, these costumes are still easily identifiable.
Other fast-fashion retailers, such as Shien, experience similar activity around the Halloween season. This is to the point where these retailers have begun shopping for us, creating catalogs of pre-selected items for recognizable or more common/repeated costumes rather than promoting the one-use costumes they also sell on their sites.
Since these pieces don’t hold the same “costumey” qualities as store-bought alternatives, there’s a lot more opportunity to reuse them. A corset can always be styled for the perfect night out outfit!
Of course, it’s always better to find these pieces second-hand. You shouldn’t always rely on fast-fashion stores; they aren’t necessarily better than one-use costumes. However, there’s still no shame in buying long-lasting accessories from Amazon.
But what About the Environment?
Well, 35 million costumes are thrown away yearly in the U.S., so one-use costumes are doing more harm than we thought. Considering 83% of costumes are made of polyester and nylon, they are less likely to hold up over time, making it harder to reuse costumes year after year. This lower quality also means that pieces from costumes are less likely to be added to everyday wear and even more likely to be discarded. Another thing to know is that these polyester and nylon costumes in our landfills take decades to decompose. Polyester has an estimated decomposition rate of 20-200 years, and nylon an estimated 30-40 years.
Even if it’s more cost-effective, fast-fashion consumption, even for Halloween, is just as bad as buying a one-use costume. The polyester used by fast-fashion retailers is usually of the same quality as store-bought costumes. Meaning it’s also not likely to last and will take just as long to decompose. How many times will you wear that top you bought for a costume? Well, the chances are unlikely, given that approximately 81.5 pounds of fast-fashion-produced textiles are thrown away per person yearly.
Homemade Halloween Costumes: Why You Should Make Your Next Costume at Home
Most sources recognize that the best way to combat these earlier statistics is to reuse or recycle any one-use Halloween costumes while investing in higher-quality pieces whenever possible. Second-hand resources are a main suggestion for these alternatives, being generally more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Even digging into your own closet can lead to a great costume!
With the current industry in mind, let’s look at simpler, sustainable alternatives. DIYs and thrifting are great ways to achieve the exact look you want. And they can be pretty cheap—$20 goes a long way. You don’t have to be a master crafter to piece together a boombox with cardboard. Plenty of simple props, accessories, and more can be handmade. It may not be of the highest quality, but you made it, and it’s better than paying $25 for a prop wand.
DIYs
DIYs are a great alternative to store-bought Halloween props and costumes. Sewing is a great skill, but it isn’t your only option. Many costume accessories can be made with unexpected things found around the house. Foam is a great material for armor pieces.
Supplies for DIYs tend to be relatively cheap. Getting 10+ brushes and three paints for under $10 was a deal for a project I didn’t originally have paints for.
Apps like YouTube and TikTok provide many great tutorials for sewing projects, prop making, wig styling, and more.
Thrifting & Closet-made Costumes
Thrifting is another great alternative to store-bought costumes. Not only can you find second-hand store-bought costumes, but also high-quality pieces for a customized costume.
This costume I wore last year was completely thrifted! I found everything at different thrift stores across my hometown. Thrifting for your costume could add fun pieces to your everyday wardrobe. I frequently wear parts of this costume outside the Halloween season.
Customizing your costume is a perfect reason to thrift it. Putting a personal touch on a character or media makes the experience of dressing up even more fun. Why not be yourself even when dressed as someone else?
Lastly, using your clothes is a great way to put together a costume. Not everyone wears a cape. Most of us wear regular clothes, so don’t hesitate to go simple. It is the only genuinely free costume.
Don’t sweat it if you want a store-bought costume. Homemade Halloween costumes aren’t for everyone. But try something new and make or thrift your costume next year! Still make sure to consider what you do with that costume after Halloween. Make sure you’re still being mindful during the holiday season.
Inspiration & Examples of Homemade Costumes
