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 initially intended. Halloween isn’t the same without a costume. A popular option even centuries later, homemade Halloween costumes remain a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for spooky season.
A great way to channel this creative inspiration is to look at vintage Halloween costume trends and DIY approaches. Homemade costumes were once the norm, long before stores like Spirit Halloween existed, and they still offer creative and personal ways to celebrate.
Source: Reddit
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 these sites have inspiration for closet costumes and thrifting guides to help build the perfect costume.
This forecast shows the expected rise in the second-hand apparel market through 2029. Supporting the expected popularity of homemade costuming during the following season.
The Current State of the Halloween Costume Industry
As shown below, Halloween spending in 2025 is expected to reach an all-time high of $13.1 billion. With this spending around Halloween, we must acknowledge our habits when buying our costumes.
With Halloween comes on-use costumes, otherwise known as the costume you buy every year. According to FairyLand Trust, an estimated 4 in 10 costumes are worn only once. Which means we obviously aren’t keeping last year’s. Leading more people to explore alternatives. Given that we are expected to spend 51% more than last year on Halloween costumes, these “cheaper” alternatives are becoming more appealing. Most consumers choose to piece together their costumes from fast-fashion retailers such as Amazon or Shein. Due to their wide variety and relatively low prices, are they the next best option?
Many Gen Zers have begun abandoning premade costumes and instead piecing together costumes themselves. This is usually done by buying separate pieces that correlate to a costume or outfit’s elements from stores such as Amazon, Shein, or TikTok shops.
Here is an example of a Princess Peach costume that you may see as an option for an average Gen Z Halloween costume.
Another typical retailer that experiences this activity during the season is Shien. Due to its commonly known low prices and wide variety of clothing, accessories, and more, it’s a standard hub for Halloween costumes.
With the standard Halloween costume now costing $37.62, many would rather find alternatives to actually last. A good quality wig or corset could go with a costume next year or a fun party outfit! It’s always better to try and find second-hand alternatives before relying on fast-fashion stores. However, there is no shame in buying some good accessories off Amazon.
But what About the Environment?
So, are there environmental impacts? 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.
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. 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 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 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 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
