A Guide to Last-Minute Halloween Costumes
One staple piece is all you need to pull off multiple last-minute Halloween costumes this Halloweekend.
BY Ella Barchie ★ October 28th, 2025
Photo Credit: Julia Karasu
As a college student, Halloweekend is one of the most anticipated weekends of the year. Coming up with costumes for multiple nights out can be tricky, and all the “simple Halloween costumes” online still require you to buy multiple, expensive items. A basic staple costume piece can make any everyday clothing into a costume.
If you want to make a last-minute costume change or haven’t decided what to be yet, I put together a guide to solve all your costuming dilemmas–in one to two purchases.
A Tiara
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's: pair with a little black dress and some pearls, throw your hair up in a bun.
Princess Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries: for another iconic brunette, grab a white dress, some sunnies and earbuds.
Any Disney Princess.
Own a blue dress and have curly hair? You can be Cinderella.
An all purple outfit and some long straight hair? Rapunzel.
A Tutu
Classic ballerina: put your hair in a bun, grab some ribbon or bows, and now you're ready to dance!
Miss Carrie Bradshaw: pair your tutu with a pink top with some curly hair, and now you're ready to take on the city!
Animal Print or Animal Ears
If there’s one thing Mean Girls got right, it's that animal ears always make the easiest and cutest costumes.
Karen from Mean Girls: grab an all black outfit, your favorite initial necklace (bonus points if the initial is backwards), and some mouse ears.
Party Animal: if you already have animal print at home and are looking for something a bit more, grab a party hat.
LMFAO! album cover: take some inspo from our UGirl Julia and dress ready to party rock.
White Button Down
Frat guy: looking for something super simple? Grab a tie, backwards cap and some sunglasses.
Mia from Pulp Fiction: for any of the dark-haired girls out there who might have fallen victim to the college bob, pair a button down with a red lip and some black pants.
Another Carrie Bradshaw costume: pair a big baggy button down with a belt and you’ve got yourself another Sex and the City moment.
Halloween Makeup
Makeup can enhance any look. Here are a few key products that make a difference:
Eyeshadow: a colorful palette can help bring in some character to any look like a princess or ballerina.
Eyeliner: perfect for whiskers, noses, or tattoos that you might need for your costumes.
When college culture calls for multiple Halloween costumes, it can be stressful, expensive and time-consuming to come up with good ideas. With just one of these simple items, you’ll have plenty of costume options to slay all weekend long.
Edited by: Alexa Murland