Famous people have whole teams for Halloween: makeup artists, wig stylists, someone sewing at two in the morning. You don't, and you don't need one. What makes a celebrity costume land is the silhouette, the color and one or two details people already have in their heads, and almost all of that can come from a thrift store, your closet, a decent wig and a few craft supplies. Below are thirty of the best celebrity Halloween looks of recent years, from big transformations to easy closet costumes for couples, friends and families. For each, I've written out the head-to-toe pieces and where I'd simplify so you can still walk, sit and eat in it.
Headpieces That Stay Put Until Midnight
A lot of the costumes below hang on something worn on the head: snakes, a striped hat, feathers, a tiara, a towering wig. That's also what fails first. A headpiece that looked fine in the mirror starts tipping forward after an hour of dancing, and by the end of the night it's in your hand.
- Build on a padded plastic headband or a wig cap, never on bare hair. Bobby pins need something to grip.
- Keep the weight low and close to the head. A tall piece with weight at the top tips; one with weight at the base doesn't.
- Use craft foam or EVA foam for shapes. Both weigh almost nothing and bend instead of snapping when someone bumps you.
- Hot glue holds foam well indoors but turns brittle in the cold, so add a few stitches or a strip of fabric tape at every joint if you'll be outside.
- Wear it for a full hour at home before the party. Pressure points show up around the forty-minute mark, and you can still add padding.
If a headpiece gives you a headache, take it off between photos. Nobody remembers that you carried the Cat in the Hat's hat for part of the evening.
1. Heidi Klum Medusa Costume
Heidi Klum's 2025 Medusa was as theatrical as everyone expects from her. For a version you can wear, I'd start with a fitted green maxi dress or a scaled jumpsuit and put the effort into the head. Skip anything mechanical and make a lightweight crown of rubber or foam snakes on a padded headband, with a long dark green wig underneath for movement. Emerald shadow and small scale stencils at the temples keep the makeup glamorous rather than gruesome. Gold cuffs, a textured cape and green platforms or block heels finish it. If you have a partner, put them in a gray Roman tunic and silver face paint as one of her stone victims.
2. Janelle Monáe Cat In The Hat Costume
Janelle Monáe took a storybook character and made it sharp in 2025. Build yours on a black jumpsuit or a black top and trousers, then add a white chest panel, an oversized red bow tie and the tall red-and-white striped hat. That hat is the costume, and tall felt hats flop by the second hour, so I stiffen mine with a cardboard tube or a ring of buckram inside. Use white face paint only in the center of the face, then draw fine whiskers and a small nose. White gloves, a book or a striped umbrella, and black-and-white loafers do the rest.
3. Paris Hilton Britney Spears Costume
Paris Hilton's 2025 nod to Britney Spears went straight to the red "Oops!...I Did It Again" look. A glossy red jumpsuit is easiest, but red pants with a matching top, or a red unitard under a cropped jacket, work too. One single color head to toe is why people get it immediately, so match your reds in daylight; a tomato top with a cherry pant looks like two costumes. Long straight blonde wig with a center part, frosted silver shadow and glossy nude lips. Add a headset mic and silver hair clips, and wear white sneakers or red ankle boots rather than towering heels.
4. Chloë Bailey Foxxy Cleopatra Costume
Chloë Bailey's 2025 tribute to Beyoncé's Foxxy Cleopatra is all metallic gold and big hair. Wear a fitted gold jumpsuit, or flared pants with a metallic crop top and vest. The large brown Afro wig gives the 1970s shape, and it's heavy, so pin it to a wig cap or braids at four points or it will drift back by midnight. Bronze shadow, winged liner and glossy lips. Then oversized hoops, stacked gold bracelets, tinted aviators and a toy microphone. Choose gold platforms or block heels you've already walked in for an evening.
5. Ed Sheeran Pennywise Costume
Ed Sheeran used his own red hair for Pennywise in 2025, and the idea translates well into a playful version. A light gray ruffled jumpsuit with puffed sleeves, pom-poms and a layered white collar is the base, plus a short orange wig brushed back if your hair isn't red. White cream paint goes on in thin layers. Thick white cracks when you smile, so I build it in two light coats and set each with translucent powder. Add gray shadow, a red nose and clean curved lines from the mouth, nothing graphic. Tie the red balloon to your wrist so it doesn't drift off, and wear cushioned high-tops.
6. Selena Gomez And Benny Blanco Alice Costume
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's 2024 Alice and Mad Hatter is a strong couples option because the two looks contrast so clearly. Alice needs a pale blue tea-length dress over a white blouse or petticoat, striped tights, a black headband, Mary Janes and a blonde wig in loose waves. The Hatter wears patterned trousers, a colorful velvet jacket, a printed vest and an oversized top hat with a ribbon and paper tag, plus a curly orange wig and a teacup. Velvet gets hot fast indoors, so I'd pick a thin stretch velvet for the jacket. Brogues keep his half comfortable.
7. Kendall And Kylie Jenner Lizzie McGuire Costume
Kendall and Kylie Jenner went as Lizzie McGuire and her pop-star double Isabella in 2024. The trick with any look-alike duo is matching closely but not exactly. Both of you wear purple stage outfits, with one in a lavender crop top and embellished flares and the other in a metallic purple top with a skirt or trousers. Long blonde wigs with early-2000s layers, butterfly or sparkle clips, shimmer shadow and small face gems. Stick-on gems pop off with sweat, so use a dot of lash glue rather than relying on the backing. Headset or handheld mics and silver boots or glitter sneakers for dancing.
8. Hailey Bieber And Kendall Jenner Simple Life Costume
Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner did Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton from The Simple Life in 2024, and it's one of the cheapest duos here. One of you wears denim overalls over a bright tank, work boots and a patterned headscarf. The other wears a denim mini, a cropped graphic top, tall boots and a tiny shoulder bag. Both get long blonde wigs, big sunglasses and glossy lips. A flip phone, a mini handbag or a light cleaning bucket is the joke prop. Thrifted denim is the whole budget, and slightly mismatched is the point.
9. Kylie Jenner Barbarella Costume
Kylie Jenner's 2024 Barbarella was a silver space look with huge hair. A metallic silver mini dress or fitted jumpsuit is the base, with a sculptural silver belt and matching cuffs. The long blonde wig needs height at the crown, so I tease the roots and spray them before putting it on, not after. Silver shadow, black winged liner and pale glossy lips. A clear cape or silver shoulder piece adds movement without much weight. Wear silver or white platform ankle boots, and if a mini isn't practical for your night, opaque silver leggings keep the monochrome intact.
10. Halle Bailey Bond Girl Costume
Halle Bailey's 2024 homage to Halle Berry's Jinx centers on that orange beach look. An orange one-piece or fitted bodysuit is the base, with a matching wrap skirt if you want more coverage. Wear a short textured pixie wig or shape your own hair close to the head. Warm bronzer and glossy neutral lips suit it. A wide utility belt and a pair of binoculars hint at the spy story without anything you'd have to explain at the door. It's a cold costume for late October, so wear a long neutral coat between venues and take it off once you're inside.
11. Janelle Monáe E.T. Costume
Janelle Monáe went all in on E.T. in 2024, which is a good reminder that celebrity costumes don't have to be pretty. For a DIY version, start with a padded brown jumpsuit with stitched folds for the wrinkles. The head is where most homemade versions fail. A big foam head blocks your vision and gets hot quickly, so I'd use a brown hood with large handmade eyes and keep a clear gap to see through. Brown face paint on any visible skin, a red hoodie over the top, and a small basket or a glowing fingertip prop. Hide brown slip-ons under the wide legs.
12. Kim Kardashian Albino Alligator Costume
Kim Kardashian's 2024 albino alligator turned a green reptile all white. Start with a fitted white bodysuit and textured leggings, and secure a long flexible tail at the waist with a belt rather than safety pins, because tails get stepped on and pins tear. Glue soft foam scales along the shoulders, arms and back. A white hood or slicked platinum wig keeps the pale palette. Pearly face paint with silver contour and small scale patterns around the eyes beats prosthetics. Keep any claw gloves short so you can still hold a drink, and cover sneakers with white fabric gaiters.
13. Cardi B Jessica Rabbit Costume
Cardi B's 2024 Jessica Rabbit uses three things everyone knows: red, purple and old-Hollywood glamour. A strapless red sequin gown with a side slit is the classic, or a red midi if you want to move freely. Strapless sequin dresses slide down, so I sew clear silicone gripper tape inside the top edge. Long purple opera gloves, sparkling earrings, and a red wig in deep side-parted waves with one section over the eye. Purple shadow, long lashes and red lipstick. Carry a vintage-style mic or a glitter clutch, and choose low block heels over stilettos if you'll be standing all night.
14. Sophie Turner Trinity Costume
Sophie Turner's 2024 Trinity from The Matrix is mostly black clothing you may already own. A fitted black mock-neck or bodysuit, straight leather-look pants and a long black trench coat. Short black bob wig, or tuck long hair inside the collar. The narrow rectangular sunglasses are what make people say her name, so don't swap them for regular shades. Matte skin and neutral lips, a metallic flip phone, and sturdy black ankle boots. It's the costume I point people to when they say they have no time, and everything goes back into the closet afterward.
15. Kelsea Ballerini And Chase Stokes Grease Costume
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes chose the final-scene Sandy and Danny from Grease in 2024. Sandy needs a black off-the-shoulder top, fitted high-waisted pants, a wide belt and red block heels, plus big curls, winged liner and a red lip. Real leather-look pants are hot and unforgiving to sit in; a stretch coated legging gives the same shine with more give. Danny wears a plain black tee, slim black jeans, a leather-look jacket and black loafers, with his hair slicked back using washable gel. A school pennant or a cardboard record makes a shared prop.
16. Kim Kardashian And North West Clueless Costume
Kim Kardashian and North West went as Cher and Dionne from Clueless in 2023, which makes a natural mother-daughter or best-friend pair. Cher wears a yellow plaid blazer and matching skirt over a white top, knee socks, black Mary Janes and a long blonde wig. Dionne wears black-and-white plaid separates, a red cardigan or vest and a big brimmed hat over long braids. Plaid sets are easy to thrift but rarely match exactly, so buy blazer and skirt from the same rack if you can. Mini backpacks and old cell phones for both. For kids or active nights, use skorts.
17. Kendall And Kylie Jenner Sugar And Spice Costume
Kendall and Kylie Jenner became Sugar and Spice from Batman Forever in 2023, a light-versus-dark duo that photographs clearly. Sugar wears a white or silver corset-style top, a flowing satin skirt, long gloves, a platinum wig in smooth waves and silver eye makeup. Spice goes black: faux-leather jumpsuit, sculpted shoulders, black wig and smoky eyes. For the shoulders, I cut shapes from craft foam and cover them in the jumpsuit fabric so they sit flat and weigh almost nothing. Fans or jeweled clutches instead of anything sharp, silver heels for Sugar and black platforms for Spice.
18. Adele Morticia Addams Costume
Adele's 2023 Morticia Addams is proof of what a well-fitted black dress can do. Choose a floor-length black gown with long sleeves, a narrow waist and a flared or fringed hem, and wear a straight black wig with a precise center part well past the shoulders. Morticia's hem pools on screen, but I hem a costume version to just clear the floor in your shoes, because you'll trip on the stairs otherwise. Use a pale foundation close to your own tone, cool contour, charcoal shadow and deep berry lipstick. A stemmed rose with the bloom snipped off is the joke prop, or carry a black lace fan.
19. Heidi Klum Peacock Costume
Heidi Klum's 2023 peacock used a crowd of people as the tail, which is a fun idea to borrow for a group. The main wearer needs an iridescent blue bodysuit with green and turquoise panels, a jeweled feather headpiece over slicked hair or a blue wig, blue-green shadow and rhinestones at the temples. Faux peacock feathers shed and catch on doorways, so mount the fan on a light belt that unclips and spray the quills with a little clear hairspray to cut shedding. Blue platforms underneath. Friends in green unitards with their own feather panels stand behind you to build the tail for photos.
20. Hailey Bieber Scary Movie Costume
Hailey Bieber did Carmen Electra's opening look from Scary Movie in 2023, and most of it is already in your drawer. A white ribbed tank, a matching cardigan, a knee-length neutral skirt, white crew socks and chunky sneakers give the late-1990s shape. A long blonde wig with face-framing layers carries the reference, along with fresh glowy makeup and pale pink gloss. The cordless phone is what people recognize first, so find a chunky one, not a smartphone. A bowl of wrapped popcorn adds the joke. Leave out anything frightening; the humor is enough.
21. Kaia Gerber And Austin Butler Warhol Costume
Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler went as Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol in 2023, a couples look built on 1960s art-scene style. Edie needs a black boat-neck mini, opaque tights, statement earrings, low black heels and a short blonde wig with side-swept volume. Graphic black liner is the detail that matters; I draw it on before lashes and clean the edge with a cotton bud dipped in micellar water. Andy wears a black turtleneck, dark trousers, a leather-look jacket, square glasses, a messy silver wig and Chelsea boots. Hand him a small vintage-style camera or a silver balloon.
22. Kylie Jenner Bride Of Frankenstein Costume
Kylie Jenner's 2022 Bride of Frankenstein mixed old-Hollywood glamour with the classic monster. A draped white maxi or long white gown is the base, with soft fabric strips wrapped around the arms. The tall black wig with white streaks from both temples is essential, and it's also the hardest part. I build the height over a foam cone pinned to a wig cap, then dust the streaks with white hair chalk or paint. Pale makeup, sharply arched brows and deep plum lipstick. Fine black stitch lines at the neckline suggest the story without any wounds. Carry white flowers, and wear white flats or ankle boots.
23. The Weeknd And Bella Hadid Beetlejuice Costume
The Weeknd and Bella Hadid did Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz back in 2018, and it still holds up. He wears a black-and-white striped suit over a white shirt with a loose black tie, black boots and a messy pale green wig, with white and mossy green paint around the forehead and eyes. She wears the layered red tulle dress, sheer red gloves and red ankle boots, with a black wig in a spiky half-up shape and short bangs. Red tulle crushes in a car, so carry it in a garment bag and fluff it once you arrive. An old camera and a strange handbook as props.
24. Lupita Nyong’o Dionne Costume
Lupita Nyong'o dressed as Dionne Davenport from Clueless in 2018. Wear a black-and-white plaid blazer with a matching mini or skort over a crisp white blouse and a bright red vest, plus knee-high black socks and platform Mary Janes. Long braids under an oversized black-and-white hat with a small flower are what make it read as Dionne. A big hat slides around in a crowd, so I add a thin elastic band at the back or two bobby pins through the brim. Polished makeup, a mini backpack and a retro phone. It's easy to grow into a friend group with other Clueless characters.
25. Rihanna Pink Skeleton Costume
Rihanna's 2018 skeleton swapped black and white for bright pink. Start with a black long-sleeve top or jumpsuit, black pants and chunky black boots, then let the face do everything. Use cosmetic-grade pink and white face paint, never craft paint, and patch-test on the inside of your wrist the day before. I draw the bone shapes with a fine brush after the base is set, so the lines stay crisp. A few pink bones on the neck or gloves, a high ponytail or long dark wig, neon earrings and narrow sunglasses. Keep the clothes plain so the makeup stays the focus.
26. Heidi Klum Fiona Costume
Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz were Fiona and Shrek in 2018. Fiona wears a long emerald velvet dress with gold trim, a red braided wig, small green ears and a delicate gold tiara, with smooth green face makeup and berry lipstick. Shrek needs a cream tunic, a brown vest, plaid trousers, a wide belt and brown boots, plus a bald green hood with round ears. Green face paint is the thing that gets on everything, so I set it well with powder and wear a dark scarf over any light collar until the photos. A stuffed donkey or a basket of onions makes a shared joke prop.
27. Rihanna Ninja Turtle Costume
Rihanna gave a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle a fashion edge in 2014. Wear a fitted green jumpsuit, or a green top with cargo pants, and strap a lightweight foam shell on with backpack straps so it sits flat and doesn't swing into people. Tie a colored eye mask over a long green or dark wig, and cut the eye holes big enough to see the curb. Green face makeup can stay on the forehead and cheeks. Brown wristbands, knee pads and a wide belt, a pizza box as the prop, and green boots or cushioned sneakers. A group in different mask colors turns it into all four turtles.
28. Joe Jonas Zoolander Costume
Joe Jonas played Derek Zoolander in 2014, and this one lives on the face. A patterned blazer, a dark fitted shirt, slim black trousers and polished black boots are the clothes. A short dark wig styled neat and high gives the hair. Light bronzer, sharpened cheekbones and a glossy pout set up the famous expression, and you do need to practice it in a mirror. A patterned headband or a mini fashion magazine is the prop, with blue-tinted sunglasses as an option. Pick a loud blazer, though. In a plain one, you're just a guy at a party.
29. Beyoncé And Blue Ivy Barbie Costume
Beyoncé and Blue Ivy went as Barbie dolls in 2016, a family costume that scales well. The adult wears a fitted striped bodysuit or pink jumpsuit, a cropped jacket, a wide belt and pink heels. The child wears a pink skirt, an unbranded jacket in the same spirit, a comfortable top and glitter sneakers. For a child, I use a lightweight ponytail extension on a clip instead of a full wig, because kids pull off anything hot or itchy within an hour. Rosy makeup and glossy lips for the adult, lip balm or cosmetic face glitter for the child. Sunglasses and pink handbags for both.
30. Beyoncé And Blue Ivy Janet And Michael Jackson Costume
Beyoncé and Blue Ivy did Janet and Michael Jackson in 2014. Janet's side is black high-waisted pants, a white graphic-style tee, a black jacket and a statement hat over long dark curls. Michael's child-friendly version uses black trousers, a white shirt, a decorated black military-style jacket, dark loafers and one sparkling glove, plus a short curly wig and a toy microphone. Sew the trim and buttons on the jacket rather than gluing them; hot glue lets go on a moving child and leaves small pieces on the floor. Black, white and metallic detail tie the pair together.
Face Paint That Doesn't End Up on Your Collar
Pennywise, Shrek and Fiona, E.T., the alligator, the pink skeleton and the Ninja Turtle all lean on face paint, and paint that rubs onto a white collar or a friend's shoulder is the most common complaint I hear the next day. Most of it comes down to how the paint is applied and set.
Putting it on
Use paint labeled for skin, and patch-test it on your inner wrist a day ahead. Start on clean, moisturized skin that has had a few minutes to absorb the cream. Water-activated paint gives a thinner, drier finish that transfers less than cream paint, so I reach for it on big areas like a whole green face. Cream is easier for blending and fine details. Build in thin layers. One thick coat cracks and smears.
Setting and taking it off
Press translucent powder over cream paint with a puff, wait a minute, then brush off the excess. A light mist of setting spray afterward helps too. Keep a dark scarf over light collars until the paint has settled. At the end of the night, take it off with an oil cleanser or makeup remover first, then wash. Scrubbing with soap alone drags color into the skin and leaves a tint at the hairline.
A Famous Look Starts With Its Shape
None of these looks depend on a celebrity budget. They depend on a clear idea. Get the silhouette and the colors right first, then add the hair, the makeup, the shoes and one prop people know. The big transformations, Medusa, the peacock and the albino alligator, come down to foam, fabric and good face paint. Trinity, Sandy and Danny, Dionne and Zoolander can come almost entirely from thrifted or reusable clothes. Whatever you pick, make the headpiece light and secure, keep the makeup set, and wear shoes you've already broken in.
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