Halloween does not have to mean buying a costume you will wear once and never touch again. One of our favorite ways to dress for Halloween is to start with real clothes, then add just enough accessories to turn them into a recognizable look.
A leopard coat becomes a fabulous feline. A yellow dress and white umbrella become the Morton Salt Girl, while an embellished party dress can go Roaring Twenties for Halloween and right back to cocktail-party duty afterward. The idea is simple: buy the outfit, add the costume cues, then wear the clothes again.
If you are dressing the whole family, see our Mommy, Daddy & Me Halloween Costumes for coordinated costume ideas.
Easy Halloween Outfit Ideas
Leopard Coats & Little Black Dresses for Halloween
A great leopard coat may be one of the easiest pieces to turn into a Halloween outfit. Add cat ears, sunglasses and a little black, then wear the coat normally once Halloween is over. The same idea works with a favorite little black dress. Add cat ears, black gloves or a playful cat bag and you have a Halloween look without buying an entirely separate costume. For this one, the leopard print or little black dress creates the outfit, while the cat ears and one or two playful accessories create the costume.
Morton Salt Girl Halloween Costume
This may be our favorite example of real clothes becoming a costume with almost no effort. Start with a simple yellow dress, add white tights and shoes, then carry a white umbrella. A Morton Salt container makes the reference unmistakable. Once Halloween is over, put away the tights, umbrella and salt and wear the yellow dress on its own. Here, the yellow dress and white umbrella do most of the work, with white tights finishing the classic Morton Salt Girl look.
Roaring Twenties Style You Can Wear Again
If you have ever wanted an excuse to buy a beautiful embellished party dress, Halloween may provide it. Choose a beaded or Art Deco-inspired dress and add a few Roaring Twenties touches such as long pearls, a jeweled hair accessory or a feathered headpiece.
After Halloween, lose the costume accessories and you still have a gorgeous dress waiting for the next cocktail party, holiday celebration or special dinner. The dress is the investment piece; the pearls and one unmistakably 1920s accessory create the Halloween look.
Skeleton & Skull Style for Halloween and Beyond
Skeleton, skull and spiderweb prints can go in two very different directions. Some are obviously made for Halloween, while others are subtle enough that you almost have to look twice before noticing what is hiding in the pattern.
The black spiderweb and skull dress clearly leans Halloween, while the lighter skull-print dress proves just how wearable this idea can be. For Halloween, add dramatic makeup or spooky accessories; afterward, tone everything else down and let the print stand on its own. You certainly do not need to wear skulls from head to toe. One interesting Halloween-inspired dress, sweater or top paired with otherwise normal accessories is plenty.
Halloween Costume or Halloween Outfit?
There really is no rule saying you have to choose between a Halloween costume and a Halloween outfit. The best looks live somewhere in the middle: festive enough for October 31, recognizable enough to feel like a costume, and practical enough to wear again after Halloween.
Party Hearty!
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