Mustering up creative Halloween costume ideas [1] that are cheap, easy, and relevant to 2020 [2] is not a simple task, especially when adult Halloween [3] costumes sell for the price of a college textbook these days. Not everyone is crafty — some of us are less Martha Stewart [4] and more "Pinterest fail waiting to happen." However, even if you're not a whiz with a glue gun, you can still put together a Halloween costume that involves more than a pair of cat ears. Here are 47 adorable, affordable, and clever fancy dress ideas [5] that require little to no prep (and that your friends will never believe you came up with on your own).
— Additional reporting by Lauren Harano and Haley Lyndes
Nebula From Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
Want to dress up in an out-of-this-world cool costume this year? All you have to do is dress up as Nebula! Wear a bright-pink shirt with a purple jacket and skirt, and pull your hair into sky-high pigtails. Add silver makeup or accessories, and channel your best space-girl vibes.
Vivian Ward Pretty Woman Costume
A pretty (sexy) woman. A white crop top, blue mini skirt, and black knee-high boots will turn you into this Pretty Woman star.
Slytherin Student
If you belong in Slytherin, just wear a black blazer with a crisp white shirt and a green tie. Bonus points if you have a wand.
Party Animal
Dress up as any animal you please and top it with a party hat for an instantly clever costume.
Cruella de Vil
Throw on your most luxurious faux fur white coat and black dress, then swipe on some red lipstick. Carry around a stuffed dog or use your own pet dog as an accessory. The key to this costume is the bigger the coat, the better!
Cinderella
Want to enchant everyone this Halloween [7]? Wear a blue dress (or silk robe!) to re-create the princess's dreamy look. Throw on a blue headband and white shoes to add a bit more magic to your look.
Mummy
The undead will have never looked hotter if you use some strategically wrapped gauze for this slinky mummy look. A white crop top and mini skirt will be the key pieces to this costume. Add bits of gauze or toilet paper to get the real mummy effect.
Barbie
C'mon, Barbie, let's go party! Wear a hot-pink dress, high heels, and black sunglasses to copy Barbie's iconic look. Wear pink lipstick and nail polish, and add a cute purse to finish the look off.
Fleabag From Fleabag
Good news! You can dress like Fleabag without looking like a fleabag, but a little blood gets the point across. Her notable jumpsuit, red lipstick, and a cig will take you to London and back again. Have a partner in crime? Have them dress up like the priest from season two.
Jessie From Toy Story
Giddy up! If you have a cow-print skirt or trousers and a yellow long-sleeve skirt, you're ready for the rodeo. Throw on a red hat and brown belt to make things complete.
Ashley O From Black Mirror
A lilac bob with shaggy bangs and a white crop top will do the trick for this Ashley O costume. Channel your inner superstar to make this look really come to life.
Alex From A Clockwork Orange
With a bowler hat, a set of false lashes, and an all-white outfit, you can easily dress as the dystopian antihero from Stanley Kubrick's 1970s film.
Wednesday Addams
Take on Wednesday's gothic style with a black dress, white collar, two plaits, and her trademark dead-eyed stare.
Britney Spears
Break some rules this Halloween [8] with this ". . . Baby One More Time" costume. Black knee-high socks, a black pleated skirt, a white collared shirt, and grey sweater, will make this costume complete. Add pink poms to your plaits to finish it off.
Scientist
If you have a white coat and goggles, then consider being a scientist. This costume can get as creative as you want it to, so don't be afraid to add some crazy-cute makeup to go along with it.
Ariana Grande
Ari is known for her oversize sweatshirt looks, and damn, do they look warm. Find a bright pink oversize sweatshirt and pair it with black leggings or knee-high black boots. Make sure to re-create her high pony and winged liner, and add a lollipop as your accessory.
Kylo Ren From Star Wars
Tights, a long-sleeve dress, and a warm cape will turn you into a chic version of Kylo Ren from Star Wars in no time at all. Complete your outfit with gloves and boots if the weather dips.
Gabriella From Brink!
Grab your skating gear! If you have roller blades and knee pads, you're practically already Gabriella. Throw on a helmet for good measure.
Scarecrow
Perfect for the Fall and easy for any fancy dress party during the year, being a scarecrow never gets old. Find your cutest checkered shirt and pair of dungarees and complete the look with a touch of cute makeup.
Tiana From Princess and the Frog
If you have a dreamy green dress, then you're on your way to becoming a princess. Pull your hair into a high bun and add a little flower accessory to make it complete. Now go find your frog!
Snow White From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
A yellow skirt, blue shirt, and red headband will turn you into this enchanting princess. Carry an apple to make this costume come to life.
Bat
If you have a black dress and pointy ears, the only thing left that you'll need to be a bat is a makeshift cape. Cut a wing-like design in a blanket or piece of cloth and take on the night!
Dr. Facilier From The Princess and the Frog
With a little help from your friends on the other side, you can become Dr. Facilier in just a few simple steps. Simply wear all black with a purple shirt and black hat, top it off with a deck of tarot cards, and you're good to go.
Daenerys Targaryen
To become the Mother of Dragons, you'll need a pair of boots, leggings, and a dark-coloured dress. Don't forget Daenerys' signature white-bleached hair!
Minnie Mouse
Add the magic of Disney to your Halloween [9] by dressing up as Minnie Mouse. If you have a red polka-dot shirt, throw that on and add little mouse ears. If you have mouse ears from Disneyland, those work, too.
Comfortable Cinderella
A baby blue shirt or sweater, black choker, and small tiara are the key pieces to this outfit. Throw on your cosiest pair of joggers and slippers, and accessorise with a broom or small white pumpkin.
Beret Girl From An Extremely Goofy Movie
As long as you have the makeup and hair down, you can become PJ's love interest in moments. And psst . . . the makeup doesn't look too hard!
Comic Book Woman
A little makeup goes a long way with this comic book-inspired look.
The Child From The Mandalorian
If Baby Yoda stole your heart, then this costume is for you. Wear an olive-green or light-brown dress or jacket, pull your hair back into tight buns to re-create his pointy ears, and look as cute as can be. Feel free to experiment with green makeup, too!
Kim Possible
Call me, beep me! Kim Possible rocks cool army pants with a black long-sleeve shirt, and you can, too. If you're cold, you can add a black jacket over your outfit.
Sia
Be as mysterious as Sia for the night with her trademark black-and-white wig and giant hair bow. You don't need dollar bills to have fun, but your compromised vision might require someone to lead you around the party.
Audrey Hepburn
While a black dress and pearls make up the most famous Breakfast at Tiffany's look, Audrey Hepburn's character also dons a sleeping mask and white dress shirt in other scenes. Draw lashes on a blue eye mask and enjoy the coziness of Halloween [10] in a comfy collared shirt.
Deviled Egg
Turn your costume into a funny pun with this deviled egg attire. You'll need devil horns, a red cape, a white minidress, and a yellow felt circle for the yolk.
Plant Lady
You've heard of a cat lady, but what if you're a plant lady? A messy 'do and a plant-printed outfit is all you need for this look.
Belle From Beauty and the Beast
If you have a blue dress or white shirt and blue skirt, you can easily become Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Tie your hair into a low ponytail and add a baby-blue bow.
Sasha Bratz Doll
Etch the word "Bratz" into a white t-shirt, cut out the top, and throw your hair into a few pigtails to get the true Sasha Bratz Doll look. Take it a step further and recreate Sasha's awesome makeup look to complete the costume.
Skeleton
A Halloween [11] classic, all you need is face makeup for this cute costume. The outfit is up to you, but if you're going for sexy, less is more.
Dora the Explorer
You can be the grown-up version of Dora the Explorer if you've got a purple backpack. It also wouldn't hurt to carry around a map.
Regina George From Mean Girls
Cut circles out of the front of a white tank top and pair it with a black skirt to be a very unbothered Regina George.
Ariel From The Little Mermaid
A purple shirt, green pants, and sparkly makeup will take you under the sea in no time.
Sadness
It's easy enough to take on any of the characters from Inside Out, but we happen to think sporting a blue wig and a large pair of frames to become Sadness is the best choice.
Rapunzel From Tangled
Be the dreamiest princess of all when you dress up as Rapunzel. Wear a lavender dress and style your hair into a long braid or ponytail. Add little flowers in your hair to make the look more romantic.
Mary Poppins
This ladylike look requires a black bowler hat, black skirt, black tights, white button down, and a cute red bow tie. Don't forget your umbrella!
Vampire
One word: fangtastic. A dollop of fake blood and a black or red outfit will turn you into the sexiest vampire Halloween [12] has even seen.
Boo From Monsters, Inc.
An oversize pink jumper and lavender purple leggings are all you need to re-create this Monsters, Inc. character. Toss your hair into cute bunches, and you're ready for the night.
Poison Ivy
To become Poison Ivy (not to be confused with the 1992 Drew Barrymore [13] movie), you'll want to deck yourself out in green and top off your look with some fiery red hair.
Daphne Blake
The most sophisticated member of the Scooby-Doo crew can easily be taken on with a purple dress, green scarf, and bright red wig.