10 easy last-minute Halloween costumes you can make with a white T-shirt

July 2024 · 4 minute read

In need of easy, last-minute Halloween costume ideas? If you have a plain white T-shirt, you have options.

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With a few basic items that you probably already own, you can put together clever costumes that will look like you've been planning them for weeks.

Here are 10 ridiculously easy Halloween looks you can create using a white T-shirt.

Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." album cover

Items worn on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." record cover on display in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jeff Fusco/Getty Images

Springsteen's iconic 1984 album cover is easy to re-create with a few additional wardrobe staples.

What you need: Jeans, a belt, and a red baseball cap or bandana.

A 404 error page

A 404 error page on Google Chrome. Google

For this clever idea, the lack of a costume is the costume itself. Either print out an actual online error page and tape it to your shirt, or just write "404 error" on the shirt with a permanent marker.

What you need: An internet connection and a printer (with paper and ink), or paper and a marker pen, plus tape.

Taylor Swift in the music video for "You Belong With Me"

Taylor Swift in the music video for "You Belong With Me." Taylor Swift/YouTube

The Junior Jewels T-shirt from Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" music video was a popular costume choice for attendees of the Eras Tour. For extra fun, carry around some markers and have friends sign the shirt, as well.

What you need: Permanent markers, pajama pants, and glasses.

Regina George from "Mean Girls"

From left to right: Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, and Rachel McAdams in "Mean Girls." Facebook/Mean Girls

To go the extra mile and fully re-create the mall outfit worn by Regina George (played by Rachel McAdams), write "A little bit dramatic" on the white T-shirt in red marker. As finishing touches, you could also add a pink flip phone (if you have an old one sitting in a drawer somewhere) and a pink handbag.

What you need: Pink cardigan, black miniskirt, and red permanent marker.

A sunny-side-up egg

An egg in a frying pan. Silvia Elena Castañeda Puchetta/EyeEm/Getty Images

A white shirt with a yellow circle taped to it makes a great last-minute egg costume. Cut a piece of yellow paper into a circle, or white paper painted with some yellow marker, and simply fix it to your T-shirt. Voilà: an egg.

What you need: Paper, a yellow marker (if you only have white paper to hand), and tape.

Harry Potter

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. Warner Bros. Pictures

No need to go out and buy face paint. To draw on a lightning scar, lipstick or eyeliner will do in a pinch. Simply add a red tie (bonus if you have a striped one), and a pair of glasses. And just like that, you're ready for a day at Hogwarts.

What you need: A red tie, makeup, and glasses.

Chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto from "The Bear"

Jeremy Allen White, Lionel Boyce, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in "The Bear." Hulu

Played by Jeremy Allen White in the popular Hulu series, Carmy wears a white T-shirt and blue apron while working in the kitchen of his struggling Chicago sandwich shop. For extra authenticity, add some temporary tattoos and throw in some restaurant kitchen lingo like "Yes chef!" and "Behind!"

What you need: A blue apron, temporary tattoos.

A pile of laundry

A pile of laundry. RomeoLu/Getty Images

For this relatable look, pin laundry items like socks, shirts, and dish towels to a plain T-shirt until it looks like your bedroom floor.

What you need: Clothes, safety pins.

Joel Goodsen from "Risky Business"

Tom Cruise in "Risky Business." Warner Bros.

Joel Goodsen (played by Tom Cruise) wears a button-down in "Risky Business," but the look is still instantly recognizable with a white T-shirt.

What you need: Boxers, white tube socks.

A flight attendant

A flight attendant. Hananeko_Studio/Shutterstock

Throw on a dark blazer, bandana or scarf, and add a couple of aviation-style pins. To stay in character, hand out classic airline snacks like nuts or pretzels during trick-or-treating.

What you need: A dark blazer, bandana or scarf, pins.

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