Well, well, well...it’s crunch time. You googled “last minute,” “low effort,” and “the laziest possible Halloween costumes,” and now you’re here with me.
And I get it. You don’t have the time, energy, or willpower to execute a “good” Halloween costume. But who gets to decide what “good” even means, right? Isn’t simplicity a good thing? What about wordplay? Is it not good to save your hard-earned money with a Halloween costume that is so bad, it’s good?
When you only have a few minutes to pull something together, here are 20 Halloween “costumes” that are so lazy they just might be brilliant. Disclaimer: We can’t be held responsible for all the eye rolls these might earn you.
30 of the best, laziest Halloween costumes for 2021
Liam, the teen who just woke up. All you need is a blanket, some ruffled hair, and a whole lot of angst.Error 404: Costume not found. Write this out on a sheet of paper to pin on your shirt, or even take a marker to a white tee to the cause.Iron Man: Wear sign or same name tags that read “Fe” (the symbol for iron). A conflicted sports fan: Don a bunch of competing team logos. I’m taking one friend’s Red Sox hat, and another friend’s Phillies shirt, and I’m going to try not to get beat up.A hip-pea. Wear all green like a pea. Make a bunch of hip references all night, e.g. “So...Squid Game is crazy, right?”Caught red-handed: Cover your palms in red paint, makeup, or marker (as long as the product says it’s safe to go on your skin). Whenever someone points it out, throw your hands up and scream, “I didn’t do it!”Logan Roy’s moral compass: Don’t show up to the party.A skimpy mummy: Partially wrap yourself in toilet paper.WFH: Wear a professional top and pajama bottoms. Really sell it by talking about how weird your wifi has been lately.A frazzled plant parent: Look disheveled, carry around your houseplant like a baby, and then panic when you misplace it.Chip on your shoulder: Place a potato chip on your shoulder. This one works best with salt and vinegar chips, because salt and vinegar is the superior flavor of all chips. Undercover ______: The key to being undercover is blending in. You could be a health inspector, a detective, or a poet.Identity thief: Wear a name tag with someone else’s name.Spice girl: Carry around some cinnamon. Or paprika. Or, if you’re feeling really fancy, a spice blend. Pig in a blanket: Identify yourself as a pig and wrap yourself in a blanket.“When life gives you lemons:” Wear a sign that says “life” and hand out lemons.Blessing in disguise: The rule of thumb with all of these ideas is that a good disguise can take any form. To put in a little effort, wear a sign that says “blessing” and then wear a fake mustache. A procrastinator: Done!A werewolf. Hey, there isn’t a full moon this Halloween. Any of Jim’s costumes from The Office.Damian from Mean Girls: Tug that sweatshirt hood over your head and practice saying “She doesn’t even go here.” A cool tourist: Wear your sneakers, take some pictures, and act like a local.A thief: Oh, do you think a thief has to have a certain “look?” Open your eyes. If you really want to commit, snag some of your kid’s candy for show. Post-therapy session: Wet your eyes and carry around a box of tissues. If you’re really committed, you could actually cry before your party. An Olympic athlete...who has let themselves go.An international pop star determined to remember what it’s like to be normal again, you know?A superhero’s alter-ego who is actually dedicated to keeping their identity a secret for once. A puppet who has been given a chance to be a real, normal human being and is not going to risk messing it up for anything.Jolene, from the song, “Jolene:” If you don’t have red hair, you can say that you’re hiding from a vengeful Dolly Parton.And from my editor, Joel Cunningham: “Tape crepe paper streamers to each arm and go as the squid from Squid Game (I haven’t seen it).” I’ll call this costume, “out of touch.”
G/O Media may get a commission
This story was originally published on October 18, 2021 and was updated on October 29 with additional costumes.
