Cheap & Easy DIY Halloween Costumes

It's that time of year again! Welcome to my fifth annual DIY Halloween costume post. I always say Halloween is my favorite holiday because it's obligation free. You don't have to buy anything, cook anything or travel anywhere. It's just about fun! (And dressing up, my favorite pastime.) With a little creativity, you can craft a costume with pieces from your own closet and avoid shelling out a lot of money. I love a good pop-culture costume, but you can never go wrong with classic historical figures, so I've drawn up some of both. For more ideas, check out my posts from yesteryear (in '15, '14, '13 and '12). If anything, it's a fun trip down memory lane of silly, viral events—shoutout to mamma Snooki in 2012. Simpler times...

Kanye's epic fashion week fail is the perfect costume for style mavens. All you need to pull off this look is an all-beige outfit and some good heat-stroke acting, but extra points for these clear boots. Not to mention they have longevity way beyond October 31.

This was the summer of Instagram-worthy pool floats. Just blow up that float collecting dust in the garage, and pair with a monochromatic outfit. This can totally work for the whole squad—pizza, donut, swan.

In just a few months, we may have a new first lady, or possibly, the country's first-ever "first man." When a better time than now to throw it back to an iconic FLOTUS? To be Jacqueline, throw on your best '60s-era outfit, on-trend block heels and a big pair of shades.

This summer, Pokémon Go took the world by storm (and I do mean, the world, I spotted tons of people playing when I was in Germany this July). You can definitely DIY this tank with some fabric markers, or there are tons of cheap options online. This is another look that can be adapted to the whole squad with takes on other characters.

Let's be honest. This is probably going to be a popular costume, but how can you resist the fun outfit, hair and makeup? I mean, we're talking pink and blue pigtails! Some of the pieces I shared here are actual "cosplay" items (like the shoes), but you can easily adapt with red or blue short shorts and any platform boots or sneakers. Then, take an old bat (preferably plastic, to be safe) and get crazy with colored duct tape.