6 EASY T-Shirt Halloween Costume Ideas (2024)

By ShirtSpace |Aug 23, 2019| UpdatedSep 14, 2023

Halloween is officially under two weeks away, but there’s no need to panic. Some of the best Halloween costumes are ones that you think of at the very last minute and end up reusing and recycling for years to come. Who hasn’t been a sheet ghost more than once? Am I right?

You've come to the right place if you’re on the hunt for something quick and easy with less than two weeks until the big day. Easy, homemade Halloween costumes using t-shirts are something we know very well. After all, t-shirts are sort of our thing!

Without further ado, check out our six favorite (and easy!) homemade Halloween costumes using t-shirts.

1. Error 404: Costume Not Found

Image credit: DeRepente from Getty Images

Okay, you don’t need to be computer savvy or speak JavaScript to get this one, but chances are this may speak to some of you more than others. This costume is as easy as picking up a blank white t-shirt and iron-on transfer letters for your witty “404 Error: Costume Not Found” message. We’ve got the hook-up on blank white shirts, and iron-on transfer letters are available on Amazon or at your local craft store. It doesn’t get much easier than this and will surely make all of your developer friends roll their eyes.

2. Brawny Man

Shirt Picture on Left: Burnside B8210.
Image Credit on Right: ozgurdonmaz from Getty Images

We realize we’re talking about easy t-shirt costume ideas, but this Brawny Man costume is worth a shout-out. There are a couple of ways to pull this one-off, but first and foremost it’s going to require a quintessential plaid shirt. Once you’ve picked the perfect plaid shirt, you can carry around a roll of paper towels or encourage your plus-one to wear a white t-shirt and attach a picture of a printed-out Brawny logo to complete their classic roll-of-paper-towels look.

3. Skeleton

Image Credit: Syda Productions

It doesn’t get more Halloween than a skeleton costume. And if easy t-shirt Halloween costumes are at the top of your list, this one’s for you. To get started, you will need a plain white or black t-shirt and a pair of scissors. The next step is to use your scissors and make cuts to the body of your shirt that create a rib cage illusion. You know, like a skeleton. Or you can paint the bones on the shirt with fabric paint. This isn’t rocket science, so don’t get hung up on creating the perfect cuts or markings. There is no such thing.

The last piece of this costume is to pick up a black t-shirt or hoodie to wear underneath to keep warm and cozy. Our favorite is the Gildan G185, but any black shirt or hoodie will do. If you’re feeling extra crafty, you can add an iron-on heart.

4. Mummy

Image Credit: Daisy Anderson of Pexels

Similar to the beloved skeleton costume but requiring a bit more work, you can’t go wrong with a timeless mummy costume. Like the skeleton, this costume is going to require a plain white or off-white t-shirt (or more, depending on how many strips you want) and a pair of scissors. Using your scissors, you will need to cut your t-shirt into strips, preferably starting at the bottom and incorporating some ripping to achieve a worn, raw edge on your strips. Next, you will need to fill a bowl with your choice of coffee or tea so that you can soak your strips. Soaking your mummy strips will achieve that “dirty” mummy-esque look. Trust us, this step is important, especially if you are using pure white shirts!

After you’ve soaked your strips for approximately 10 minutes and have allowed them to dry completely, you are good to go. You can opt to wear a black, white, natural, or gray shirt underneath your strips and then wrap away!

5. Blessing in Disguise

Similar to the 404 Error costume idea, this costume will require heat transfer letters so that you can iron on the text “Blessing.” What happens next? Your disguise! For this, you can pick up a disguise, such as a cape, mask, or wig, at your local brick-and-mortar during the Halloween season or on Amazon year-round. Get creative with your color combinations or stick with monochromatic – there is no right answer. After all, you are going to be a “Blessing in Disguise” no matter what color your cape is!

6. Green with Envy

Image credit: MART PRODUCTION from Pexels

Last but not least, our final t-shirt costume idea will require your plus-one or partner to dress up and play along. Don’t worry, while this costume is a bit out-of-the-box, it doesn’t require a lot of effort or “dressing up.”

Similar to the 404 Error and the Blessing in Disguise costume, you will need heat transfer letters, such as HTV or DTF, for your text. If transfer letters are not in your wheelhouse, a standard “Hello, my name is” name tag will suffice. In addition to your letters or name tag, you will need one green and one white shirt. Any green or white shirt will do, but we particularly love the Next Level 6010, which is available in the green color “envy,” and the Bella+Canvas 3001C, which has a nice crisp white.

Have you pieced together what this costume will be? Picture this – you wear a vibrant green shirt and your partner wears a white shirt that says “ENVY” Get it? You’re green with envy!

T-Shirt Costumes for One and All!

Sure, some of our costume ideas are borderline hokey, but they’re also easy to make. They won’t break the bank, and if there’s ever a time it’s okay to be hokey, it’s on Halloween. Plus, everyone knows that a good play on words or pun is fun! Now go get your trick-or-treat on and have a Happy Halloween!

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