Hey Thrift Fam! Halloween is creeping up, and if you’re hunting thrift store Halloween costumes, you know what that means — it’s officially acceptable to dress like a Victorian ghost to buy groceries.
Here’s my hot take: the best thrift store Halloween costumes don’t come from a plastic bag at the big-box store. They come from thrift aisles. They’re cheaper, more original, and nobody else at the party will be wearing the same thing. Let me show you what I mean.
1. The Witch (but make it fashion)
Black maxi dress + a thrifted wide-brim hat + boots you already own. Add a dark lip and you’re done. Bonus: you’ll wear all of it again.
2. The 70s Disco Ghost
White sheet ghost is tired. A white thrifted disco jumpsuit with platform shoes? That’s a look.
3. Vampire, but make it thrifted velvet
Velvet blazers and Victorian-style blouses live in thrift stores permanently. Add fangs from the dollar store. Instant Lestat.
4. The Scarecrow — one of the easiest thrift store Halloween costumes
Flannel + overalls + straw hat. You probably own two-thirds of this already.
5. Zombie Prom Queen/King — cheap thrift store Halloween costumes at their best
Thrifted formal wear + drugstore fake blood + messy hair. The worse it looks, the better it is.
6. The Artist — thrift store Halloween costumes for the low-effort legends
Beret + striped shirt + paint-splattered smock + a palette. Bonus points if you carry a thrifted frame all night.
7. Decades Tourist
Pick a decade, raid the aisles. The 80s and 90s sections of any thrift store are basically costume shops already.
My thrifting rules for Halloween
- Shop early. The good stuff goes fast — start looking now, not October 28th.
- Think silhouette first. Grab the shape (the dress, the blazer, the jumpsuit) and accessorize later.
- Check the craft aisle too. Hats, capes, and weird accessories hide there.
And if you’d rather shop from your couch, browse our Halloween and goth collections — plus we go live on Whatnot every Sunday 7–9 PM ET with new finds. Come say hi. 🦇
