31 Greatest DIY Halloween Costumes For College Students

Halloween is over a month away, but if you're like me, Halloween is one of your favorite holidays and you can't wait to put on the most amazing costume and have a great night. As college students we can't break the bank for a costume we will only probably wear once; so here are some ideas to make the perfect Halloween costume with things you already own.

1. Where's Waldo

For this costume, you will need a red and white striped shirt (consider this one for women and this one for men), jeans, a red and white hat, and a pair of glasses.

2. Bob Ross & His Painting

Grab a light blue button up shirt, an afro, some facial hair, paint palette and of course a canvas painted with a scenic landscape. This can easily become a couples' costume if one of your friends or your significant other wants to be the painting.

3. Three Blind Mice

Wear all gray, black or white, wear a pair of sunglasses and make ears out of black construction paper (the less crafty among us can also buy a set of ears and tail on Amazon).

4. A Hippie

Grab a pair of bell bottom jeans or psychedelic patterned pants, tie-dye or a flowy shirt, a flower crown and colored sunglasses and hold up your best peace sign!

5. A Catburglar

Wear all black, add a pair of cat ears, and a black mask. Draw a nose and whiskers. Add a bag of money to complete the costume that will steal the night.

6. An Athlete

Show off your knowledge of sports by dressing in your favorite team apparel. Swipe some eye black onto your upper cheeks and you are all set to score a touchdown with this out-of-the-park costume.

7. A 1920s Flapper

For this costume, you will need a dress (fringe is always good), a pair of tights, lots of jewelry to layer, a feather boa is always a fun accessory, and of course a feathered headband.

8. Audrey Hepburn

The Breakfast at Tiffanys look is a classic costume to pull out of the closet. Hopefully you already have your little black dress, so all you'll need to add is the accessories.

9. Alvin and The Chipmunks

All you need for this group look is a red, blue or green shirt with the coordinating letters and matching striped socks. Make Alvin, Simon, and Theodore proud!

10. Kim Possible & Ron Stoppable

For this costume, you'll need a black shirt and a pair of green cargo pants. Call me, beep me, if you win the best costume this Halloween!

11. A Piece of Fruit

Pick your favorite fruit and dress up in this funky fresh costume!

12. A Frat Bro

Button up, pastel shorts, Sperrys, and a hat turned backward, and you're set for cracking open a cold one with the guys.

13. Tom Cruise from Risky Business

For this one, you're going to need a button up shirt, crew socks, and the classic shades. Don't forget your prop of choice to be the stand in for a microphone; hairbrush, broom or candlestick all work great.

14. An Angel or The Devil

An angel needs to wear all white, have a set of white wings and a halo. The devil is adorned in black or red with a pair of devil horns.

15. Netflix & Chill

All you need are a red or blue shirt and some white paper to spell the words Netflix and Chill.

16. Wednesday Addams

Wednesday Addams dresses in all black, two tight braids and a dark lipstick.

17. The Spice Girls

Gather your group of girls and dress as Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, Posh Spice, Ginger Spice and Baby Spice!

18. A Boxer

All you need is a sports bra, spandex, and a warm-up robe. Braid your hair and paint on a black eye to knock out the competition with this easy DIY costume!

19. Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy

Jump into your invisible car and ride off into the night in these super hero costumes.

20. A Scarecrow

For this costume, you will need a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. The hardest part of the costume is drawing on the scarecrow makeup!

21. Oh Deer! or A Holy Cow

These punny costumes are sure to be a hit! Two simple shirts, deer antlers and a halo, and you're all set.

22. Sandy or Danny from Grease

The classic couple costume only requires a lot of black and leather!

23. Barbie

Dress as fitness Barbie or go for the classic pink dress wearing classic Barbie.

24. Rosie the Riveter

You can do it! All you need is a blue button up shirt, jeans, and a red head scarf or bandana.

25. Britney Spears from her “Oops I Did it Again" Video

This costume requires a white shirt, gray sweater, black skirt, black knee high socks and don't forget the fuzzy pink hair ties.

26. An M&M

Take any plain colored shirt you own and add an "m" and you have yourself a costume. (This is yet another one of those things you can buy on Amazon if you're not feeling crafty.)

27. Cosmo and Wanda

This costume is super cute and fun! Either dress as these characters or dress in an all green or pink costume! Cosmo and Wanda y'all ain't slick.

28. Snow White's 7 Dwarfs

This group costume may take some time to coordinate. Once you have a group of seven people, pick a colored shirt out of your closet and choose which dwarf you want to be. I would definitely be Sleepy!

29. President and First Lady

Dress up in one of your nicer dresses, pin back your hair and carry around an American flag.

30. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

This is a super fun group costume for any close knit group of friends!

31. A Tourist

This costume is a Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts, a safari hat, and bonus points for a camera!

Halloween costumes can be crazy expensive, college students already have to pay thousands of dollars for tuition, so why spend money on a costume when you can pull something together with mostly things you already own?

Odyssey may earn a portion of purchases made via links on this page.