34 Easy Halloween Costumes for Guys That Are Already in Your Closet
Courtesy of FX
Most adults who plan on celebrating Halloween have probably already decided, planned out, and bought their costume in advance—or they just plan on wearing the same thing as last year as an easy cop out. But if you haven’t decided on one yet (or if you're not dealing with the nonsense of highly flammable, disposable clothing in this economy), don't worry about it. There are plenty of easy Halloween costumes for guys.
Most men already have everything they need to execute a great last-minute costume—whether he knows it or not. From well-known movie stars to The Dude to Daniel Craig as James Bond, your closet is brimming with easy Halloween costumes waiting to come to life. You just have to figure out how to combine those elements to get the right look—and that’s exactly what we’re here to help with.
Below are 34 easy Halloween costumes for guys you can pull off in a jiffy using only your closet (for the most part).
34 Easy Halloween Costumes for Guys
Courtesy of FX
The hit FX show stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a globetrotting chef who returns home to take over his family’s Chicago sandwich shop. His character comes complete with a recognizable look—one that ranks high among easy Halloween costumes for guys. A simple white T-shirt, a blue or dark-colored apron, blue jeans, and dark-hued boots make this fit. You can even find temporary tattoos to mimic his ink. The only thing you can't DIY in a night are White’s biceps. But in case you want to get a head start on next year's costume, try the best arms exercises of all time on for size. Filming for season 4 is underway with a start date of February/March 2025.
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There’s no better time to dress up as one of the most elite athletes on the planet than this year, what with the millions of eyeballs on the Paris Olympic Games in person and on TV (it was the most-streamed Olympics of all time). Make a DIY gold medal (might we suggest something that replicates the ones made in The Office) and wear it atop a track suit. For the daring, don a Speedo jammer or wrestling singlet. No matter what sport you choose, commit to the bit: Tote along a tennis racket or rugby ball—and don't forget to bite your gold medal. You're a champion, after all.
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In search of an easy, rather spicy couples costume? Donald Glover as Mr. Smith of Mr & Mrs. Smith—the relatively “throwback” version hailing from the early 2000s with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt—is the be-all, end-all. Like a few of our other favorite last-minute Halloween costumes for guys, it leverages your wardrobe. Unlike Pitt's more buttoned-up Mr. Smith, Glover's character has more streetwear edge: A leather jacket and jeans might not tip someone off that you're in character, so go for Glover and Maya Erskine's final episode looks. For him: a cream, tight-knit turtleneck with matching jeans. For her: a black tank (worn off the shoulder) and dark-wash jeans. Keep the looks disheveled for maximum effect.
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There’s just something about taking to the skies with the need for speed. Masters of the Air is a World War II drama series showcasing the Mighty Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces. It's absolutely stacked with famous faces (the likes of Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan, and Callum Turner)—plus some classically cool looks, to boot. Send in the call for a leather bomber or flight jacket—all the better if it’s detailed with shearling—plus some timeless pilot sunglasses, tan chinos, and dark combat boots. Now, you’re not that far out of range of Butler’s Major Gale "Buck" Cleven or Turner's Major John "Bucky" Egan. Clear the runway for takeoff. This is one of the best easy Halloween costumes for guys to do solo or in a group.
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The new adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley has much to live up to, in matters of both drama and style, but all accounts indicate that Andrew Scott pulls off his role as a wiley grifter with great aplomb. As far as easy Halloween costumes for guys go, Tom Ripley is as effortless as donning loafers, a classic watch (see the best watches for men), a crisp button-down, and a signet ring. The more mysterious, the better. Oh, and the more luxurious—in a way that nods to the minimalism of “quiet luxury.” You'll no doubt be the most interesting man at the party.
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Once upon a time, only the most diehard Kansas City Chiefs fans would consider dressing up as the famed tight end for Halloween. But the Super Bowl champ's meteoric rise to fame due to his public relationship with Taylor Swift makes him one of the best easy Halloween costumes for guys. Kelce’s costume is simple—although you might have a tough time finding his jersey, as Swifties have snapped it up in droves. Swift’s look can be mixed and matched by your wife or girlfriend by referencing any one of her evermore popular “eras” (pun very much intended). If you're growing your mustache out for Movember, even better.
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Technically, this could also be a fun couples costume idea, but on its own, it’s one of the best easy Halloween costumes for guys. There are plenty of costume components that are “Ken-ough,” from a vivid striped button-down—worn shirtless and unbuttoned—to a highlighter-bright tee and contrasting shorts. If you don't have any neon 80s attire, you can always don a matching pastel set. And since Ken wore not one, not two, but three watches by Tag Heuer, consider adorning your wrist with an extra timepiece for fun. Bleach-blonde hair isn't required, but certainly seals the deal.
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The 1989 Billy Crystal rom-com is a certified fall favorite, and the actor’s turn as Harry comes with some cool knitwear that looks as stylish now as it did decades ago. To round out one of the coziest Halloween costumes for guys, adopt Crystal’s chunky ivory cable-knit sweater, stonewashed jeans, and white sneakers (all of which you likely have in some form or another already).
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Top Gun isn't new per se, but does Maverick ever go out of style? With a white T-shirt, an olive flight jacket, blue jeans, and aviator sunglasses, Tom Cruise stepped back into the role with ease, and you can do the same this year.
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We can’t safely recommend lugging a giant axe around a party, but the rest of this look surely qualifies among last-minute Halloween costumes for guys. Take your trusty red-and-black plaid flannel, tuck it into some blue jeans, add the toughest pair of Red Wing boots you own, and consider throwing on a beanie for good measure. Bonus points if you’ve been growing out your beard already.
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You know the name, you know the look, and you know the catchphrase. Everyone’s favorite secret agent just so happens to come with a rather timeless costume that can work if you own a tuxedo (especially if you own a tuxedo). On the other hand, if you own a suit that hues closely to Daniel Craig’s famed light grey suit from the opening scene of Skyfall, you’re also in luck. A deck of cards, a dram of Scotch, and consider yourself an honorary member of MI6.
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For the laziest among us, a DJ is the best last-minute Halloween costume for guys. Throw on a simple tee, dark jeans or joggers, white sneakers, headphones (not AirPods), and sunglasses. Grab a vinyl record from your collection, or a boombox, and you’ve got a simple, fun look that might even encourage someone to let you rule the playlist.
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Have a white-and-navy striped sweater or an ultra-thick navy fisherman cardigan you’ve been saving for brisk weather? You could turn that into a sailor’s costume, or better still, you can work up a quick and easy take on Popeye using a navy T-shirt, lighter blue pants, and a red bandana. When in doubt, look to The Rock for inspiration.
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Get down to business with one of the quickest last-minute Halloween costumes for guys. A hard hat (or even safety goggles), a hi-vis vest—or a tool belt—plus beat-up jeans and work boots ought to do the trick. Grab an old lunch pail and fill it with…well, cans of cold beer, of course.
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The Boss has come back in a big way with smash-hit shows. He’s also responsible for some of the most iconic looks in rock n’roll history—the kind that never go out of style; the kind that make for some of the best easy Halloween costumes for guys. Grab a red or blue (or red, white, and blue) bandana, throw on some all-American blue jeans, and cut the sleeves off any white T-shirt. Voila, you’re “born in the U.S.A.”
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Plenty of easy Halloween costumes for guys use a sharp suit as a base. It’s the details here that make the difference if you want to nail Cillian Murphy’s take on scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer from the smash-hit Christopher Nolan flick. Namely, a fedora and a pipe—or a plain old cigarette—and a suit in a charcoal color should do the trick.
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There’s only one Tony Hawk, but one of the best easy Halloween costumes for guys means anyone can be a skater boy. Dig that old board out of storage, throw on that ‘90s-era graphic tee, cargo shorts, and Vans, then head to your next costume party. Oh, and maybe brush up on any old skateboard tricks—just be sure to stretch beforehand and wear a helmet...and knee pads.
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Live out your rock star dreams with a few quick picks that certify this look in the pantheon of easy Halloween costumes for guys. Replicate Mercury’s star turn at Live Aid 1985 with a white tank top, white jeans, and white sneakers. A black leather belt should suffice, but a studded belt is even better. You’re a (Halloween) champion now.
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Western wear is all the rage right now, from Western shirts to cowboy boots to custom-made hats—and perhaps you’ve got all three handy at this very moment. Either way, Halloween is a nice time to saddle up and put each of these on-trend pieces together. Plus, your significant other can rock a similar look quite easily, too.
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Let's face it, we all know you have at least one professional sports jersey you can wear on Halloween. Whether you're a baseball, football, or hockey fan, this “costume” can be pulled together right before you leave the house. Put in a little more effort by adding some accessories and props, and you might look like you actually tried this year.
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You don't need to change anything about your daily office attire to pull off this costume. Jim's nonexistent effort for his “Facebook” Halloween costume is an inspiration for lazy dudes everywhere. There's no need to buy anything, and you'll seem clever by making a sly pop culture reference. It's a win-win.
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If there's one sport that's swept the nation, it's pickleball. Adopting the costume couldn't be simpler. Don some white crew socks, athletic shorts and a T-shirt, then grab a paddle. A sweatband might be overkill, but it never hurts to fully commit.
This is probably the easiest—and comfiest—Halloween costume you could do. There are many laid-back looks The Dude pulls off, so you can base it off what you have readily available in your closet, whether it's a bathrobe, sweater, or wildly patterned harem pants. Want to stay true to the character? Buy a replica of his crazy cardigan here.
Think back to your own high school physical education experience. Was there legitimate training involved, or did you mostly play touch football? Did anyone ever mention workout finishers or whey protein isolate? Loathe as we are to pose this question again, did you even lift? Of course you didn’t. And that might have something to do with the fact that your PE instructor (like Coach Carr from Mean Girls) was too busy pairing polo shirts with windbreakers and accessorizing them with sweatbands to put together an actual fitness program.
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There’s something so very 1940s about the job of a private eye, and that means you can evoke the look by wearing a handful of the decade’s men's style staples. If you have a fedora and a trench coat stashed away in your closet, you can be anyone from the late, great Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep (seen above) to the late, great Bob Hoskins in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
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Technically this one is already in your bathroom, not your closet. If you’re feeling really confident about your body right now, wrap yourself in a towel and carry around your favorite grooming product for an evening. Whether that’s a bottle of Old Spice spray (a favorite of Terry Crews, seen above) or another deodorant, everyone will know what you're going for.
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A leather jacket, a white T-shirt, a good pair of jeans, and a healthy dose of attitude are the core components of looking like the Fonz. And while a decent head of hair doesn't hurt either, there’s no danger of people not getting your look if you greet everyone with a languorous, “Eyyyyyyy.”
We get that college professors have wide-ranging style, but the key to nailing the professorial look for the purposes of Halloween is to go more Robin Williams in Flubber than Colin Firth in A Single Man. Wearing a bow tie with a dress shirt, a vest, and a pair of your most generous khakis or wool trousers will do the trick—and don't be afraid to let the look get more disheveled as the night goes on.
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White shirt? Check. White sneakers? Check. White jeans? Also check. Those garments and a steady hand with a razor blade are all that separate you from a successful evening as the cleanest character in product marketing.
Who doesn’t love a good dose of nostalgia at Halloween? The great thing about this last-minute Halloween costume for guys is the fact it mashes up gear picks you might not normally think of pairing. For instance: Consider the puffer vest, the denim jacket, and high-top sneakers. Put them all together, and you’ve got the makings of Michael J. Fox’s McFly in Back to the Future. Layer the vest (particularly if it’s red) atop your denim jacket (with a rumpled light blue shirt underneath). Pair it with some mid- or light-wash jeans and white high-top sneakers. Throw on some retro shades (Wayfarers, if you’ve got ‘em), and don’t forget your watch: You wouldn’t want to miss the big dance, right?
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When it comes to big-screen adventurers, who’s more iconic than Indy? While you might not have a dusty leather hat lying around, you can take just about any brown leather jacket and pair it with a beige or white Oxford shirt and tan chinos. Then lace up a pair of brown leather boots—all the better if you happen to own a pair of Alden “Indy” Boots. To accessorize, grow out your stubble and consider drawing up your own map or carrying around a brown leather pocket book to really complete your adventurous ensemble.
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Here’s one that’s particularly easy to pull off if you live in a warmer climate. Just wear a solid-color, neutral tank top over some tailored, above-the-knee swim trunks and a pair of flip-flops. Accessorize with sunglasses, a bottle of sunscreen and—if you have one laying around—a whistle to keep the party under control. Just like that, you’re beach-ready. Or at least you’ll look the part as you stroll to the fridge for another pumpkin beer.
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Sure, plenty of Halloween costumes can involve a suit, especially in black or shades of gray. But if you’ve been searching for a way to wear that new waistcoat or stylish flatcap (also known as a “newsboy” cap), then Cillian Murphy’s unflappable gangster Tommy Shelby is the costume choice for you. For the full effect, team your darkest suit with a white dress shirt, a solid dark-colored tie, your waistcoat, and that newsboy cap. A pair of black lace-up dress boots will complete the look. Shelby’s chain-smoking habits aren’t advisable, but to accessorize, you can carry a bottle of whiskey around with you.
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Recall what we said about a suit serving as the base for many a Halloween costume? Pair a white dress shirt with a black silk tie, a black suit, and black dress shoes, and you can say you’re an agent from Men in Black (just don’t forget sleek black sunglasses and a neuralyzer). That's not the only look you can create with a black suit. You could also add an earpiece and pass yourself off as the sinister Agent Smith from The Matrix.
