Somewhere right now, a $40 bagged witch costume is waiting to be worn for three hours and then live in a closet until 2031.
It doesn’t have to be yours. Thrift store Halloween costumes are cheaper, they look better in photos than shiny polyester, and most of the pieces turn back into regular clothes on November 1. Below are 10 looks you can pull off a thrift rack for about $15 or less, plus the tricks we use to find the pieces fast.
Why thrift costumes make sense this year
The National Retail Federation’s 2026 Halloween survey, released this week, expects shoppers to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween, with $4.4 billion of that going to costumes and about $115 spent per person. The same survey found 34% of people plan to look for items they can reuse in future years or for other occasions.
That last number is the whole case for thrifting a costume. A black dress, a flannel shirt or a trench coat keeps working long after the candy is gone. A foil cape does not.
One honest note: thrift prices vary a lot by city and by store. The budgets below are our planning numbers for a typical thrift store, not a promise. If your local shop prices a flannel at $12, swap in a different look.
10 thrift store Halloween costumes under $15
1. The witch (about $12)
Witch is the most popular adult costume in the NRF survey, with 4.8 million adults planning to dress as one. A long black dress or black skirt, a black cardigan and dark tights do most of the work. Check the women’s dress rack first, then the skirts. Add a pointed hat from the seasonal aisle if your store has one.
2. The vampire (about $12)
Vampire came in second for adults at 4.2 million. Look for a black blazer or a dark button-down with a big collar, then pop the collar and add a red scarf or tie. Menswear racks are full of black blazers that fit oddly, and an odd fit reads as “centuries old” on a vampire.
3. The ghost (about $5)
Skip clothing entirely and head to linens. A white flat sheet costs less than almost anything else in the store. Cut eye holes only after it is on your head and marked with a pencil. Ghost made the top five for both kids and adults, which tells you how well the classic still works.
4. The 1980s aerobics instructor (about $12)
A bright windbreaker or track jacket, leggings, a headband and scrunched white socks. The louder the colorblock, the better. Activewear racks at thrift stores are packed with this stuff every fall.
5. The lumberjack (about $12)
Flannel shirt, jeans, boots and a knit beanie. That’s it. It’s also the most wearable costume on this list, because every piece is a normal fall outfit. If the flannel has a loose button or a small seam gap, our five easy clothing fixes will have it ready in ten minutes.
6. The film noir detective (about $15)
A khaki trench coat or long raincoat, a fedora and a notepad in the pocket. Outerwear can push past the budget, so look for plain raincoats rather than branded trenches. The belt is what sells the look; if it’s missing, a matching fabric belt from the accessories bin works.
7. The lost tourist (about $10)
A loud Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, a bucket hat and a paper map. Add socks with sandals if you’re committed. This one is easy for groups and easy to scale down for kids.
8. The TV painter (about $10)
A light blue button-down, jeans and a paint palette cut from a cardboard box. Curly hair optional. Everyone at the party will know who you are within two seconds, and the shirt goes back into your closet afterward.
9. The 1970s rock star (about $15)
Flared jeans, a fringe or suede-look vest, a patterned blouse or shirt and oversized sunglasses. Check the vintage or “retro” section if your store has one, but the regular women’s tops rack is often cheaper for the same print.
10. The friendly TV neighbor (about $10)
A red zip or button cardigan, a collared shirt, a tie and canvas sneakers. Cardigans are one of the easiest finds in any thrift store, and this costume is comfortable enough to wear through a whole school day.
The kids’ version
For children, the NRF survey lists Spider-Man as the top choice (4.6 million kids), followed by superheroes, princesses, witches and ghosts. A red or blue hoodie is the base for nearly any superhero, and a thrifted dress plus a paper crown covers most princesses. Kids’ costumes also get outgrown fast, so buy by measurement, not by the number on the tag. Our kids clothing size guide shows how to measure in the store.
How to find costume pieces in 20 minutes
- Go by color, not by section. Walk the racks looking only for black, or only for red. Your eye skips everything else.
- Go early. Black dresses and red cardigans get picked over as the 31st gets closer, so shop before the last weekend.
- Check condition anyway. A costume still goes through a party. Our 7-point inspection takes about a minute per piece.
- Wash before wearing. Every thrift piece, every time.
Costume pieces that earn their keep after October
If you’d rather spend a little more on one piece you’ll actually wear all year, that’s where we come in. We currently have a new-with-tags London Fog double-lapel trench coat in women’s large that makes a very convincing detective and a very normal rain coat, and a pair of oxblood Dr. Martens oxfords (women’s 7) that finish a 1990s grunge look and then go to work on Monday. Both are single pieces, so what’s listed is what we have.
Steal this: Before you buy a costume in a bag, ask whether you’d wear the main piece again; if the answer is no, find it on a thrift rack instead.
Want more pieces that work on October 31 and every other day? Browse this week’s shop picks, and catch our live Whatnot shows, where we pull fall jackets, flannels and boots on camera most weeks.