Thrift or Treat: How to DIY 2026’s Most Popular Halloween Costumes

As the air grows chillier and pumpkin spice is front and center at coffee shops everywhere, you can be sure of one thing: Halloween is just around the corner.

For many, the spookiest part of spooky season is the economy, which is prompting six out of 10 parents to DIY their kids’ Halloween costumes.

Gen Zers are also getting in on the DIY fun, with 63% choosing to thrift materials for costumes from their local Goodwill.

Whether you’re thrifting a costume from scratch or looking for creative ways to enhance your ghoulish gear, there are some best practices to keep in mind for creating an unforgettable look.

Stock Up Early

If you know you’ll be pulling your costume together from scratch, it’s a good idea to assemble the materials several weeks to a month in advance. Don’t

wait until the witching hour. The best costume finds go fast, including the following:

• Secondhand officially licensed costumes. Many Halloween-goers donate their costumes after the holiday passes, so stop into your local Goodwill thrift store early to browse pre-assembled costume kits before they’re gone.
• Halloween-themed items. If you’re the low-key costume type, Halloween-themed clothing and accessories (e.g. a crewneck with a pumpkin face) can be a great way to embrace the festive spirit without venturing far from your comfort zone. The best picks will be prominently displayed once the season strikes, so don’t miss out.
• Wigs and masks. These are as popular as they are useful. Capable of significantly altering your appearance and transforming you into someone new without much accompaniment, wigs and masks sell fast.
• Standalone character accessories. Items like cowboy hats, cat ears, crowns and other identifiable accessories make dressing up as iconic character archetypes a breeze, which means they won’t last long.

Take a Second Look

If your first browse through the thrift store doesn’t yield potential costume pieces, don’t be afraid to dig deeper. Something unexpected may have the potential for greatness.

Old sheets can be sliced into zombie wraps.

Blankets and scrap fabrics can become superhero capes.

Lace curtains and doilies can be layered into a Marie Antoinette-esque,18th century inspired skirt.

And the vast collection of formal dresses, gowns and even wedding dresses stocked by many thrift stores can be transformed, with a little help from scissors and dyes, into vampiric gowns, zombie bride dresses, or attire that pays homage to iconic characters like Carrie White from Carrie or Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries.

Recreating 2026’s Top Costumes

Looking for easy DIY costumes? Here are some of the year’s most popular costumes:

• Spider-Man from Spider-Man: Brand New Day
  • You’ll need:
    • A red long-sleeved shirt
    • Blue pants (try the pajama or leggings sections)
    • A black marker
    • (Optional) A red winter hat or ski mask

• • How to assemble:
    • With the black marker, draw or stencil a spider in the center of the chest area of the red shirt.
    • Draw web-like lines coming out around the spider.
    • Pair with blue pants and optional winter headwear, and you’re all set.

• Minion from Minions & Monsters
  • You’ll need:
    • A yellow long-sleeved shirt
    • Light-to-medium wash denim overalls
    • Goggles or non-prescription/costume glasses

• • How to assemble:
    • Wear each item as intended, practice your best “banana,” and you’re ready to go!

• Jessie from Toy Story 5
  • You’ll need:
    • A cowboy hat
    • A long-sleeved, cow- or other animal-print shirt
    • A large belt
    • Blue jeans
    • Brown boots

• • How to assemble:
    • Wear each item as intended for a fun spin on Jessie’s iconic Western look.

• Marshall from Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
  • You’ll need:
    • Long-sleeved white shirt
    • Plain white pants
    • Black felt scraps
    • Glue
    • Red shirt or vest
    • Red hat or helmet
    • Printed or drawn Paw Patrol fire badge logo

• • How to assemble:
    • Glue the felt scraps along the shirt and pants to mimic Dalmatian spots.
    • Cut off the sleeves of your red top to mimic a vest (or opt for a red vest).
    • Glue the Paw Patrol fire badge logo onto the center of the red hat or helmet. Now you’re “fired up!’’
• Greek mythology characters (like Odysseus or Athena) from The Odyssey
  • You’ll need:
    • An assortment of beige and white linens (curtains or sheets will work)
    • Safety pins
    • Scissors
• • How to assemble:
    • Cut large linens into smaller pieces, roughly the size of a standard towel.
    • Wrap one piece of linen around your hips, another around your torso and a third around your shoulders. To get the right look, think mummy-wrap-meets-linen-poncho.
    • If you’re going for Athena’s look, cut a smaller piece of linen to act as a headscarf/small hood and drape it over your head and shoulders.
    • Fasten draped linens in place using safety pins,

When it comes to Halloween, skip the costume-in-a-box and create something no one else will be wearing. A little imagination and a few unexpected finds can transform mediocre into a look that’s scary good. Consider it your chance to make some thrift-store magic.

Visit your local Goodwill of Greater Detroit retail location today to get started.