Spooky Halloween Costume Ideas
One of the most fun days during the fall is Halloween decors and costumes. Kids love to go trick-or-treating and then there are also lots of parties happening. Halloween costumes for kids are easy and stores stockpile kids costumes so there is something for every kid to dress up.
What about adults though? Do you also put on a costume and hand out treats to neighboring kids? Or maybe you take your own kids or nephews and nieces door to door. Then there are the adult parties where the hosts insist everyone comes in costume. Sure, you can put on something cute, but most men don’t want to look cute on Halloween. The look they want to go for is spooky.
If you’re stumped for spooky Halloween costume ideas that are manly enough and scary enough to get a few screams, we’ve come up with some pretty cool ideas that are anything but cute.
1. Skeleton
Skeletons are creepy. Even in biology class, that upright collection of bones looked freaky. Watching a skeleton walking around a party or your neighborhood can be pretty spooky from an onlooker’s perspective. Give the pile of bones a weapon like a sword or an axe and the spookiness increase dramatically. For an extra freaky effect, paint the bones in glow in the dark paint.
2. Plague Doctor
If you studied any of the plagues in history class, you would have come across the terrifying image of the plague doctor. If his hat and clothing weren’t creepy enough, the plague doctor often wore a mask with an enormous beak that made him look horrifying. If the plague didn’t bring you close to death, a visit from a plague doctor may very well have frightened you into an early grave.
3. The Grim Reaper
The hooded figure carrying a scythe has brought terror to the imagination of many people for hundreds of years. The Grim Reaper is symbolic of death and he certainly look the part. According to lore, a visit from the Grim Reaper usually meant he had come to take you to the next life. This spooky character is one that will definitely creep people out.
4. Scary Clown
Many people are already freaked out by clowns but Pennywise from Stephen King’s IT is about as creepy as clowns can get. There is something eerie and sinister-looking about the face and even if you don’t go with Pennywise, there are many spooky looking clown masks to choose from. If you have a good hand with make-up you can even come up with your own spooky clown face and then just find the right clothes to complete your creepy look.
5. Zombie
A zombie costume is easy to put together. Just put on some dirty, ripped clothes, add a mask or make-up so your face looks like rotting flesh and you’re ready to go. There are dozens of variations you can put together to turn yourself into the walking dead and if you’re really creative, you will scare those around you and send some of the younger ones running for cover.
6. Ghost Pirate
Dressing up as a pirate for Halloween is really cool, but if you want to look spooky, dress up as a ghost pirate. The scavengers of the sea have always incited fear in everyone they encountered. Being attacked by pirates often ended in victims going down in the watery grave that is Davy Jones’ Locker so why not go one step spookier and be a terrifying ghost pirate? Spooky and cool are exactly what a ghost pirate is, but don’t forget to add some cool pirate weapons.
7. Alien Predator
Anyone can dress up as an alien for Halloween, but if you want to give people goosebumps, get outfitted as the Alien Predator. This flesh-eating space traveler creeped us out in the movies and he’ll do the same at your next Halloween party. The menacing face mask, tentacle looking hair and claws made this alien a terror to behold. Add some eerie green lighting for extra creepiness and make a lot of those spooky noises.
8. Headless Costume
This costume involves a little bit of trickery but the very image of you carrying around your own head is sure to be spooky. Many costume hire places may have this get up for you but you can also put it together yourself with some chicken wire and lots of black fabric. If this costume does nothing else, it will make your fellow Halloween revelers look twice and wonder how on earth you pulled this look off.
9. Freaky Frankenstein
The story of Frankenstein is enough to send shivers up many spines. The idea of robbing graves to find pieces of a man and putting them together like a mis-matched jigsaw puzzle before bringing this creature to life is horror personified. At a greenish tinge to resemble rotting flesh and you’re one spooky looking Halloween party person. Make sure you throw in the trademark limp when you walk to complete your spooky look. Don’t forget to grunt for good measure.
10. Dark Warlock
Capes and robes in this day and age are creepy and a dark warlock is going to be a spooky addition to your next Halloween event. Add some blood stains to your face, hands or robes, and add a creepy looking scepter and you’re one spooky looking character. It’s one thing to look spooky in this get up, but you’ll also add an element of mystery to your persona which will make you the hit at the party.
There are literally dozens of different spooky costume ideas you can put together for Halloween and if you don’t like the ones in our list, you can always go for the standard vampire, ghost or werewolf costumes. Stand out at your next Halloween party or creep out the neighborhood kids when you take your little people trick-or-treating. If you don’t get a few screams here and there, you didn’t try hard enough to look spooky.