How to Make a Ghost Costume Without a Sheet: 7 Ways

7 min read · The Costume Rack

To make a ghost costume without a sheet, dress head to toe in white or pale grey clothes, then add one floaty layer (tulle, net curtain, cheesecloth or a long white scarf) and a pale face or veil. That layered, drifting look reads as "ghost" from across a room, and unlike a sheet you can see, walk, eat and use your hands.

If you want a ghost built from what is already in your closet, The Costume Rack lists every piece you need, including a no-makeup version: Start my costume.

Why skip the sheet

The classic sheet ghost is iconic, but it has real downsides:

• You cannot see well. Eye holes slide around the moment you turn your head. (If you do want the sheet, our guide on how to see out of a ghost costume fixes that.)
• You cannot use your hands. No phone, no snacks, no door handles.
• It is hot. A full sheet traps heat fast at an indoor party.
• It ruins bedding. Most people do not have a spare white sheet to cut.
• It hides you. Nobody knows who is under there in photos.

Here are seven ghost costume ideas that solve all of that. Every method has a no-sew option.

The all-white-clothes ghost

This is how to make a ghost costume with clothes you already own.

You need: white or pale grey top, white or grey bottoms (jeans, leggings, a long skirt), white socks or light shoes.

Steps:

1. Dress in the palest outfit you have. Mixing white, cream and light grey looks more ghostly than perfect white.
2. Add something that floats: a long cardigan, a loose shirt worn open, or a scarf.
3. Pale the face: a light layer of white face paint, or simply dark shadow under the eyes.
4. Tousle your hair or dust it with a little white hair spray.

No-makeup option: skip face paint and wear a white bucket hat or a light veil pinned to a headband.

This is also the easiest ghost costume for guys: white shirt, grey trousers, a pale face and a vintage jacket.

The tulle or net ghost

A cute ghost costume that looks expensive and costs very little.

You need: 2 to 3 yards of white tulle, a white base outfit, a headband or hair clips.

No-sew steps:

1. Fold the tulle in half and drape it over your head and shoulders like a hooded cape, face uncovered.
2. Pin it to a headband so it stays in place.
3. Gather it at the waist with a white ribbon or belt.
4. Trim the bottom into uneven points with scissors so it looks ragged.

Tulle is see-through, so you can wear it over your face if you want the full ghost look and still see. It is the favorite ghost costume for women and teens who want a soft, glam version.

The pillowcase ghost for kids and pets

This is a quick build for small kids, and a mini version works for pets.

For kids, no-sew steps:

1. Take an old white pillowcase. Cut a face-sized opening in the closed end so it sits like a hood, with the face fully open.
2. Cut arm slits in the sides, or cut the sides open and wear it as a short tabard over white clothes.
3. Draw a friendly ghost face on the front with a black fabric marker.

Never cover a child's face with the fabric; the face opening should be large and clear.

For pets: skip the pillowcase entirely and tie a white bandana with a small drawn ghost face on it. It is the easiest ghost idea for a dog, and fits a group theme like the ones in Halloween costumes for 3 people and a dog.

The curtain or cheesecloth ghost

Net curtain ghost

An old sheer white curtain is secretly the best ghost costume adult fabric: it is long, light and see-through.

1. Drape it over your head and let it fall to your ankles. Pin at the crown to a headband.
2. Wear a white or grey outfit underneath.
3. Tie a thin cord at the waist, or leave it loose to float.

Cheesecloth ghost

Cheesecloth tears beautifully and makes a spooky, tattered ghost.

1. Cut several long strips.
2. Tear the edges and pull loose threads so they look old.
3. Layer and knot the strips over your shoulders and around your waist.
4. Optional: dip a few strips in weak tea, then dry them, for an aged look.

Victorian ghost

A long white nightgown or dress, pale face, dark eye shadow and hair in a loose bun. Carry a candle-style LED light. It is the most elegant of these ghost costume ideas.

White scarf wrap

Already dressed in white? Wrap a long white scarf loosely around your head and shoulders. Instant ghost in ten minutes.

Making any ghost read from across a room

A ghost without a sheet can end up looking like "someone in white." These details fix that:

• Layer different whites. Cream, ivory and grey together look eerie.
• Add movement. Anything that floats or trails when you walk.
• Dark eyes, pale face. The biggest single signal. Gray or brown shadow under the eyes goes a long way.
• A ghost prop. A chain, an old lantern or a tiny "BOO" sign.
• Posture. Arms slightly raised, slow drifting walk. Seriously, it works.

Figuring out which of your clothes work together is the fiddly part. It is hard to judge from a pile on the bed whether your cream jumper and grey jeans look ghostly or just beige.

The Costume Rack does that judging for you. Tell it your vibe and what is in your closet, and it lists every piece for your ghost, with a version from things you own, a no-makeup build and "Find it" links for anything missing. Start my costume

Ghost group ideas

Ghosts are great for groups, because they scale.

• Ghost family: a tulle ghost, a Victorian ghost, a pillowcase kid ghost.
• Colored ghosts: tulle in white, lilac, mint and pink. See our matching Halloween costumes for friend groups for more same-costume-different-color ideas.
• Haunted office: everyone a ghost version of a job.
• Ghost and friends: one ghost with a vampire, a skeleton and a bat for a haunted house.

Your ghost, planned in two minutes

Now you know how to make a ghost costume without a sheet seven different ways. If you want to skip the guesswork, The Costume Rack builds your ghost piece by piece from your vibe and your closet, and a one-piece-a-day countdown gets you ready by October 31.

Start my costume

FAQ

How do you make a ghost costume with clothes?

Wear all-white or pale grey clothes, add one floaty layer like a long cardigan, tulle or a white scarf, and pale your face with light makeup or dark shadow under the eyes. Mixing different shades of white looks more ghostly than a single bright white.

How do you make a ghost costume for adults without a sheet?

A sheer white net curtain or tulle draped over the head and pinned to a headband is the easiest adult option, because you can see through it. A Victorian ghost in a long white dress or nightgown is a more elegant choice.

Can you make a no-sew ghost costume?

Yes. Every method in this guide is no-sew: drape and pin tulle or a curtain, tear and knot cheesecloth strips, or cut a pillowcase with scissors. Safety pins, ribbon and a headband do all the work.

What is a cute ghost costume for women?

A tulle ghost over a white dress, with a soft veil, a little shimmer and a pale lip, is cute and photographs well. Colored tulle in lilac or mint is a fun twist if you want to stand out.

How do you make a ghost costume out of a sheet?

Drape a white flat sheet over your head, mark where your eyes are, and cut the eye holes while wearing a cap to hold it in place. Trim the hem so it stops at your ankles. Our see-out-of-a-ghost-costume guide covers eye-hole placement in detail.