Scary Halloween costumes you can make yourself

Spooky does not need a costume shop. Each of these is mostly clothes you already own, with face paint doing the rest, and each still works if you skip the paint.

Vampire

The vampire is the costume for anyone who wants a dramatic entrance. It is mostly black clothes you already own, one strong lip and a collar turned up, which is why it keeps coming back every year.

Skeleton

A skeleton is spooky enough to count and easy enough to make in an evening. All-black clothes and white lines do the work, and it photographs well in the dark.

Ghost

The ghost is the classic last-minute costume for a reason: one old white sheet, two eye holes and a bit of care with the edges. It is the costume most people can make tonight.

Devil

The devil is the easiest bold costume there is: something red, a pair of horns and a tail. It is dramatic without much effort and it photographs well in low light.

Zombie

The zombie is the costume that gets better the more worn out it looks: old clothes, a little tearing and some grey on the face. It is cheap, it is comfortable and it is impossible to get wrong.

Black Cat

The black cat is the most comfortable costume on the list: black clothes, ears and a tail, and three whiskers on each cheek. It takes ten minutes and it is recognised instantly.

Pirate

The pirate is loose, loud and very easy to move in: a white shirt, a striped top or a vest, a sash and an eye patch. It works at any party and it looks right even half finished.

Mummy

The mummy is made from strips of white cloth wrapped over light clothes. It is cheap, it is spooky, and it gets a laugh when a strip starts to trail.

Werewolf

The werewolf is a warm costume for a cold night: a flannel shirt, some fur and a pair of ears. It is scary from a distance and cosy up close.

Bat

The bat is a black hoodie with wings: wide sleeves or a pair of cut felt wings, and small ears. It is cute enough for kids and spooky enough for a party.