‘Tis the season… to scare everyone you know silly. Autumn is here, and arguably the headline event in this season of mists and mellow fruitfulness takes place on October 31. Yes, Halloween is on the horizon.
It’s one of the few times of the year when kids and adults alike can dress up in ghoulish garb and celebrate the brilliant, bewitching and bonkers through the noble medium of fancy dress.
While women broadly have an easier time thinking up the perfect outfit (classics like witches, black cats and mummies are timeless options to reach for), men’s outfits can need a little helping hand.
Traditional men’s Halloween outfits include options like skeletons, Count Dracula and wizards but many of the best draw inspiration from music and cinema: think Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Peaky Blinders, and Bond villains. For the biggest laughs, topical ideas from this year’s strangest headlines will take you one step closer to the Best Dressed prize, especially if it’s a homemade piece you’ve managed to pull off.
Not everyone has time to sit down with threads and a needle though. If you need a Halloween costume in a hurry, we’ve rounded up the best ideas for men to buy now and make your own. Go for something with longevity; that way you can buy once and roll out year after year. As an extra investment, pick a classic that you can make Halloween-ready simply by adding zombie-style makeup.
See the best Halloween fancy dress ideas for men below.
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Beetlejuice
We love the fact that this 2024 take on a classic Beetlejuice costume embodies the artfully distressed, scruffy nature of the mischievous demon’s real suit. Though you’ll have to purchase the wig and face paint separately, you’ll be the talk of any Halloween party.
Buy now £32.62, Amazon
Men's Full Length Leather Trench
Though this Spike from Buffy-inspired trench coat may be on the pricier side, it has a high re-wear factor. Pair with temporary bleach blonde locks, fangs and a red flannel shirt to go full North London Vampire, or pair with black sunglasses and a matching turtleneck for a Matrix look instead.
Buy now £87.48, Etsy
Romeo Cosplay Costume Shirt
A simple but brilliant, low-maintenance Halloween costume for the film buffs - why not go as Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo from Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 re-telling of the infamous star-crossed lovers story this year? Some fake blood and a prop weapon should complete the look.
Buy now £25.60, Amazon
Rocky Horror Show Frank N Furter Costume
For the more daring among us, pay homage to the formidable Frank N Furter from Rocky Horror this Halloween. A bold red lip and some egregious blue eyeshadow is essential.
Buy now £24.99, Very
Cereal Killer Costume
A good ‘ole punny costume always garners some positive attention. We think this Cereal Killer one-piece is a brilliant, low-maintenance and high-reward Halloween ensemble.
£23.59, Amazon
Star and Stripes Apron Chef Navy Blue Apron
Fans of The Bear on Disney+ will adore this low-effort idea, involving little more than a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and an on-edge attitude. Oh, and this apron to tie it all together of course. Channel Carmy Berzatto’s fraught chef for a topical costume that TV nerds will adore. Just remember to scream “YES CHEF” every so often and you’re set.
Find The Bear kitchen essentials here.
Buy now £9.80, Amazon
Blulu 1920s Mens Gatsby Costume Accessories Set
You’ll have to wear your own shirt, trousers and shoes to the party, but the top half of your Peaky Blinders ensemble is well and truly sorted with this set. Not only will you receive the regulation waistcoat and tweed flat cap in this bundle, but it comes with a pair of trouser suspenders, a tie and bow tie, armbands, a pocket watch and a six-strong set of moustaches so you can choose the right one for you. Add a splatter of fresh paint and you’ll look like you’re fresh from a Watery Lane brawl.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon
Inflatable Alien Abduction Costume
Alien abduction is a theme that, in our humble opinion, hasn’t yet been fully explored through the prism of Halloween outfits. Rectify that this year with this hilarious costume that will have other revellers doing a hard double-take. The clever design makes it look as though you’re being kidnapped by an alien lifeform - prepare for puzzled looks after a few rounds of pumpkin punch.
Buy now £90.00, UBuy
Smiffys Dark Opera Masquerade Costume
Halloween costumes are usually a novelty affair; why not opt for the high road with this classy get-up that may not say it on the tin, but is plainly inspired by Phantom of the Opera? The high-drama look is perfect for parties and looks great with just the basics included - cape, mock shirt, mask, gloves and silk rose - leaving it up to you to add more accessories if you wish.
Buy now £32.93, Amazon
Top Gun Costume
Time for the Danger Zone. Maverick’s back, now for the third time thanks to this Top Gun Halloween costume. Pair with some lace-up military boots and accessorise with Ray Ban Aviators to up the pilot ante. Tom Cruise, eat your heart out.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
Gryffindor Costume Harry Potter Robe
If you were disappointed to be put in Hufflepuff or Slytherin on Pottermore, then this Halloween gives you the perfect excuse to dress up in the house colours of The Boy Who Lived. The red and black Gryffindor robe features the house’s Lion crest embroidered on the breast. Add some specs and say hello to an adult Harry Potter.
Buy now £22.99, Amazon
Piggyback Monster Halloween Costume
The zombie apocalypse is here, there’s nothing for it but to clamber aboard and hold on for dear life. This walking dead costume is sure to bring screams of mirth to your friends, looking as though you’ve been made off with by a mummy. Flail your arms in terror for maximum effect.
Buy now £34.95, Amazon
Smiffys Grim Reaper Costume, with Mask
A classic that won’t go out of style any Halloween soon, a Grim Reaper costume will send ripples of fear through the clearing crowds - making it easier than ever to get to the bar. Available in medium and large sizes.
Buy now £20.94, Amazon
AYYOHON 80s Workout Costume Outfit
Kenergy has entered our collective vernacular, and let us tell you folks, it ain’t going anywhere in a hurry. If you can’t beat ‘em, we say this Halloween, you may as well join ‘em. Channel fun-loving and carefree Stereotypical Ken (pre-patriarchy corruption) in this 80s-inspired outfit.
Looking straight out of the costume department of Greta Gerwig’s 2023 blockbuster, the bright multi-coloured look won’t fail to get you noticed. Add high-vis yellow accessories - think bumbag, sweatbands and socks - to polish off the effect.
Buy now £35.99, Amazon
