25 70s Halloween Costumes

The 70s might be the easiest decade to dress up as. The look is loud, instantly recognisable, and half of it is probably sitting in a thrift store near you right now: flared trousers, platform shoes, fringe, big collars, and more polyester than anyone should wear in one outfit.

These 25 costumes cover every side of the decade. There’s disco glitter and jumpsuits, laid-back hippie looks with bell-bottoms and flower crowns, glam rock, roller-rink outfits, and a few nods to the era’s most famous faces from music, film, and TV. Most rely on one or two statement pieces plus the right hair and accessories, so they’re simple to build and comfortable enough to dance in all night. Choose your corner of the decade and commit to it.

Family Hippie Group Costume

A hippie look works well for a group because every piece can be mixed and matched, so a family can all dress differently and still look like one set. Tie-dye shirts, round mirrored sunglasses, and peace sign necklaces cover the basics, and each person can add their own layer on top: a fringed vest, a bell-sleeved printed dress, or a curly afro wig.

This is a good pick for trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, school parades, and family photos taken right out front at golden hour. Sunset light makes the tie-dye colors stand out against a plain street. The fringed boots look great but are hard to walk in for long, so I’d put the kids in flat sandals and save the boots for whoever is staying close to the door.

Oversized pumpkin heads

Giant pumpkin heads feel very 70s when they are rough, a little lopsided, and clearly built by hand. The big change to play with is size. Once the head gets oversized, the costume stops being about clothes and turns into shape first. A long dress or a plain suit under it works because the pumpkin carries the look on its own.

Paper-mâché is the material I’d use if you want that light, homemade shell with cut triangle eyes and a wide toothy grin. It has a crumpled surface that looks better than anything too smooth. Go taller and narrower for a mean jack-o’-lantern, or round and squat for something more friendly. I’d watch the balance, though. One very tall head can tip forward and cover too much of the face and shoulders, so I’d cut the bottom wider than you think you need.

Psychedelic Shirt and Velvet Flares

Nobody needs an explanation when you show up in a paisley button-up over orange crushed-velvet bell-bottoms. A shaggy wig, a thick mustache, round tinted glasses and a gold chain finish it.

This one is right for anyone who likes being noticed and doesn’t mind wearing a wig all night. If your party is indoors and packed, think twice, because velvet pants and a full head of fake hair get hot fast. A lighter disco look from further down the list would be easier to wear for hours.

Senior Couple Costume

For a senior couple costume, build each outfit from clothes that look like they were chosen for comfort first. One side can be a long pink nightgown, robe, or loose house dress with white socks, reading glasses, beads, and foam curlers. If you do not have curlers, roll strips of felt or use small hair rollers from a bathroom drawer.

The other side works with a short-sleeve plaid shirt, gray sweatpants pulled high, suspenders, black sneakers, and a cane. A broom handle with a rubber tip can stand in if you do not own one. Add glasses low on the nose, gray hair spray, and a little face pencil around the mouth or eyes if you want more age lines.

Small medical bits help, but use them lightly. A white bandage on the arm or an elbow brace is enough without turning the costume into a hospital scene.

Sonny and Cher Couple Costume

Couples costumes like this one go wrong when only one person commits. The wig, the mustache and the print shirt have to be matched by the other half, or the pair looks like two separate outfits. Here, the long black wig, the bold blue eyeshadow and the big gold hoops carry as much weight as the clothes do.

Fur vests are the other trouble spot. Both of these hang open and sit loose on the shoulders, which is how they should look. A vest that’s too short or buttoned up ends up looking like a stole. I’d also check the mustache with a smile before leaving the house, since a cheap one can peel at the edges.

Rag doll costume

A rag doll costume turns on the patchwork, because without those blocks of color it just looks like a bright dress with mismatched tights. The best part is the off-center yellow pocket and the bands sewn across one leg, since they make the outfit look pieced together on purpose.

Braids matter too. Two long braids push it toward toy doll instead of mod dress, and the pale blue boots keep the colors from stopping at the knee.

Grease Family Costume

Sandy’s final look carries this one, so start with her. The leggings matter most, and they need a high, wet shine. Add an off-shoulder black top and a wide belt with a gold buckle, then put on the curly blonde wig and red lipstick last.

Danny and the kid need leather jackets, white tees, jeans and canvas sneakers.

Pippi Longstocking Costume

Pippi Longstocking is easiest to build around a denim overall dress, because it gives you the apron shape without needing a full pinafore. A knee-length version works well with striped knee socks, especially when the socks do not match. The red-and-white striped shirt adds the right childlike base under the denim.

Use lighter denim if you want the costume to feel more like play clothes. Dark denim makes it look closer to a school dress, and a stiff fabric can sit too flat. A softer denim or chambray moves better and makes the patched, roughed-up parts look more natural.

The hair matters as much as the dress. Bend the braids outward with wire, add freckles, and carry a small stuffed monkey if you want the character to be clear fast. Black ankle boots finish it without making the costume look too polished.

Jumanji Board Game Costume

A jungle outfit with no box is just a jungle outfit, so make the Jumanji box first and build everything else around it. Cut a flat piece of cardboard about the size of a large board game, cover it with printed or painted jungle artwork, and put the title across the top in big letters. Hold it against your stomach with one arm so the lettering faces out.

Once the box is done, the rest goes quickly. Start with a tan or brown dress with a fringed hem, since the fringe moves when you walk. Layer palm leaves around the neck and pin them to the dress from behind so they lie flat. Tuck more leaves into the band of a wide straw hat, and wrap a few around your boots and wrists with ribbon or wire. I’d add the leaves last, because they shift as you move and are easier to fix once everything else is on.

Psychedelic disco guy

Big print and bigger hair carry this one. This is a good pick for someone who wants a 70s costume that lands fast and does not need much explaining. The loud floral shirt, tinted aviators, chain necklace, and thick mustache get you there right away. It works best if you like being noticed and do not mind a little camp.

I would point quieter dressers to another idea. The wig and shirt are both large, and the flared pants need room to move. If you want something less bold, go with one strong 70s piece instead of all of them at once.

Burglar Duo With Prop Injuries

A pair of clumsy burglars works best when the 70s clothes carry the look and the injuries come second. A long camel suede trench, a curly wig and a stuck-on mustache set the decade. A wool peacoat, a knit scarf and a black beanie give the partner the same worn-out feel.

Feathers cause the most trouble. Loose ones drift off within an hour, so I’d glue the quills to the beanie and pin a few to the coat instead of scattering them. Then they stay put through a night of hugs and car rides.

The red face marks need care too. Cream color smears into mustache adhesive and onto collars, so set it with powder and glue the mustache on before you paint anything near it.

Grease group costume

Make the leather jackets the anchor, because that is the part that puts everyone in the same world. A black jacket over a black shirt, jeans, or shiny black pants gives the costume its 70s movie feel without needing much else. Without the leather, the same clothes turn into regular denim and T-shirts, and the idea gets weak fast.

The pink piece matters too, but it should stay in one clear spot. A pink satin jacket, pink skirt, or pink wig gives the group a different character without pulling away from the black outfits. I would keep the shoes plain unless you already have red heels or black sandals, because the jacket and hair are doing enough. Sunglasses help on the guys, especially with slicked hair, but they should look like part of the outfit rather than a random add-on.

Scooby-Doo Gang Group Costume

Fred is a white shirt, a red ascot and blue flared pants. Daphne wears a purple dress with a lighter band near the hem and a green scarf knotted at the neck. Velma needs an orange ribbed turtleneck, a red skirt, orange tights and big round glasses.

The dog is an inflatable suit with a blue collar. Without one, brown clothes and a blue felt collar will do.

Mini hippie pair

A kid-size hippie costume works best for school parades, class parties, and early neighborhood rounds where they need room to move. Flared print pants, peace-sign necklaces, and a fringe vest read clearly from across a gym or down a hallway, and the big wigs help in crowded spots where small details get lost.

Wendy Torrance With a Bat

Most of this costume can come off ordinary thrift store racks: a plaid flannel shirt, a tan corduroy pinafore, a turtleneck underneath, pale tights and lace-up brown boots. The wooden bat is what turns a regular seventies outfit into Wendy from The Shining. Long dark hair with a heavy fringe finishes it.

This is a good pick if you want something you can wear all night without a mask, wig glue or a cape catching on doorways. It also makes sense for anyone who already owns half of it, since the shirt and boots are everyday clothes you’ll wear again. Horror fans will know who you are right away, especially if you hold the bat up near your shoulder the way she does on the stairs.

If your crowd hasn’t seen the movie, people may just think you dressed for a fall walk. Anyone who wants glitter, platforms or a costume people can spot from across a dark room should look at the disco ideas elsewhere in the list.

Disco Bell Bottoms

Let the bell bottoms take up most of the outfit. The wide flare at the ankle is what makes the costume land; in plain straight pants, the ruffled shirt, vest, headband, and sunglasses could drift into pirate or hippie territory. Shiny red fabric helps too, because it catches light and makes the flares look even bigger.

Clown Costume With Striped Leggings

A red foam nose turns ordinary clothes into a clown costume, and it works at any age. The toddler wears only a nose with a blue dress and a white collar, and she still matches her parents.

Stripes are where I’d put the effort, and the color you pick changes the character of the whole outfit. Black and white tights, like the woman’s, look sharp against a bowler hat and oversized glasses, and the costume leans toward the theatrical. Wide green stripes on white, like the pants and sleeves on the man, come across as looser and more playful. The bands are thick, and green is softer next to white than black is.

Wide bands also hide a baggy fit, so borrowed pants work fine. Thin stripes would show every wrinkle at the knee. I’d go with the wide ones.

Glam rock bird

Feathers carry this one. Start with a bright base, then add a shaggy feather scarf or vest in red or hot pink so the shape gets big fast. After that, pull on colored tights and tall boots, then finish with round glasses and bold earrings.

The step that matters most is building up the neck and chest. That is what gives it the loose, stagey 70s feel. I’d keep the hair pieces full and flame-colored, like orange at both sides, and let the gloves stay striped and scrappy.

Oompa Loompa Costume

Orange face paint is where this costume usually falls apart. It rubs onto the white gloves and striped collar within an hour, so set it with powder and spray before you dress.

The white overalls need real volume at the hips, or they hang flat like painter’s pants. Pleat or pad them. Whiten the eyebrows as well, since dark brows look unfinished against orange.

Hippie Couple Costume

Start with two pairs of round glasses, then build the outfits around fringe, flares, and loose shirts. One person can wear a white fringe top or jacket over dark high-waist pants. If you do not have fringe, cut long strips into the sleeves or hem of an old white shirt, or tie on a fringed scarf across the chest.

For the other half, use black flared jeans, a light button-up shirt, and tinted sunglasses. A western shirt also works if it has pointed pockets or dark trim. Leave a few buttons open if that feels right for the look, or layer a plain tee under it.

Hair helps a lot with this one. Long loose hair, a beard, or a middle part will carry the costume without much else. Add heeled clogs, boots, or any shoe with a chunky sole. A peace sign in photos finishes the idea without adding another prop.

Elliott With E.T. in the Basket

A red hooded sweatshirt, a bike, and a plush E.T. under a white towel are all you need to be Elliott making a getaway. The hood goes up, the towel drapes over the figure with its face showing at the front, and the whole bundle rides in a wire basket on the handlebars.

This one belongs on a residential street around dusk, when the light is low and the neighbors’ porches are decorated. A neighborhood with sidewalks and plenty of trick-or-treaters on foot is the best setting, because people will spot the basket from across a lawn. It also works for a block party or a kids’ bike parade, anywhere you can ride slowly.

I’d pick a basket wide enough that the figure doesn’t tip, and I’d tuck the towel in around the edges so it can’t drift into the front wheel. Wear jeans and sneakers, since you’ll be pedaling for a while.

Disco couple

A disco pair works best for two people who want to go all in and be seen from across the room. This one leans into two sides of the decade at once: a loud geometric suit with sunglasses and chain on one side, and a long caftan with fringe on the other. Pick this if you like costumes that need posture as much as clothes. You have to commit a little.

It is a strong choice for couples, friends, or siblings who do not want to match exactly. The shapes are loose, so it also helps if you want room to move, sit, and wear layers underneath. If you hate wigs, rings, big prints, or any look that pulls focus, choose a different idea from the list. This is not the quiet option.

I’d tame the wigs a bit, because once the hair gets too bulky it starts to hide the clothes, and the clothes are the point.

Flower Power Couple Costume

A couple can match without wearing the same print. She has on a long dress covered in small green, orange and blue flowers, and he has a shirt with big orange, red and white daisies. The prints clash, but orange shows up in both, so they still look like a pair.

The wigs carry the decade. Without the tight orange curls and the long black shag, these would just be two people in loud summer clothes. Add the oversized tinted glasses, his orange headband and her stack of plastic bead necklaces, and the costume points straight at the 70s.

Disco Dance Couple

Start with the shine, then build the shapes around it. For one person, use a metallic button-down tucked into high-waisted dark trousers with a belt and tinted sunglasses. Add an afro wig if the hair is not already big enough, because the round shape is what makes the shirt feel 70s instead of just shiny.

For the other person, choose a silver pleated jumpsuit or halter top with wide-leg pants. Put the belt at the waist before adding hoop earrings and a choker so the neckline stays clean. The step that matters most is getting the pants long enough to move over the shoes; too short breaks the disco line.

Oompa Loompa Face Paint

The orange is where this costume is won or lost. A pale shade looks like a bad tan next to a bright green wig. A solid orange carried down to the striped collar leaves no skin showing. I’d paint the brows white and heavy.

Cave people couple

Animal-print fabric and rough faux fur carry this one. Make a short tunic from leopard or tiger yardage, then tie it with a strip of brown cloth or faux suede. Add fur cuffs, a wide belt, and a chunky bone or tooth necklace. If you do not have animal print, use plain tan or brown fabric and cut an uneven hem so it feels less finished.

For a pair, split the pieces so each person looks related, not matched. The little black dog in a tiny tunic is optional, but it lands the joke fast.