13 Unique and Original Halloween Costumes for College Girls

1. Vanellope von Schweetz

Vanellope from Wreck-It Ralph is an adorable choice if you want a nostalgic Halloween costume with personality. It also gives you a very legitimate reason to spend Halloween in a hoodie.

What you’ll need:

• A mint-green or teal hoodie

• A brown mini skirt

• Striped tights or colorful knee-high socks

• Sneakers

• A red hair ribbon and candy-inspired hair clips

Pull your hair into a high ponytail and scatter candy-shaped clips throughout it. You can make your own by attaching lightweight felt shapes to basic hair clips.

The candy details are the part worth spending time on. They turn a simple hoodie-and-skirt combination into a recognizable character.

2. Alex Russo

Alex Russo is for anyone whose childhood style inspiration involved Disney Channel, layered shirts, and an unreasonable number of necklaces.

What you’ll need:

• A graphic tee layered over a long-sleeve shirt

• A mini skirt with tights or a pair of skinny jeans

• Boots or Converse

• Layered necklaces

• A wand

Choose a specific Wizards of Waverly Place outfit as your reference before searching your closet. Alex’s style changes throughout the show, but the slightly chaotic layering is a good place to start.

Keep the wand with you for pictures. Otherwise, people may just assume you’re bringing back your middle school wardrobe.

3. Lara Croft

Lara Croft is a good pick if you want a Halloween costume that feels adventurous and is easy to move around in. Her classic outfit uses a few simple pieces you might already have.

What you’ll need:

• A fitted teal tank top

• Brown shorts

• A wide belt

• Combat boots

• A braid

Add fingerless gloves and a small backpack to finish the look. The teal top, brown shorts, and braid establish the character without needing a complicated collection of props.

If your Halloween involves walking across campus, this is also a great excuse to choose sturdy shoes.

4. Athena from The Odyssey

If your ideal Halloween outfit includes a flowing dress and lots of gold jewelry, consider Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare who helps Odysseus in The Odyssey.

What you’ll need:

• A white or cream dress

• A gold belt or braided cord

• Gold jewelry

• Metallic sandals or flats

• An owl accessory or lightweight shield

For a more detailed DIY costume, make a small shield from cardboard and paint it gold or bronze. An owl brooch, necklace, or decoration adds a reference to Athena’s association with wisdom.

Those details help make the costume specifically Athena, especially if you’re starting with a simple white dress.

5. Goofy

Goofy is a playful, unexpected costume that works surprisingly well as an actual outfit. The secret is committing to his slightly ridiculous color combination.

What you’ll need:

• An orange shirt

• A black vest

• Blue shorts or jeans

• A green hat

• Floppy black dog ears

Add a black nose using makeup and wear comfortable shoes. You can attach felt ears to the hat if you don’t want to wear a separate headband.

This is a fun option when you want a costume that makes people smile the second they figure it out.

6. Britney Spears

Britney has enough iconic outfits to cover several Halloweens, but the “…Baby One More Time” look is particularly easy to recreate.

What you’ll need:

• A white button-down tied at the waist

• A gray cardigan

• A black pleated skirt

• Gray knee-high socks

• Two braids with pink hair accessories

Want a different era? Try a red matching set inspired by “Oops!... I Did It Again,” or recreate her 2001 VMAs look with a green top, blue shorts, and a plush snake.

Choose one specific outfit and focus on its recognizable details. With Britney, the styling is half the fun.

7. Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew is an underrated Halloween costume for anyone who loves a mystery, a plaid skirt, or the opportunity to carry a little notebook around and look suspicious.

What you’ll need:

• A plaid skirt

• A collared blouse or sweater

• Loafers or Mary Janes

• A headband

• A magnifying glass and notebook

Nancy has different looks across the books and adaptations, so you can choose a version you love or create a classic detective-inspired outfit.

Carry a Nancy Drew book to make the reference clearer. If it’s cold out, a trench coat fits right into the costume.

8. Perry the Platypus

A teal outfit and a brown fedora can accomplish a lot.

Perry the Platypus is a funny Halloween costume that’s easy to adapt to your own style, whether you prefer a dress, matching set, or oversized T-shirt.

What you’ll need:

• A teal outfit

• A brown fedora

• Orange shoes or socks

• An optional orange bill or flat tail made from felt

Prioritize the fedora. It’s the detail that turns a teal outfit into Agent P.

If you make a tail, keep it small and flexible enough that you can sit down. A costume should survive both the party and the ride there.

9. Kim Possible

Kim Possible is a great last-minute Halloween costume if your closet already contains a black top and cargo pants.

What you’ll need:

• A fitted black top

• Green cargo pants

• A black belt

• Black boots

• Optional black gloves

A small belt pouch adds to the look and gives you somewhere to put your essentials. You can wear a red wig, but the outfit’s signature colors do a lot of the work.

This is especially useful for a busy Halloween weekend when you need another costume without buying another entire outfit.

10. Mia Thermopolis

Mia’s Princess Diaries movie-poster look combines princess accessories with headphones and sunglasses. It’s specific, a little funny, and a great reason to wear a tiara.

What you’ll need:

• A white dress

• A tiara

• Dark sunglasses

• Over-ear headphones

• An updo

The headphones are what make this look feel like Mia. Borrow a pair if you don’t already have them, and use the movie poster as your styling reference.

A white dress from graduation, recruitment, or a previous event could get a very useful second outing here.

11. Jenna Rink

If you want a Halloween costume that also feels like a party outfit, Jenna Rink’s colorful dress from 13 Going on 30 is a fun choice.

What you’ll need:

• A colorful geometric-print dress

• A butterfly necklace

• A small shoulder bag

• An updo with loose face-framing pieces

The dress is the centerpiece, so prioritize finding something with a similar pattern and silhouette. The accessories can be simple.

And if you happen to know the “Thriller” choreography, this would be an excellent time to use that information.

12. Eloise at the Plaza

Eloise is a cute costume if you like preppy outfits with a little personality. Her look is also easy to build from basics.

What you’ll need:

• A white blouse

• A black pleated skirt

• Black suspenders

• White knee-high socks

• Black flats and a pink hair bow

A small plush dog can stand in for Weenie, but the suspenders and pink bow are the main details to get right.

It’s a good choice if you want something recognizable to fellow fans without needing a wig or elaborate makeup.

13. Tate McRae

A Tate McRae costume is a fun choice if you want a sporty pop-star look that you can dance in all night.

What you’ll need:

• A cropped t-shirt

• Cheetah print

• Red sandal heels

• Pink tinted sunglasses

Choose one specific performance outfit as your reference, then match its colors, hairstyle, and accessories. That specificity will make the costume stronger than a general sporty outfit.

You can always add a “TATE” lettering to a jersey for a more obvious interpretation. Coordinate the rest of the look around that piece, and you’re ready for your own very unofficial performance.

No matter what you choose, remember to wear it with confidence!

XOXO,

Broke College Girl