Fifteen Best Last-Minute 1990s Halloween Costume Ideas

So you’ve left your Halloween costume until the last minute, and now you need something for that party you’re attending that’s a) easy, and b) recognizable, preferably not a sheet with cut-out eyeholes.

The good news is that if you have access to a decent thrift store, you can draw inspiration from a decade that happened just long ago enough to now be considered retro: The 1990s. Here are fifteen costume ideas, including a handful of couples’ costumes, that draw from the time of Crystal Pepsi.

15. The girl from the Cake song

You might have to explain this one to a few people, but once you do, they'll applaud your cleverness.

What you'll need: A short skirt. A long jacket. Shoes that cut.

Bonus points for: Two nametags; "Kitty" should be underneath "Karen." A machete with red tape.

14. A Beanie Baby

Remember when everyone thought they were somehow “investing” by buying stuffies? While the Beanie Baby payout passed by most of us, you can still capitalize on the trend.

What you’ll need: An animal costume, or just some ears with a monochrome T-shirt/pants combo. A printer to print out the iconic tag, or enough drawing skills to replicate it yourself on cardboard.

Bonus points for: Wrapping the tag in plastic so all the collectors at the party know you’re original.

13. Waldo

Where’s Waldo? Right there, it’s you! While it might not be the most original idea on this list, the man in stripes is still classically recognizable.

What you’ll need: A red-and-white striped shirt. Blue jeans. A red-and-white beanie. Black-framed glasses.

Bonus points for: Blending seamlessly into the background all night.

12. The Dude

The Big Lebowski is one of those movies that, even after a quarter-century, is still hilarious and quotable. And the most memorable character in that movie? The Dude, of course. He abides.

What you’ll need: A brown bathrobe. A T-shirt. Patterned pajama pants. Birkenstocks (or go barefoot).

Bonus points for: A White Russian in your hand.

11. Forrest Gump

This movie was such a hit in 1994, in part because it evoked such nostalgia for the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. Now you can be the one tapping into the nostalgia.

What you’ll need: A khaki suit. A blue plaid shirt. White tennis shoes.

Bonus points for: A box of chocolates. A white feather floating around you. Running everywhere.

10. Britney Spears

At the tail end of the ’90s, Britney Spears released “Baby One More Time,” which brought sexy schoolgirls to the forefront of everybody’s mind. This look is both iconic and easy to replicate!

What you’ll need: A short black pleated skirt. A gray cardigan. A button-down shirt that you can tie in the front. Knee-high black socks.

Bonus points for: Fluffy pink pom-poms and pink ribbons to adorn your braided pigtails.

9. Garth and Wayne from Wayne’s World

Party time! Excellent! Wayne's World reintroduced “Bohemian Rhapsody” to an entire generation, made headbanging cool and celebrated public-television stars as heroes. Plus, Dana Carvey and Mike Meyers were unforgettable as Garth and Wayne.

What you’ll need: Torn jeans. A black T-shirt (for Wayne). A white T-shirt with a flannel over the top (for Garth). A mullet.

Bonus points for: Guitars or drumsticks. Perfecting your “as if” and “party on” inflection.

8. Ace Ventura

Jim Carrey’s performance as a pet detective in Ace Ventura had people repeating his catch-phrases until everyone was heartily sick of it. Thankfully, enough decades have passed now that you can probably get away with it for one night.

What you’ll need: A Hawaiian shirt. Pleated brown pants. Lots of hair gel.

Bonus points for: Finding lost pets.

7. Men in Black agents

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones played agents who went by only one initial, zapped people into forgetfulness, and cavorted with a host of cute aliens with silly one-liners. If you’ve got a black suit, you’re basically set for this one.

What you’ll need: A black suit. A white shirt. A black tie. Dark sunglasses.

Bonus points for: Making your own zapper out of a pen and stealing everyone’s memory of your costume.

6. Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace

Pulp Fiction told a non-linear story that somehow made a cohesive whole by the end, featuring a star-packed cast and singlehandedly rebooting John Travolta’s career … for a while, anyway. If you’ve got a partner and want to dress up as a team, this could be a solid (and easy) option.

What you’ll need: A black suit with a bolo tie for Vincent. Black pants, a white button-down shirt (worn open at the top), and red lipstick for Mia.

Bonus points for: A long black wig for Vincent or the short black bob for Mia. Doing the twist together.

5. Daria

Has there been another teenage girl in pop culture as quintessentially bored and over it as Daria? If you’ve got your side-eyes down to a science, this could be the look for you.

What you’ll need: A green velvet blazer. A brown shirt. Round glasses. Resting bored face.

Bonus points for: Speaking in monotone all night. Referring to the “harsh light of reality” as frequently as possible.

4. Neo and Trinity

The Matrix was one of those movie experiences that probably couldn’t have happened in the era of social media. The mind-bending moment when you realize the first segment of the movie was essentially virtual reality? No wonder the sequels felt so flat.

What you’ll need: Sunglasses, preferably mirrored. A long black trenchcoat. Combat boots. (If you’d rather go as Agent X, swap the trenchcoat and combat boots for a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, with polished shoes; keep the sunglasses.)

Bonus points for: Dodging bullets in ultra slow-motion. Running from or fighting with any men in black suits with sunglasses.

3. Austin Powers

Another Mike Myers character makes the list! His interpretation of a swinging ’60s secret agent suddenly transported to the ’90s is a classic spoof on spy movies. Oh, behave.

What you’ll need: A velvet suit. A ruffly white shirt. Dorky glasses.

Bonus points for: Protruding front teeth. Snarling playfully at any and every woman you see.

2. Jay and Silent Bob

Where better to embody the two most famous stoners in pop culture history than Colorado?

What you’ll need: Jeans. Black band shirts, preferably metal bands. A beanie, yellow ski jacket, and long headbanger hair for Jay. A white baseball cap (backwards), trenchcoat, and beard for Silent Bob.

Bonus points for: Using “snoochie boochies” correctly in conversation (for Jay). Not saying anything until the end of the night, when you drop some wisdom and bounce (for Silent Bob).

1. Mulder and Scully

Things got weird on The X-Files, with the only constants being the sexual tension between Agents Mulder and Scully, complicated by her skepticism and his wide-eyed ability to believe just about anything.

What you’ll need: Suits for both; Mulder gets a tie. Long coats. Laminated FBI badges on a clip.

Bonus points for: Sunflower seeds for Mulder.

Didn't see anything you liked in this list? Check out our Ten Best Last-Minute '80s Costume Party Ideas!