Halloween happens on the same day every year. And, every year, you put off Halloween planning until the very last minute — rightfully so. You’re busy and hopefully earning the salary you know you deserve. But if you’re a manager (or just someone who loves Halloween) and you still haven’t figured out what on earth your team is going to dress up as, fear not. No matter how big or small your team is, there are plenty of DIY Halloween costume ideas you can scrape together at the last minute, while still looking legitimate enough to rival other teams at your company.
Army Men and Women
If you’ve got a big group of people, this could be an easy solution for your costume needs. All you need is a throwaway pair of pants, jacket, and a helmet you’d be willing to spray paint green. After that, paint your face and arms with green acrylic paint. If paint is too messy, you can also buy a green man suit. To seal the deal, cut out a small piece of cardboard and paint it green. When you pose for photos, make sure you stand on the cardboard to complete the look.
Mario Kart
Nineties kids rejoice — this costume idea was made with you in mind. Pro Tip: If your team bikes to work, you can really make this work to your advantage. Each team member can pick one memorable Mario Kart character to be. Choose from characters like Princess Peach, Toad, Wario, Mario, Luigi, Waluigi, Bowser, and more. To pull off this look, you really need the right color for your character, some type of headwear (most characters wear a hat of some sort) and three balloons that represent your character’s colors. You can even play fun games throughout the day by popping each other’s balloons. Surprise the person with the most balloons left at the end of the day with a small prize. And look out for banana peels!
Workaholics
Small team? No problem. Stay as fresh as your favorite entry-level pals, the Workaholics. You don’t need much to pull off this look, just your business casual office wear. You could also add a flat-billed hat, sunglasses, or a bandana. Whoever graciously volunteers to be the Blake Chesterfield Henderson of the group would benefit from a nice (fake) fur coat. Bonus points if there is a fake bear head on it.
The Sims
If you’re in a pinch for time, this Sims costume is a simple fix that will make your coworkers laugh. All you need to make this costume work is a Sims diamond on your head. Technically, they are called plumbobs, and you can totally make some for you and your team at home without breaking the budget. Follow the plumbob tutorial here.
Stranger Things
How could you not want to dress up like the most talked-about TV show of the past two years? Basically, if you want to pull off a Stranger Things group costume, you need to put on your ’80s thinking caps. You will also want to pick a few people in your group to play the stars of the show. The mom, the wall, Barb, Eleven (don’t forget the Eggos) and of course the boys. If you are considering this costume, a trip to your local thrift store should be your first step.
Orange Is the New Black
Do you work on an all-female team? Dressing up as the cast of Orange Is the New Black is a low-maintenance option that works for everybody. Easiest solution? Order some cheap orange prisoner costumes from Amazon, and customize from there. Use a sharpie to add Litchfield to the back of the outfits, and don’t forget to add your name and inmate number to the front. If someone from your group wants to switch it up, have them dress up as an officer. If you can’t get orange, brown prison suits will also work.
Bob’s Burgers
Small-ish teams will really feel like a family with a Bob’s Burgers theme. Pick from Bob, Tina, Gene or Linda Belcher for a picture-perfect Halloween. The most important things for this theme are getting each character’s wardrobe colors right, as well as their accessories. Louise needs pink rabbit ears, while Bob and Linda need aprons. Depending on who plays Bob, you might also need to purchase a fake mustache. Gene’s look can be completed with a hamburger costume, and Tina requires some thick-framed glasses and tall white socks. If your group is bigger than the Belchers, don’t forget about characters like Mr. Fishoedor, Jimmy Junior, and Linda’s crazy cat-obsessed sister, Gale.
Tell Us What You Think!
Are you and your team celebrating Halloween this year? We want to hear from you! Comment below or join the discussion on Twitter!
