10 Cheap Fancy Dress Ideas For Students (Halloween Edition)

Halloween is creeping up on us, and whether you’re a fresher still trying to get your bearings or a final year student who should probably know better by now, you more than likely haven’t sorted out your Halloween costume just yet…

If you’re reluctantly nodding along, fear not - it’s definitely not too late in the game to get the perfect Halloween ‘fit sorted! 

Here are some super easy, cheap fancy dress ideas for students on a tight budget that you can either do completely DIY-style or simply require a few accessories and you’re good to go… 

Whether you're going to a house party, hitting your favourite clubs or bars or having a chilled night in with your nearest and dearest, these budget-friendly costumes will ensure you stand out in the crowd without breaking the bank.

1. Ghost

This is by far one of the easiest and cheapest fancy dress ideas for Halloween; you might even get away without buying a single thing! 

Simply use an old white bedsheet (that you don’t mind destroying!) and cut out two holes for your eyes and one for your mouth and drape it over yourself, it’s really that easy… 

2. Mummy 

Wrap yourself in toilet paper (maybe not Andrex, we’re in a cost of living crisis after all!) or gauze bandages for a quick, creepy mummy costume. 

Then chuck on some fake blood and black face paint or dark eye makeup to create black eyes and you’re good to go… 

3. Scarecrow 

You can easily make a DIY scarecrow costume from old clothes that you already own. Dig out some jeans or dungarees, a checked shirt and a straw hat, stuff your clothes with fake straw and you’ll make a pretty convincing scarecrow! 

4. Zombie

All you need to transform into a zombie is some torn and tattered clothing, messed-up hair and fake blood. 

Another super budget-friendly and easy DIY fancy dress idea for students this Halloween! 

5. Cat 

It may be an obvious choice, but if you’re short on time why not opt for the classic black cat look?

If you have a black unitard that’s great, but if not you can simply dress in all black, add some cat ears, draw on some whiskers and you’ll be ready in no time. 

If you do want to get your hands on an all-in-one catsuit, check out this one for £15 from Pretty Little Thing - where students can currently save 26% with TOTUM! 

6. Vampire 

Get yourself a cheap cape, some fake fangs and use makeup to give yourself a pale complexion, along with adding some fake blood to the side of your mouth.

And there you have it - you're now ready to embrace your inner vampire!

If you can afford to splash out a little more, you can get yourself a reasonably priced vampire-esque costume from Amazon or eBay - check out this women’s vampire costume for just £15.99 and this men’s vampire costume for just £18.95. 

And remember, TOTUM Student members can get a six-month free trial of Amazon Prime, which means you’ll get next day delivery at no extra cost! Perfect for those last-minute costumes. 

7. Movie Character Mashup

Movie characters are some of the easiest costumes to recreate yourself without having to spend at all! 

Combine staple items that you’re likely to own already to create a character from your favorite movie. Whether it’s Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction or Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, the options are endless and very budget-friendly. 

8. Creepy Doll 

You can’t go wrong with a creepy doll, and this fancy dress idea doesn’t require much at all as it’s more about the makeup than the outfit. 

If you happen to own a gingham dress and some knee high socks, you’re pretty much sorted on the costume front. The makeup is where you’ll have to make a little more effort, creating the illusion of a cracked porcelain face. 

But with some basic essentials - a super light foundation and either black face paint or an eyeliner - you’ll soon be transformed into a creepy porcelain doll. 

9. Pirate

With a pirate costume, any spending you do will mostly be on accessories! Either a white, ruffled dress or white shirt accompanied by a corset belt will have you looking like Captain Jack Sparrow in no time, just get your hands on some key accessories - a bandana, an eye patch and a sword - and you’re good to go. 

10. Posh and Becks

Finally, we just *know* that this couples’ fancy dress idea is going to be everywhere this year, and it just so happens to be super budget friendly depending on the iconic look you go for. 

With the Beckham documentary proving a huge hit and reminding us all of those incredible ‘90s and early ‘00s looks from the power couple that is Victoria and David Beckham, you’ll be right on trend with this Halloween ‘fit. 

Whether it’s these matching leather ensembles or their all white MTV Movie Awards look, you can recreate these pretty easily - we’d even advise having a quick look on eBay for some cheap secondhand goodies that will bring these outfits to life! 

Halloween doesn't have to break the bank for students, and we hope these cheap fancy dress ideas have helped!

Get your creative juices flowing and make this Halloween a memorable one, even on a student budget.