5 Last-Minute Halloween Cartoon "Closet Costumes"
It’s the night before Halloween and you find yourself in need of a quick but fun costume. Sound familiar? Pressed for time and with prices of Halloween costumes going up, why not try a “closet costume?” Let’s celebrate Halloween with one of the most relatable nostalgic American pastimes — childhood cartoons!
These “closet costumes” will take you from the early 1900’s into the 2000’s – there’s a cartoon for everyone ranging from from classics to niche. “Closet costumes” don’t have to be boring. They are better for the environment because it’s likely you will get more wear out of the clothing items and better on your wallet as it’s more likely you can resell a few or all of the costume pieces. You might recognize one from my What I Wore: Halloween 2022 blog post which details costume ideas with pieces that may be harder to come by/take longer to DIY but are also great spooky options.
1930’s
Betty Boop from Betty Boop (1930—1939)
“Boop-oop-a-doop!” Betty Boop is a timeless cartoon Halloween costume that I’ve seen crop up more and more in recent Halloween years. No wonder — Betty is a classy dream!
What you’ll need:
Red dress
Sparkly jewelry
A pup friend like Betty’s dog Pudgy! (optional)
1990’s
Lola Bunny from Space Jam (1996)
Everyone’s favorite “heartthrob of the hoops,” Lola Bunny, is an easy and fun costume. Even better, you can rewear the costume to workout or as pjs. It’d be the perfect costume to rock with a friend or s/o as Bugs!
What you’ll need:
Bunny ears
White workout set
Sneakers
Iron-on “Tune Squad” logo and basketball (optional)
Hex Girl (Thorn) from Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost (1999)
“I’m a Hex Girl, and I’m gonna put a spell on you.” Aren’t we all a Hex Girl at heart? Let out your witchy side in all-black in one of the moodiest and “cool girl energy” Halloween cartoon characters you could ever hope to be!
What you’ll need:
Black dress
Black gloves
Dark makeup
2000’s
Reggie Rocket from Rocket Power (1999—2004)
“Rocket Girl” is a throwback Nickelodeon cartoon character with the comfiest and warmest fit of the bunch, but comfort and warmth doesn’t have to sacrifice style. Unlike the other costume ideas which may still give the vibe with your natural ‘do, a wig is a must for Reg. The purple makes the costume stand out from day-to-day streetwear!
What you’ll need:
Purple wig
Hot pink shirt (pre-cropped or crop yourself like I did!)
Camo pants
Elbow pads
Skates, skateboard, or longboard (optional)
Princess Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
A Disney princess often forgotten about, Kida from Atlantis has such a visually striking character design. For this reason, Kida was one of my favorite Halloween costumes ever! This Halloween costume lined up with my run in The Rocky Horror Show, so I got the chance to sport faux locs for the first time. The choice to put my own spin on Kida’s hair made me absolutely love how this costume turned out!
What you’ll need:
Periwinkle blue set or swimsuit (I couldn’t find an affordable set so I mixed and matched!)
Blue crystal necklace
Teal facepaint
“That’s all, folks!”
If you use any of these last-minute Halloween cartoon “closet costumes,” tag me on Instagram @mskaylajanelle. I’d love to see your looks! Stay spooky, cuties.
— KJC