Women’s Halloween Costumes

Choosing women’s Halloween costumes you’ll enjoy wearing

The perfect costume is one you forget you’re wearing. Before you choose, think about the night itself. A house party means you can go dramatic with a long black gown and hood, while trick-or-treating with the kids calls for something you can throw a coat over. Heading into town? Pick a ladies costume you can sit, dance and queue for the bar in.

Most of the adult women’s fancy dress in our range comes from well-known brands like Smiffys, Rubies and Wicked Costumes. They’re made for parties rather than years of wear, so expect lightweight polyester. That keeps the cost down, but it’s worth adding tights or a thermal layer for an outdoor October night.

Scary, funny or iconic? Halloween costume ideas for women

Witch costumes

A witch costume is a favourite every single year, and for good reason. It’s easy to recognise, flattering, and comes in black, green and purple, often with a hat included. Add a crown for a wicked queen twist. Smiffys and Wicked Costumes both do a good-value adult witch costume.

Zombie costumes

If you fancy something gorier, a zombie nurse or zombie schoolgirl costume is made for fake blood. Rip the hem, smear on some grey face paint and you’re a proper walking nightmare. Zombie looks are brilliant for group costumes, too.

Bloody bride, devil and dark angel looks

Fancy a bloody bride costume? An old white gown plus plenty of fake blood does the job nicely. For red-and-black drama, a Day of the Dead devil costume with horns and skull make-up is hard to beat. A black fallen angel costume is a sexy-but-spooky middle ground.

Jester and nun costumes

A jester costume has a creepy, funny edge (think killer clown in a ruff), while a nun (or a sinister sister) is low effort and always gets a reaction.

Finishing touches that make the costume

A basic costume looks a lot more expensive with a few extras. Browse our make-up and SFX kits for blood and scars, add a hood or crown from our fancy dress hats, or hide behind something from the masks range. A broomstick or scythe from our fancy dress props finishes things off nicely. Always patch test make-up a day or two before.

Sizing tips for a ladies costume

• Fancy dress sizing runs small, so check the measurements on the retailer’s listing against our costume size guide.
• One-size costumes tend to fit a fairly narrow range of sizes, so look for listings with a proper size chart if you can.
• Longer gowns can be a trip hazard in heels, so check the length if you’re on the shorter side.

Dressing the whole family? Our men’s Halloween costumes and kids’ costumes for Halloween make matching easy. For year-round options, there’s our full women’s fancy dress range, or head back to the main Halloween shop.