Last-minute fancy dress ideas you can do tonight

The party is tonight and nothing is sorted. Everything here is built from clothes you already own plus, at worst, one cheap item.

We don't sell costumes - we make cards, badges and party bits in house, printed in the UK - so nothing below is a sales pitch for an outfit.

Grouped by how long you've got: five minutes, half an hour, or an hour with a charity shop nearby.

Five-minute costumes

• All black plus drawn-on whiskers: cat.
• Sunglasses and a suit: film assassin.
• Dressing gown and a mug: exhausted parent.
• Clothes inside out, labels showing: laundry disaster.
• Tinfoil hat and a clipboard: conspiracy researcher.
• White shirt, red tie, fake blood: rough day at the office.
• Sports kit and a bandage: injured player.
• Normal clothes and a printed 404 sign.
• Bin bag with arm holes: storm cloud.
• Stripe top and a bandana: pirate.

Half an hour with a kitchen drawer

• Foil-wrapped box on your head: robot.
• Cereal boxes plus plastic knives: cereal killer.
• Balloons pinned to white clothes: bubble bath.
• Purple balloons on purple: bunch of grapes.
• Sticky notes all over a suit: office nightmare.
• Playing cards taped to black clothes: house of cards.
• Cotton wool on a blue top: cloudy day.
• Backcombed hair, grey clothes, socks pinned on: static electricity.
• Newspaper glued to a dress: yesterday's news.
• Coloured t-shirt and a cone hat from card: crayon.

One hour, one charity shop

• Old suit plus black tape: Beetlejuice.
• Wedding dress, tea-stained: corpse bride.
• Checked shirt and straw: scarecrow.
• Lab coat and goggles: mad scientist.
• Tracksuit and a whistle: PE teacher.
• Floral shirt and camera: tourist.
• Dark cloak with a hood: reaper.
• Green dress and toy snakes on a headband: Medusa.
• Waistcoat and pocket watch: Victorian gent.
• Full beige, plus a name badge: flatpack manual.

Shop party supplies

Decorations for the night

Banners, cake toppers and confetti that go up in ten minutes.

How to write it so it lands

• Check what's already in the loft before buying anything.
• One clear visual reference beats three clever ones nobody gets.
• Safety pins over glue - you'll want the clothes back.
• Carry a spare roll of tape; quick costumes fail by ten.

Where to shop next

• Fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress party themes
• How to throw a fancy dress party
• Hen party fancy dress themes
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
• 80s and 90s party ideas
• Fancy dress prize ideas
• Birthday party ideas
• Party supplies
• Halloween costume ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest last-minute fancy dress?

All black with ears and drawn-on whiskers, or a white shirt with a red tie and fake blood. Both take under five minutes and use things already in the house.

What can I make into a costume at home?

Cardboard boxes, tinfoil, balloons, sticky notes, cotton wool and newspaper cover most quick DIY costumes - robot, bubble bath, cloudy day, office nightmare and yesterday's news.

How cheap can a last-minute costume be?

Free if it's from your own wardrobe, and usually under £10 with a charity shop suit or dress plus tape or make-up.