How to Create a Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress

Creating a Halloween costume from scratch can be overwhelming. So today, we’re breaking down how to create a Halloween costume with a formal dress and a few accessories thrifted at Goodwill.

Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress - Witch

Let’s Get Witchy

Add a witch hat and a spell book to your floor length formal dress and you’re the perfect witch. You can spookify your look or keep it pretty like Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz! Either way this classic costume is a fan favorite.

Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress - Princess

Pretty Pretty Princess

Find a formal dress add a tiara to create your own princess. Find a dress that correlates with your favorite princess’ look or create a princess all your own. Take this look over the top with wrist-length gloves and some costume jewelry.

Bonus: Add a sash with a title to your ensemble and you’ve just become a pageant queen!

Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress - Party Animal

Party Animal

A formal dress and a pair of unicorn or animal ears is the perfect way to create a chic look everyone will love. For this look focus more on your makeup and hair accessories. Take a cue from Lauren Conrad and encourage your girl gang to join the fun.

Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress - Fruit

Fun Fruit

Similarly to the party animals, this fruit inspired look is easy to create and keeps your vibe fun. Find a brightly colored dress and become your a pineapple princess. Grab a friend to be a strawberry or go all out with your friends like Brit+Co.

Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress - Zodiac

Zodiac Goddess

Tap into your zodiac energy with a pretty formal dress and elements of your sign. This costume is great to create with a group of your girlfriends or on your own. Head over to Pinterest and search your sign for a fun makeup tutorial!

Halloween Costume with a Formal Dress - Undead

The Undead

Elevate the standard zombie costume with a formal dress. You can easily make this look a couple or group costume. Accomplish both and theme your party by creating zombie prom king and queen joined by prom attendees. Zombie brides have been a fan favorite over the years too!

You can have fun zombifying any costume for a look completely your own. Not sure about a formal zombie? Zombie athletes, office workers, school kids (Goodwill always cares school uniforms!) and more! Find more zombie costume ideas here.

Which Halloween Costume will you create from your thrifted formal dress? Tell us your favorites or share other ways to create a Halloween costume with a formal dress. Shop our stores and share which look you go with!