35 Scary Halloween Costumes That Are Straight-Up Terrifying
Channel your scary side with chilling horror costumes and spooky masks.
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Halloween can mean a lot of things to different people. It's a celebration of the spookiest decorations, the creepiest Halloween makeup, and, of course, all the best scary sweet treats. Sure, the October 31st holiday can be a chance to rock a popular costume or a creatively punny costume, but we also love going all in on terrifying and frighteningly scary Halloween costumes that make the spooky holiday eerie yet iconic.
And when it comes to finding scary Halloween costumes, we've got a roundup that will send a chill up everyone's spine. Whether you want to buy Stranger Things-themed accessories to create the look of a villain or go the more classic horror movies route like Friday the 13th or A Nightmare on Elmstreet, or you're simply in the mood for a look that decked out with bloody eyes or sickly skin, we've got you covered. It's fun to create a unique costume, but when it comes to Halloween, you can't go wrong with fake blood galore and a super scary look on a frightful night — and you truly can't go wrong with any of these ideas.
Looking for more great costume inspiration for you and your friends? Check out our other Halloween costume guides:
The Best Halloween Masks | Sexy Halloween Costumes | Funny Halloween Costumes
If you thought the Chucky the doll that measures only 29 inches was frightening, just think about how terrifying a lifesize version is. Make sure to buy some stick-on scars to really enhance the look.
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Celebrate the upcoming final season of Stranger Things by paying homage to a classic villain from season 1. They might not be real but they certainly send a chill down our spine.
The Christmas season might seem like a "sugar and spice and everything nice" kind of season, but if Krampus is around, it might not stay that way. This creepy costume is based on a half-goat half-demon monster who, legend has it, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children the night before the Feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6 to "scare kids into being good." Heck, we're adults and it would definitely scare us!
He sees you when you're sleeping ... and he's definitely not someone you want to encounter when you do. This classic Freddy Krueger look from A Nightmare on Elm Street pays it back to a classic that still scares us years after it came out.
Although recommended as a duo costume (seeing as a set of twins usually includes two people) one twin alone is still pretty scary especially if you've watched The Shining. All work and no play might make Jack a dull boy, but dressing up as one of the creepy twins from the classic horror flick definitely isn't dull at all.
You could honestly DIY this costume yourself by wearing a button down, shirt and pants combo you already own and inventing in the mask and machete, but if you really want to go for authenticity look no further than this Jason look from Friday the 13th.
RELATED: Easy DIY Halloween Costumes
Jesters may have been used to entertain in medieval times, but this jester is only focused on one thing — scaring you!
Fierce yet frightening — what more could you want in a Halloween costume?
Sometimes, it's what you don't see that is the scariest. This costume comes with a black full-body suit and light-up glasses, so you can be the glowing eyes in the night.
Why is this jack o'lantern smiling? For no good reason, we can tell you that! This costume comes with the tunic, collar, belt and mask — you just need to add the wig.
The movie Terrifier and its sequel are verifiable word-of-mouth hits, but you'll be sure to terrify people in this costume even if no one had ever heard of Art the Clown — its vibe is just too creepy. This costume comes with the clown outfit and the teeth, so you have to do your own scary clown makeup.
The best part about this costume is getting to come up with the ghost bride's backstory. Was she jilted on her wedding day? Expired before she could walk down the aisle? You get to decide. This costume comes with the dress and veil.
Step right up for the scariest show on Earth! This costume comes with the mask, jacket, vest, tie and top hat, but you have to bring your own sense of showmanship. You can also get a skeleton ringmistress costume to go with it if you want to make it a double act.
No one will be able to look you in the (milky white) eyes when you're wearing this flexible demon mask. (Be warned, though: Amazon reviewers say it can be hard to see through.)
There are plenty of clowns on this list, and each one earns its place in a different way. This costume is inflatable, and its outsize proportions just serve to make it all the more unsettling.
You don't have to have seen The Purge to find these light-up masks unsettling. They come in several colors, but be warned: The laws do still apply while you're wearing them.
This costume pulls off a neat trick: Since the shoulders and neck are fake, and worn over your own head, it makes it look like you have your own face in your hands. Who needs a headless horseman when you have this?
The princesses may be the fairest ones of all, but Maleficent cuts the most striking figure, especially with those horns. The costume comes with the shawl and the horns, all you need is a black dress, black lipstick and a scowl.
With a new movie in the Nun franchise coming out this year, it might be time to revive this old haunt. The fright is all in the mask for this Conjuring universe-inspired outfit. Bonus: The unisex robe itself is comfy, too.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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