While autumn hails the start of three months of copious amounts of food and beverage consumption, it also means Halloween and the all-important costume that accompanies it.

Maybe you had intentions of planning and buying your Halloween costume early, but are now left scrambling last minute for something to wear. Or maybe you didn’t plan to go out but have just been invited to a friend’s party and need inspiration.

Fear not: if Halloween has snuck up on you again this year, here are some last minute DIY Halloween costume ideas to get you into costume for Halloween night.

You can thank our activity holidays for this one – they’ve inspired the looks you’re about to see, cookery & wine holidays to art holidays & more:

Wine bottle

The perfect costume excuse to carry around a wine glass and keep it topped up all night.

What you’ll need:

Inspired by our wine holidays, your only necessities to make this costume are:

• Some paper
• A computer printer
• Some ribbon or string

And of course, a few full bottles of wine.

Flight attendant

Let us not forget to applaud those who get us to our destinations.

What you’ll need:

Inspired by the men and women who must be even sicker-to-death of the safety demonstration than we are, you’ll need:

• A tailored skirt or trousers
• A blouse or smart shirt
• A colourful necktie or tie

Added bonus if you wear heels all night and serve people ginger ale in small plastic cups.

Tourist

We all have a collection of things (like bum bags) that we never get the chance to actually wear. But not anymore. Find them and let your inner tourist shine.

What you’ll need:

While a flexible option, here are some ideas:

• A floral shirt
• Shorts
• Socks with sandals
• Flower lei
• Camera on strap around your neck
• Large straw hat
• Bum bag

Make sure to tell everyone all about your activity holiday with Not in the Guidebooks while you’re at it.

Chicken Cord-on-Blue

We love French food and a good play-on-words – here’s a combo of the two.

What you’ll need:

• A plastic chicken (these can be found in the dog toy aisle)
• A phone cord (circa 1987)
• A blue shirt

Add a French accent and you’re all set – no fancy French cooking skills needed here.

Zombie Chef

While none of our cookery holiday hosts look remotely like this, we were still able to use them (and the Walking Dead) for inspiration.

What you’ll need:

• Plastic chicken (who knew these would be so handy to have around?)
• Red paint
• White apron (though a bed sheet works just as well)
• Paper chef’s hat
• White button-up shirt
• Cheap Halloween face paint
• Fake kitchen knife (we repeat, fake kitchen knife)
• Various plastic creepy crawlies and maybe a finger or two

Bone appetit, anyone?

A Picasso

Looking for a couples’ costume? One of you can be the painter. The other? The painting.

What you’ll need:

• A fabulous idea for those who love art and like a good reason to crack open the face paint.
• Cheap Halloween face paint
• Chunky blue necklace
• Wildly colourful top
• Impressive makeup skills

Never has ‘become your art’ been taken so seriously.

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Hopefully you have been inspired to throw something together in time to enjoy the night when the veil between the living and the dead is at it’s thinnest. May the restless spirits leave you in peace while you eat your Halloween candy.

Happy Hauntings from Not in the Guidebooks!