2023 Halloween Costume Contest
Enter 2023 Costume Contest

65 Coolest DIY Illusion Costumes

Jeepers, creepers...what's wrong with my peepers!?

If you did a double-take when you saw the criminally-creative costumes before you, don't worry – we had to have a look or three at them ourselves! Halloween often has us believing that our eyes are playing tricks on us, but this special breed of costume will definitely have you taking a second look! No, it's not the black magic of Halloween (or photo-editing, for that matter) – these abnormally-amazing costumes use the magic of creativity to deliver the spellbinding effects of illusion. These costumes are a display of ghastly genius, and even the hardest of the hard-to-impress will be wondering how the creators pulled them off! If you're looking for a deviously different costume this Halloween, the magic of illusion may just be the inspiration you seek!

DIY illusion costume ideas - Man in a Cage CostumeMan in a Cage
Sent in by Valerie to our 2011 costume contest.

This poor fellow seems to be at the mercy of this petrifying primate. This unique illusion costume is sure to have every passerby calling the local zookeeper! Is this a pair of Halloween tricksters, a prop, or a new breed of super ape? You decide...
 

Illusion Halloween costume ideas - Mermaid in Pirate's Treasure Chest Halloween CostumeMermaid in Pirate's Treasure Chest
Sent in by Danielle to our 2012 costume contest.

Ahoy thar ye scurvy Halloween tricksters! This nautically-naughty garb is sure to have ye scouring the depths of the Dead Sea to find the treasure chest that holds the secret to its creation! Just stay away from me gold doubloons, 'lest ye be hankerin' for a trip to Davy Jones' Locker!
 

DIY Illusion costume ideas - Genie on a Magic Carpet CostumeGenie on a Magic Carpet
Sent in by Terra to our 2013 costume contest.

If you're 'dreamin' of genie' like this young Halloween lover, you'd do well to draw the scent of inspiration from her magic bottle! This ingenious illusion will turn heads and is tremendously fun for the wee creatures that tend to enjoy Halloween the most. Do you believe in levitation? I do after seeing this sweet setup!

Illusion Halloween costumes - Troll On Your Back CostumeTroll On Your Back
Sent in by Will to our 2012 costume contest.

While we all have the proverbial "monkey on our backs" from time-to-time, few of us can say we've had trolls on our backs! Costumes like these are clever in their simplicity and generate eerily-impressive effects without a whole lot of effort. If you're afraid to face the Halloween streets alone, this little troll is just dying to accompany you....
 

Illusion Halloween costume ideas - Headless Girl CostumeHead in a Jar
Sent in by Kimberly to our 2009 costume contest.

It just wouldn't be Halloween without a severed head or ten! This convincing costume can be enjoyed by all, and set-up consists of only a few common items and simple modifications. Forget the Headless Horseman – headless humans are taking the reigns this Halloween, and heads will surely roll from the sheer awesomeness of costumes like this one!
 

 

It's all smoke and mirrors....

Add a bit of magic to your Halloween night by crafting your own infectious illusions! These costume ideas are sure to cause an epidemic of entertaining creatures scaring about on Halloween night! You don't need to be a witch or unearth ancient spell books to pull off great costumes like these. As you can see from the examples on this page, you need only an idea, some inventive creativity, and simple materials to create a costume that will "wow!". Gather up what you can find, gaze upon these wretchedly-wonderful ideas, and mix up a special brew in the cauldron of your imagination!

 

Coolest DIY Illusion Halloween Costumes

(Click on the images below for detail on each costume)

Illusion costume ideas - HandsMan CostumeHandsMan

Illusion costume ideas - Kidnapped! Illusion CostumeKidnapped Girl

Illusion costume ideas - Creative Rollercoaster CostumeDe Jevu Rollercoaster

Illusion costume ideas - Jet Pack Man CostumeJet Pack Man

Illusion costume ideas - Frankenstein's Bounty CostumeFrankenstein's Bounty

Illusion costume ideas - Serial Killer & his Victim CostumeSerial Killer & his Victim

Illusion costume ideas - Abducted by Alien Illusion CostumeAbducted by Alien

Illusion costume ideas - Labor and Delivery CostumeLabor and Delivery

Illusion costume ideas - Invisible Man Illusion CostumeInvisible Man

Illusion costume ideas - Bumble Captures Yukon Cornelius CostumeBumble Captures Yukon Cornelius

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Marie Antoinette Homemade CostumeHeadless Marie Antoinette

Illusion costume ideas - Gorilla Carrying Human Halloween CostumeGorilla Carrying Human

Illusion costume ideas - Dead Bride Carrying Dead Groom in a BoxDead Bride Carrying Dead Groom

Illusion costume ideas - Shark AttackShark Attack

Illusion costume ideas - Wayne's World Illusion CostumeWayne's World

Illusion costume ideas - Taking out the Trash Homemade CostumeTaking out the Trash

Illusion costume ideas - Mario Riding Yoshi CostumeMario Riding Yoshi

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Woman CostumeHeadless Woman

Illusion costume ideas - Funny Tiny Fisherman CostumeTiny Fisherman

Illusion costume ideas - DIY Pinocchio and Gepetto CostumePinocchio and Gepetto

Illusion costume ideas - Head on a Platter homemade costumeHead on a Platter

Illusion costume ideas - Humpty Dumpty CostumeHumpty Dumpty

Illusion costume ideas - Angelina Jolie Halloween costumeAngelina Jolie and her Kid

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Mad Scientist CostumeHeadless Mad Scientist

Illusion costume ideas - Honey Bucket CostumeA Whole New meaning to "On-The-GO!"

Illusion costume ideas - Aquarium Swimmer CostumeAquarium Swimmer

Illusion costume ideas - Bedhead CostumeBedhead

Illusion costume ideas - Tiger in a Cage CostumeTiger in a Cage

Illusion costume ideas - Soul Walker CostumeSoul Walker

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Woman Homemade Halloween CostumeHeadless Woman

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Girl Halloween Costume IdeaHeadless Girl

Illusion costume ideas - Dr. Helda Severed CostumeDr. Helda Severed

Illusion costume ideas - Stolen Mermaid Illusion Halloween CostumeStolen Mermaid

Illusion costume ideas - Mad Scientist Who Lost His Head CostumeThe Mad Scientist Who Lost His Head

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Butler CostumeHeadless Butler

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Marie Antoinette CostumeHeadless Marie Antoinette

Illusion costume ideas - DIY Headless Girl Halloween CostumeHeadless Girl

Illusion costume ideas - Portable Porta Potty Halloween CostumePortable Porta Potty

Illusion costume ideas - Hobbit Captured by Orc Halloween CostumeHobbit Captured by Orc

Illusion costume ideas - DIY Alien Abduction CostumeAlien Abduction

Illusion costume ideas - Lucy the Laundry Lady CostumeLucy the Laundry Lady

Illusion costume ideas - Caught in the Potty Halloween CostumeCaught in the Potty

Illusion costume ideas - Head Dr. Halloween CostumeHead Dr.

Illusion costume ideas - Porta Potty Costume IdeaPorta Potty

Illusion costume ideas - Boy Snatched by Alien CostumeBoy Snatched by Alien

Illusion costume ideas - Pirate with Mermaid Illusion CostumePirate with Mermaid

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Scientist CostumeHeadless Scientist

Illusion costume ideas - Mermaid Captured by a Pirate CostumeRiley the Mermaid, Captured by a Pirate!

Illusion costume ideas - Little Red Riding Hood Halloween CostumeLittle Red Riding Hood

Illusion costume ideas - Upside Down Old ManUpside Down Old Man

Illusion costume ideas - Gorilla carrying a Kid Halloween CostumeGorilla carrying a Kid

Illusion costume ideas - Homemade Illusion Costume IdeasHeavy Load

Illusion costume ideas - Headless Marie Antoinette Halloween CostumeHeadless Marie Antoinette

Illusion costume ideas - Boy Trapped in Cage by MonsterBoy Trapped in Cage by Monster

Illusion costume ideas - The ContortionistsThe Contortionists

Illusion costume ideas - Gremlins Movie CostumeGremlins

Illusion costume ideas - Upside Down ScarecrowUpside Down Scarecrow

Illusion costume ideas - I dream of Jeannie Illusion Halloween CostumeI dream of Jeannie

Illusion costume ideas - Headless MaidHeadless Maid

Illusion costume ideas - Bird in a CageBird in a Cage

 

* * *

You may just want to have a second look at your own costume as well! If you have a costume in mind already, you can easily enhance it by incorporating an illusion. Have your neighbors, friends, and fellow Halloween lovers wondering how you pulled it off. The streets are your audience on Halloween night and, like a fine magic act, you can leave them smiling, awe-struck, and talking about your costume long after the holiday has passed on!
 

See also: 70 Creative Optical Illusion Halloween Costumes.