After years of Google searching “original Halloween group costumes”, countless trips to Party City and numerous last-minute DIY costume attempts, I know exactly how difficult it is to find the perfect group costume. Finding a single costume for yourself is already hard enough, so the annual scramble to settle for one among the opinions of an entire friend group is usually impossible.

In hopes of inspiring some creative costume ideas, I have created the following list of costumes that can be easily customized to any group, budget or event.

Aliens and Astronauts: Shiny metallic outfits are always a go-to on Halloween. Aliens are also a great opportunity to take out that body glitter and silvery accessories.

Superheroes: Superman, Batman, Captain Underpants, Spiderman, Green Lantern – there is a multitude of options. Superheroes are a great idea for a group that can’t agree on an exact costume but still wants a common theme … and who doesn’t want to wear a cape?

Disney Characters: There is an abundance of Disney characters to choose from. Each person could pick a different Disney princess, or you could opt for something more creative and dress as The Seven Dwarves or The Incredibles.

Fairies: Fairies are such easy costumes since you can pair any dress or skirt from your wardrobe with some store-bought wings and a cool makeup look. Each person can be a different color, or the group can opt to be cartoon fairies, such as those from the Winx Club or Tinkerbell.

Iconic Groups in Entertainment: Sandy and the Pink Ladies, the Spice Girls, Mean Girls, Spring Breakers … Pinterest has loads of costume inspiration for these iconic group costumes.

Cavemen: Throw on some leopard/cheetah print or brown leather, then add a fun hairstyle and face paint for a unique group costume that will stand out all night.

Cartoon Character Duos: Velma and Daphne. Spongebob and Patrick. Sharkboy and Lavagirl. There are hundreds of iconic duos that could be split among the group. The possibilities for this one are endless and would work well for a large, even-numbered group.

Devils and Angels: A timeless classic. Devils and angels require little planning — most people have enough red/black or white in their closet to pull together a cute costume without breaking the bank. Devil horns, halos, and angel wings are readily available at most Halloween stores, making this a convenient costume.

Vampires: If you own a black top and bottoms, then you are already most of the way there. Any black outfit with some fake blood makes for the perfect vampire costume that can be dressed up or down. Accessories such as colored contacts or vampire teeth also add a creative twist.

No matter what costume the group finally agrees on, the look comes down to how much effort you want to put in. Any costume can be dressed up with well-thought-out pieces or pulled together at the very last minute. It’s still early October, so there’s plenty of time to pick the group costume that will win Halloween 2021!