Halloween is coming up faster than ever, and there's always a ton of pressure to make sure your costume is something that makes people laugh. A solid pun never goes unnoticed, which is why a funny pun Halloween costume idea for 2016 will surely be a hit (and get plenty of laughs). The best costumes are easy to prepare, something you don't have to explain a billion times, and of course, not offensive. (Seriously, don't risk offending the party you're attending. A poorly thought-out costume isn't funny, or punny, for anyone.)
The best part about Halloween is the fact that, for the only time each year, you can be anything you want to be. Pun-based costumes are usually great, because they lighten the mood at any party and pretty much show that you're a clever person who doesn't take themselves too seriously. When you use puns, you could go big, or go small — it all really depends on how much time you want to spend on your costume. You can opt for the goofy route, or you can DIY some kind of in-joke that your friends at the party would absolutely love. The best accessory for all of these types of outfits is a lighthearted demeanor, and a gigantic smile. While nobody should be bummed out on Halloween, your inner feelings should, generally, match your outer ensemble in order for things to truly work.
Here are a few pun-based Halloween costume ideas to help get you started.
1. Dunkin' Donuts
You might not be able to fit through the doorway, but you'll surely get a smile with this costume idea. All you need are inflatable doughnuts, and some great basketball jerseys and gears. This costume is so cute, that it was actually featured on a news segment for KTLA for quick, funny DIY costumes.
You can get a doughnut pool float on Amazon for under $20. Then, all you need to do is rock your favorite jersey.
Or, you could order a blank jersey and customize it however you want.
Try: C hampion Men's City Mesh Tank Jersey Top , $15, Amazon
2. Social Butterfly
Want to take your butterfly costume idea one step further? Well, consider becoming a "social butterfly" — all you need to do is stick or pin some of the best social networking emblems where people can see them. Don't forget to include Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and of course, Instagram.
Complete the look with some wings from Amazon (sure, they're listed as fairy wings, but people will get the picture) and some antennae from Etsy.
3. Kevin Bacon
Surely the Bacon brothers have gotten mocked before as kids — but hey, bacon is excellent, and their talent and success have proven they can handle anything. Thus, this costume likely won't offend them. Simply buy a bacon costume.
From there, all you'll need is a standard name tag, which you can pick up from Amazon for $6.39. Write "Kevin" on that nametag. Costume complete.
4. Hawaiian Punch
Not only is this costume cute and punny, it's weirdly empowering. All you'll need are some Hawaiian-inspired clothes (it doesn't have to be a bikini and a lei — floral prints will work as well). Or, perhaps a colorful Hawaiian shirt ($19.99, Etsy).
And of course, you'll need some boxing gloves. These can get a little pricey, so if you know that you're going to be using them solely for the costume (and won't suddenly develop a strange love for the sport) the cheaper, the better.
This pair can be found at Amazon for $19.99.
5. Newsflash
If you buy your Sunday paper solely for the coupons, here's another way to save money — by making a dress out of the paper remains. Your dress should be secure enough so that you don't accidentally, er, "become" the costume. If you've got superb taping skills, this may be the perfect choice.
Of course, besides the newspaper, you'll also need a long coat. (After all, it's kinda-sorta known that flashers are fond of them.)
Sportsman's Guide has some military surplus trench coats for under $20 that might be perfect.
6. Iron Chef
What a fun little costume to put together, especially if you're a huge fan of the show. This punny costume is also super easy to make.
First, you need to get the Iron apron. This one sells at Amazon for $15.99, and it's great, since the print is bold enough to make the concept stand out.
And while you're on Amazon, you might want to pick up this chef hat.
7. Ceiling Fan
Someone's got to cheer on that ceiling, and that person is you. You can pick up a blank shirt at a craft store like Michael's in a variety of colors and use a fabric marker or Sharpies. Or, you can just buy a pre-made shirt.
This one is available from Zazzle for $31.50.
8. A Blessing in Disguise
This one gets so many clever points. And even better, it's a great excuse to wear a goofy fake nose and glasses. (Admit it, you've always wanted an excuse to buy these.) You can get a pair on Amazon for just $4.37
As for the blessing itself, you can make your own t-shirt, peruse your favorite #blessed tees online, check out some jewelry and accessories on Etsy with the phrase, or pick up my personal favorite — a shirt symbolizing Blessing, Texas.
This shirt is $14 at GreatCitees.com.
9. Raisin' Hell
If you see yourself as being a bit of a hell-raiser, this costume might be perfect for you. All you'll need is either an all-black or all-red ensemble.
Or, maybe a cute little black dress you can wear after Halloween, like this $9.99 sleeveless dress from H&M. Then, of course, you'll need some devilish props.
You can get a black or red set from Amazon for just $4.88 plus shipping.
Then, of course, all of the raisin boxes you can find. You'll be extremely popular when people at your party start getting a little hungry.
10. Freudian Slip
A Freudian slip is when you say something that accidentally reveals a subconscious feeling that you have on the inside. If you choose to dress as a Freudian slip, you'll likely give everyone a much needed refresher in Psychology 101.
Since the big celebrations happen in October, it'll likely be a little cold — so, you'll probably want as much material as you can get. This slip from Amazon looks slightly longer, which'll give you a little more fabric. When you get it, put some cardboard underneath to help prevent a fabric pen or Sharpie from completely leaking through to the other side. Filling it with psych buzzwords will be the most fun part of all.
11. Grapes of Wrath
Like fruit, and love being angry? Or, happen to just be a huge fan of the popular John Steinbeck novel? If you don't mind wearing a few purple balloons around, this punny costume will be super simple to put together.
You can buy a package of 100 un-inflated purple balloons on Amazon for $12.59, which will be the start of your costume, and likely leave you with 90 spare balloons for your next gathering. You'll want to either tape the balloons to you, or in order to have more control over them, lightly sew the mouthpiece through a shirt that you'll buy just for the occasion. (A craft store will have a large variety for a low price.)
A headpiece like this one ($19, Etsy) will definitely add a lot to the costume. But of course, you'll still need to bring in the "wrath" element. While you should expect to be comically angry, a few props might help out a bit.
So, sure — these accessories might be meant for an Angry Birds costume, but when you think of "angry eyebrows" today, you have to admit that the birds know what's up. This set, available on Amazon for $4.79, also includes a mustache, which you can use anytime you want.
12. Curiosity Killed the Cat
You probably know how to put together a simple cat costume. Just wear black clothes, get a pair of ears, and paint on some whiskers with a black eyeliner you know and love.
As for the knife, you can buy one on (you guessed it) on Amazon, for just under 10 bucks. The one above is kinda-sorta great, since based on the inspiration photo, there's a lot of room to write "curiosity" on it with a fine tipped white-out pen.
13. Thesaurus Rex
If you're into reading, find yourself to be quite worthy, and actually think Ross from Friends is cool for being a paleontologist, this punny costume should be right up your alley.
First, get yourself a dinosaur costume, available at Light In The Box for $29.99. Even better, the folks at Light In The Box don't consider their outerwear to be "costumes" per say — for them, they're functional pajamas. That means that you can get a lot of use out of these. Goofy sleepovers, here you come.
It'd pain me to tell you where to buy a thesaurus, but as bookstores are sadly becoming more and more hard to find, here's one you can get at Barnes and Noble for just $6.50.
14. Fantasy Football
If you're a hardcore sports fan who secretly wants to wear a tiara once or twice in life, dressing up as Fantasy Football might be an incredible idea.
First, you'll want to grab your favorite sports jersey (and if you don't have one already, you can grab one at Fanatics.com) — then, the fun princess part.
You can grab some Princess Peach-esque gear on Amazon for $17.51, or if a unicorn is more of your fantasy style...
...his headband, available for $11.98, is kinda-sorta perfect.
Image Credits: Pexels, TheDaftPunk/Reddit, KTLA/YouTube, LaLeeladotcom/Etsy, Sportsman's Guide, Amazon (15), Zazzle, H&M, GreatCitees, CaeliLux/Etsy, Light In The Box
