26 Vintage Halloween Costumes from the Previous Century

Author image for John Summers
John Summers • Contributor
Oct 27, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

Halloween has always been about creativity - but before Spirit Halloween stores, 3D printing, and Amazon Prime, people had to make do with what they had. The result? Some of the creepiest, funniest, and most fascinating costumes you'll ever see.

These 26 photos curated by Imgur user FAUST44 take us back to the early 1900s through the mid-20th century, when Halloween was a mix of homemade horror, surreal imagination, and maybe just a little bit of nightmare fuel. From paper mâché masks that look straight out of a Tim Burton fever dream to ghostly sheets and witch hats that predate your grandma's first pumpkin pie - this is pure spooky nostalgia.

Fair warning: some of these vintage looks are less "trick-or-treat cute" and more "haunt-your-dreams unsettling." But that's exactly what makes them so good.

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  • 01

    Mr. T & He-Man, circa 1985

    BE MAN
    via FAUST44
  • 02

    Killer Cabbage Patch Dolls, circa 1983 (photo by Scott Laperruque)

    Cheezburger Image 10568516608
    via FAUST44
  • 03

    Squirrel, 1950s

    CLUB STORE
    via FAUST44
  • 04

    Halloween party, Los Angeles, CA, 1960

    Cheezburger Image 10568517376
    via FAUST44
  • 05

    The Thing, 1964 (Can he breath in there?!)

    Cheezburger Image 10568517120
    via FAUST44
  • 06

    Gremlin, Aladdin, the devil and Robin, 1984

    R
    via FAUST44
  • 07

    Curious George, 1972

    I am Curious
    via FAUST44
  • 08

    Kinda disturbing Peanuts crew, 1963

    Cheezburger Image 10568518656
    via FAUST44
  • 09

    Ummm... The wet bandits? 1964

    NOV . 64
    via FAUST44
  • 10

    Trick or Treat 1975

    52 T
    via FAUST44
  • 11

    That Yoda mask is pretty on point - 1982

    LURCH Dafie MAN-CREATED $31.00 Pogle DARTH VADER $4000 YODA $4000 Bald Head FANTIM "CREEPY" $25.00 $35.00 yes WINK! BLINK! TWINK! TWINKLING TWINKLING EYES TWINKLING EYES TWINKLING EYES fun duquite FRANCO SKULL AND STERNUM $20.00
    via FAUST44
  • 12

    Hamlet's Father and two friends, Brooklyn, NYC, 1982 (photo by Larry Racioppo)

    W
    via FAUST44
  • 13

    Gumby and SCRAPPY-DOO. 1980

    GUM GUME 19 BY 00 appy-Bo 215
    via FAUST44
  • 14

    Lion and Pirate, 1966

    Cheezburger Image 10568519424
    via FAUST44
  • 15

    Bionic Woman, Bambi and Cinderella, Brooklyn, 1977 (photo by Larry Racioppo)

    BI WO Bambi
    via FAUST44
  • 16

    Dandy Dracula and Wanda Witch - 1970s

    DANDY DRACULA Chiller-thriller with blood-red cape lining. cummerbund. UNICEF WANDA WITCH Wickedly nice, jet-black smock, jagged cape. Pattern, fabric and accessory information, on page 230. 137
    via FAUST44
  • 17

    Count Chocula, Booberry and gypsy, 1976

    FOUNT TRICK OR TREAT
    via FAUST44
  • 18

    Rita Hayworth and her friend, actor Pinky Tomlin, at Halloween party, 1935

    Cheezburger Image 10568520448
    via FAUST44
  • 19

    Sheik, solider, and Goldilocks, 1968

    D
    via FAUST44
  • 20

    Pack of Salem cigarettes, 1984 (Ah, the 80s)

    Sallem
    via FAUST44
  • 21

    Cardboard tube robots, 1954

    Cheezburger Image 10568520960
    via FAUST44
  • 22

    Mexicans and beatniks, 1967

    MAR • 67
    via FAUST44
  • 23

    Is that Barb from stranger things?! 1976

    Cheezburger Image 10568522240
    via FAUST44
  • 24

    Classroom crew, 1979

    Cheezburger Image 10568522496
    via FAUST44
  • 25

    It's eh... well, It's something. 1964

    DEC 64 O
    via FAUST44
  • 26

    Robot, 1962

    Trick OR TRY RICKPEAT
    via FAUST44

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horror movies 1990s hallowmeme halloween costumes horror scary 90s memes retro halloween skeleton spooky nostalgia funny memes halloween memes 80s music spooktober Nostalgia Overload october 80s 90s kids 90s spooky scary skeletons spooky memes memory lane nostalgia memes halloween costume funny millennial-nostalgia 1980s
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